Fort Lauderdale, FL – On March 19 and 20, stakeholders and experts from over 11 countries and 10 organizations descended upon south Florida and took part in a workshop to discuss and develop a billfish management and conservation plan for the nations and overseas territories under the jurisdiction of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC). The Billfish Foundation (TBF), the International Gamefish Association (IGFA), the World Bank, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) worked to together to host this workshop that is a steps in the right direction for billfish conservation in the region. Currently there is minimal management for the species and the importance of the recreational sector is not recognized by many countries.

The initial meeting in November 2012 took place in Santa Marta, Columbia where participants discussed the Socioeconomic Impacts of Recreational Fishing and understanding the role of recreational fishing in the Caribbean. This workshop’s goals were met by meeting the key objectives of creating a Consortium on billfish management and conservation, discussing the initial draft structure of the management plan, as well as finalizing pilot projects in the Caribbean. These pilot projects will be submitted to the World Bank for funding consideration in the near future.

Updates from Caribbean Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, and Colombia on the progress of the pilot studies utilizing the “Manual on Economic Impact Assessment of Recreational Fisheries in the Wider Caribbean” were presented and discussed. Much progress is being made on these progress and TBF will continue to provide consultation as the projects continue in the future.

While the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) oversees billfish management for the Atlantic, the workshop’s discussions are important for the future management for the area and empowering the local stakeholders. The workshop brought up a number of options to strengthen relationships and possible collaborations between user groups – from local artisanal fleets to the tourism boards – who might be affected by changes in fisheries management. To that end, TBF was an active participant during the workshops but also published and distributed a report on the economic importance of sportfishing in the US territories of USVI and Puerto Rico. The hope is that all the stakeholders can learn, work together, and share the benefits of these new management schemes.

The next meeting is being proposed for the seventh World Recreational Fishing Conference which will be held in Sao Paulo State, Brazil on September 1st -4th, 2014. To learn more about WECAFC please visit their website and to read TBF’s report on the economic importance of sportfishing in Puerto Rico and the U.S.V.I. please click here.

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The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released the annual edition of Fisheries Economics of the United States for 2011, highlighting the economic impact of both recreational and commercial fishing.  In 2011, 11 million recreational anglers took 70 million saltwater fishing trips and generated $70 billion in sales impacts, $32 billion in value added impacts, and supported over 455,000 jobs nationally.

Taking a further look at the expenditures of U.S. anglers in 2011, a total of $4.5 billion in angler expenditures were related specifically to fishing trips with $2 billion of this for private boat-based fishing trips. Shore-based fishing trips generated $1.5 billion and for-hire-based fishing trips brought in $1 billion. The angler expenditures on fishing-related equipment for 2011 totaled over $22 billion with most related to boat expenses ($11 billion). Other major expenditures incurred by anglers included vehicle expenses ($4.1 billion), fishing tackle ($3.8 billion) and second home expenses ($2.1 billion).

This is great news for the recreational fishing industry because of the rise seen between 2010 and 2011, especially in the Southeast portion of the United States (South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Regions) where recreational fishing is economically important and a large driver of tourism. In 2011, around 70% of all recreational fishing jobs in the US were occupied by fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Regions. Recreational Fishing in these two regions generated $15.9 billion in fishing trip and durable equipment expenditures with $6.1 billion and $9.8 billion in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico regions respectively.

In 2011, 5.5 million of the 12 million saltwater anglers nationally fished in the Southeast United with 2.3 million anglers fishing in the South Atlantic region and 3.2 million anglers fishing in Gulf of Mexico region. Anglers in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico took 20 million trips and 23 million fishing trips in 2011, respectively. The large importance of the recreational fishing industry in these regions demonstrates the importance of the fisheries and the further need for conservation efforts to ensure that fishing opportunities are available for future generations.

The Billfish Foundation knows the importance of socioeconomic studies for the recreational fishing industry and has successfully used socioeconomic studies to further conservation and influence governments to place greater importance on their recreational fishing industries. Only with an increased knowledge of the socioeconomic impacts of anglers around the world can a unified voice be created for anglers to demonstrate their importance as an industry that needs to be recognized.

Read the Report Here

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On February 15, 2013 The Billfish Foundation honored conservation achievements at the 2013 Tag and Release Ceremony held at Miami’s Jungle Island Treetop Ballroom in front of a crowd of more than 170 individuals representing nine countries, the largest crowd in Tag & Release Ceremony history. The Tag and Release Ceremony sponsored by Bisbee’s Black and Blue recognized the 42 winners of the 2012 Tag and Release Competition and award winners received beautiful trophies sponsored by King Sailfish Mounts. All award winners in attendance received sunglasses courtesy of Costa and overall winners each received a lure from Bonze Lures.

TBF’s Overall Tagging Angler Winner for all species (any combination of blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, white marlin, sailfish and/or spearfish) included Juan Cruz Anon (Miami, Fla., USA). Kumie Saegusa (Nishiki, Yokohama, Japan) took the honors as the Top Overall Lady Tagging Angler. Tyler Sudbrink (Greensboro, NC, USA), a multi-year winner in his last year of youth category eligibility, won the Top Overall Youth Tagging Angler and repeating as Top Overall Tagging Captain was Fin Gaddy (Manteo, N.C., USA).

In the release division, taking the honors as both Top Overall Release Angler and Top Overall Release Lady Angler was Tiffany Sisolak (Kitty Hawk, NC, USA). Jacob Pearcy (Tuscon, Arizona, USA) won the Top Overall Release Youth Angler and Brad Philipps (Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala) repeated his title as the Top Overall Release Captain.

The 2013 competition began Nov.1, 2012 and will wrap up on Oct. 31, 2013. TBF members from more than 70 countries are invited to participate and ‘Tag Data Reports’ and ‘Release Notifications’ can be submitted to TBF using either the traditional hard copies or reported online at www.billfishtag.org. Separate categories currently exist for each the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans with additional categories being considered for the 2014 competition.

To be eligible to receive an award active TBF members must have tagged and/or released five or more of a species to qualify. In addition, TBF’s Youth Program was created in 2001 and recognizes the conservation ethics and achievements of young anglers. It includes a three fish minimum in three separate age groupings for both tag and release categories.

The Billfish Foundation’s 2012 Tag & Release Award Winners

Top Tagging Anglers – Atlantic Ocean

Mike Brauser – Lighthouse Point, FL USA – Blue Marlin

Robert DeYoung – Lyndhurst, NJ USA – Sailfish

Richard Gudoian – Key Largo, FL USA – Swordfish

Sandra MacMillan* – Fort Lauderdale, FL USA – White Marlin

Peter Cherasia* – Rumson, NJ USA – White Marlin

Top Tagging Captains – Atlantic Ocean

Zak Conde – San Vicente, Cape Verde – Blue Marlin

Fin Gaddy – Manteo, NC USA – Sailfish

Sean O’Connor – Key Largo, FL USA – Swordfish

Fin Gaddy – Manteo, NC USA – White Marlin

Top Tagging Anglers – Pacific Ocean

David Richardson – Bangalow, NSW Australia –Black Marlin

Tsumura Yasuhisa* – Sumiyoshi, Osaka Japan – Blue Marlin

Kumie Saegusa* – Nishiku, Yokohama Japan – Blue Marlin

Juan Cruz Anon – Miami, FL USA – Sailfish

John Duvall – Kemah, TX USA – Striped Marlin

Top Tagging Captains – Pacific Ocean

Tim Richardson – Bangalow, NSW AU – Black Marlin

Yanagi Takaharu – Hyogo, Japan – Blue Marlin

Chris Sheeder – Miami, FL USA – Sailfish

Chuck Wigzell – Kailua-Kona, HI USA – Spearfish

Sean Holden – Newport Beach, CA USA – Striped Marlin

Top Tagging Captains – Indian Ocean

Bernard Vale – Coral Bay, Australia – Black Marlin

Ross Newton – Broome, Australia – Blue Marlin

Ross Newton – Broome, Australia – Sailfish

Pat Hemphill – Ukunda, Kenya – Striped Marlin

Top Youth Tagging Winners

Lillian Way – Houston, TX USA – Age 11-12

Shawn MacMullin – Key Largo, FL USA – Age 11-12 – Runner Up

Tyler Sudbrink – Greensboro, NC USA – Age 16-17

Overall Tagging Winners

Fin Gaddy – Manteo, NC USA – Overall Captain

Juan Cruz Anon – Miami, FL USA – Overall Angler

Kumie Saegusa – Nishiku, Yokohama Japan – Top Lady Angler

Tyler Sudbrink – Greensboro, NC USA – Top Youth Angler

Top Release Anglers – Atlantic Ocean

William Thomasson – Molino, FL USA – Blue Marlin

Gray Ingram – Jupiter, FL USA – Sailfish

Scott Cooper – Mobile, AL USA – Swordfish

Gray Ingram – Jupiter, FL USA – White Marlin

Top Release Captains – Atlantic Ocean

Marty Bates – San Vicente, Cape Verde – Blue Marlin

Fin Gaddy – Manteo, NC USA – Sailfish

Russel Craft – Mobile, AL USA – Swordfish

Fin Gaddy – Manteo, NC USA – White Marlin

Top Release Anglers – Pacific Ocean

Barry Alty – Gold Coast, QLD Australia – Black Marlin

Barry Alty – Gold Coast, QLD Australia – Blue Marlin

Tiffany Sisolak – Kitty Hawk, NC USA – Sailfish

John Rogers – Glendale, AZ USA – Striped Marlin

John Gregory – Keri Keri, New Zealand – Swordfish

Top Release Captains – Pacific Ocean

Chris Van Leeuwen* – Iztapa, Guatemala – Blue Marlin
Brett Alty* – Gold Coast, QL Australia – Blue Marlin

Brett Alty – Gold Coast, QL Australia – Black Marlin

Brad Philipps – Iztapa, Guatemala – Sailfish

Jose Nunez – Chino Hills, CA USA – Striped Marlin

John Gregory – Keri Keri, New Zealand – Swordfish

Top Release Anglers – Indian Ocean

Anders Jonsson – Ystad, Sweden – Sailfish

Top Release Anglers – Indian Ocean

Simon Hemphill – Ukunda, Kenya – Sailfish

Top Youth Release Winners

Gregory Benn – Great Falls, VA USA – Age 13-15

Wesley Davis – Malibu, CA USA – Age 13-15 – Runner Up

Jacob Pearcy – Tucson, AZ USA – Age 16-17

Tyler Sudbrink – Greensboro, NC USA – Age 16-17 – Runner Up

Overall Release Winners

Brad Philipps – Iztapa, Guatemala – Overall Captain

Tiffany Sisolak – Kitty Hawk, NC USA- Overall Angler

Tiffany Sisolak – Kitty Hawk, NC USA- Overall Lady Angler

Jacob Pearcy – Tucson, AZ USA – Top Youth Angler

* Indicates a tie occurred

The post TBF’s Tag and Release Award Ceremony appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.

On January 30, 2013 the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released the 90-day finding on the two petitions received from Mr. James Chambers and the Center For Biological Diversity (CBD) to list white marlin (Kajikia albidus) as an endangered or threatened species. NMFS concluded “these petitions do not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating the petition action may be warranted.”

Previously petitioned by the same parties in 2001, NMFS determined that white marlin did not warrant listing according to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The possibility of white marlin listed as threatened or endangered also occurred in 2006 following the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) stock assessment for white marlin. As a result of a settlement agreement between NMFS, the CBD, and the Turtle Island Restoration Network, NMFS conducted the Atlantic White Marlin Status Review (AWMSR) and determined that the white marlin was neither threatened nor endangered.

The 2012 petition by the two parties, isolated the ‘North Atlantic sub-population of white marlin’, but NMFS declined their claims of sub-populations and determined that “the best available information indicates white marlin are a single species through its range without separation into populations.” NMFS evaluated the information presented in the petitions in addition to best available information in their files to determine whether there is a concern for impacts and threats that may be posing risk of extinction for white marlin. The petition stated three of the five possible factors of section 4(a)(1) of the ESA by looking at whether there was “(A) present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat and range; (B) overutilization for commercial and recreational purposes; and (D) inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms.  NMFS determined that there was not substantial information warranting a listing under ESA to any of these three claims.

This is an important issue for both the recreational and commercial fishing industries because of the negative impacts potentially resulting from a listing of either endangered or threatened for white marlin under the Endangered Species Act.

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