The Billfish Foundation has received several inquiries regarding our annual tag and release competition. In response we have attached our specific rules for the competition. Additionally we have the individual categories and awards explained.
The post Annual Tag and Release Competition Rules and Awards appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
The Billfish Foundation has received several inquiries regarding our annual tag and release competition. In response we have attached our specific rules for the competition. Additionally we have the individual categories and awards explained.
The post Annual Tag and Release Competition Rules and Awards appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
The most recent Atlantic blue marlin research completed by TBF’s Dr. Phillip Goodyear was published by the American Fisheries Society, the oldest, largest and most influential association of fisheries professionals in the world. Its mission is to improve the conservation and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems by advancing fisheries and aquatic science and promoting the development of fisheries professionals.
Goodyear’s research focused on the effect of fishing on the number of the largest fish in a population using Atlantic blue marlin as an example. Typically, fishing reduces the number of fish that survive to old age which also reduces the average age of fish available to be caught. In most species this also significantly reduces the mean size of the catch which is an important indicator of stock health. However, in earlier research Goodyear discovered that mean size is a poor indicator of population health in fast-growing species like blue marlin. This is a consequence of the fact that the fast growth of young fish reduces the difference between the size of the very old and young fish. Hence the average size can’t change very much when fishing removes most of the old fish from the population. This phenomenon lessens the utility of mean size as a population metric for stock assessments. Still, the abundance of the oldest and very largest fish does decline even in fast growing species, but there has been no statistic to quantify this phenomenon for use in stock monitoring or assessments.
Goodyear’s newest publication developed a new statistical measure (NZ50) to fill this gap, and showed it to be a sensitive indicator of excessive fishing. NZ50 is the smallest number of observations required of a sample (from the catch or population) required to include at least one fish of some particular large size half the time. Think of it as the statistical measure of the number of fish an average angler would have to catch to have a 50-50 chance of catching a “grander” at different population levels. Goodyear’s illustrated the statistic with data from a simulated hypothetical population modeled after Atlantic blue marlin. The results showed NZ50 to be a much more sensitive measure than mean size for judging population status. He concluded that this new statistical measure would be useful for monitoring stock recovery and that it should be routinely included in stock assessments.
Find the article here.
The post Understanding Maximum Size in the Catch: Atlantic Blue Marlin as an Example appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
Photo Courtesy of Big OH & Camila Sanches
We are already half way through the competition that determines who will be the winners at TBF’s annual Tag and Release Award Ceremony in February 2016. Below, we have highlighted the “Top Five” in most of the competition categories. This list constitutes the tag and release records processed by TBF as of May 1, 2015.
Do you know anyone on the list? Are you in the top five and want to be recognized by the who’s who in the billfishing community at our ceremony? Be sure to tag, release, and report your billfish catches before the end of the competition on October 31, 2015. Remember you can submit your records online now at www.tagbillfish.org or you can submit them through the mail. The last date that TBF can receive tag and release cards for this competition year is November 15, 2015.
CURRENT STANDINGS AS OF 5-1-15 * denotes a tie
Overall Release Captain (Release means – billfish released with out a tag)
Overall Tagging Captain
Overall Release Angler
Overall Tagging Angler
Overall Release Lady Angler
Overall Tagging Lady Angler
Overall Release Youth Angler
Overall Tagging Youth Angler
Top Tagging Angler – Atlantic
Blue Marlin
Sailfish
Top Release Angler – Atlantic
Sailfish
Top Tagging Captain – Atlantic
Blue Marlin
Sailfish
White Marlin
Top Release Captain – Atlantic
Blue Marlin
Sailfish
Top Tagging Angler – Pacific
Sailfish
Striped Marlin
Top Release Angler – Pacific
Black Marlin
Blue Marlin
Sailfish
Striped Marlin
Top Tagging Captain – Pacific
Black Marlin
Blue Marlin
Sailfish
Striped Marlin
Top Release Captain – Pacific
Black Marlin
Blue Marlin
Sailfish
Striped Marlin
Top Tagging Angler – Indian
Blue Marlin
Sailfish
Top Tagging Captain – Indian
Black Marlin
Blue Marlin
Sailfish
Top Release Captain – Indian
Black Marlin
Youth Division (Tag)
8 and under
13 – 15
16 – 17
Youth Division (Release)
8 and under
13 – 15
The post Tag & Release Competition Update appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
Monterey, Calif. (2 May 2015) – Rum Bum Racing continued its positive start to the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship by taking a fourth place finish at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Drivers Hugh and Matt Plumb opened the season with a victory at Daytona and then a podium result of third at Sebring, and Saturday’s fourth place finish brought in a healthy haul of points toward the team’s 2015 championship run.
While happy with the championship points collection, the team was left wanting more after a repeat trip to the podium was thwarted with some bad luck timing during the race’s four caution periods.
Hugh Plumb opened the race from fourth on the grid and wasted no time in making his way forward. He took over third position on the first lap and had moved into second within the first 20 minutes of the race. On a track that tends to suit the large-displacement V8s of the Camaros and Mustangs, Hugh Plumb put on quite a show by staying within tenths of the leading No. 9 Camaro during the opening run.
The No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche inherited the lead around the 1 hour 10 minute mark when the race leader took to pit lane. Hugh Plumb led until Rum Bum Racing Crew Chief Joe Varde called him to pit lane on the following lap for fuel, tires, and a driver change.
“My stint was very good,” said Hugh Plumb. “The car was well-balanced and I didn’t over use anything because I knew that the race would come to us. The Rum Bum guys gave me a great car to work with and it was fun to be back racing here at this beautiful track.”
Matt Plumb returned to the fray fourth in line and had a good run with the mix of cars at the front of the field as different fuel strategies played out. The team brought the No. 13 Porsche back to pit road to top off on fuel with just under an hour remaining and Plumb re-entered the track fifth in the order.
Shortly thereafter, Plumb reported the car felt a little bit off, but the veteran driver continued to run hard – swapping positions at the front of the field. And in the final stages, Matt Plumb made his way up to fourth and found himself not only chasing down the leaders, but also defending against the cars behind.
He was able to hang on for fourth at the checkered flag after 2.5-hours of hard racing.
“I’m happy for the fourth place points, but I know that these guys (Rum Bum Racing crew) are worth more than a fourth place finish today,” said Matt Plumb. “All in all it was a good day, but we always want more. The car felt good for the first 20 minutes of my stint but something went off after that and it just wasn’t handling the way we needed to. On our last pit stop we chose to not take tires, because the (leading) Stevenson car had pitted early and if it had gone green for remainder of the race, we would be too far behind. Everyone else we were running with there at the end was on fresh tires, so it was a fight to hang on for fourth. As always a big thanks to Luis Bacardi for giving us this opportunity and for all of the Rum Bum guys’ hard work this weekend.”
With three top-five finishes in the first three races of the season, Rum Bum Racing remains in good shape in the 2015 championship standings. The squad targets a return to the podium at the next race at Watkins Glen International which will be held June 25-27. The organization has finished on the podium at the upstate New York road course in each of the three previous IMSA events at the track and will look to make it four-in-a-row this year.
The Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca event will be televised on May 17 at 9:00 AM ET on FOX Sports 1.
The post Top-Five Finish for Rum Bum Racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.
Monterey, Calif. (1 May 2015) – Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing No. 13 Porsche will start from the second row of the grid at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Round 3 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge on Saturday following a 15-minute qualifying session Friday evening. Hugh Plumb took the Porsche to a fast lap of 1:36.064-seconds around the picturesque California road course.
The qualifying session was quite the competitive one with the top-11 cars all within one second of each other. The second through fourth place cars on the grid were separated by just two-thousandths of a second of one another.
Hugh Plumb will open the 2.5-hour IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race before turning the No. 13 Porsche over to his brother and co-driver Matt Plumb who will take the car to the finish. Having stood on the podium in the opening two races of the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, the duo looks to make it three-in-a-row once again on Saturday.
“It’s a good start for tomorrow,” said Hugh Plumb following the qualifying session. “Rum Bum always prepares a great car and Matt (Plumb) always does a great job setting the car up. Fourth is very respectable today. I like Laguna Seca. It’s a great atmosphere for sure and has a lot of corners with a whole lot going on. Everything is a little different. The temperatures are always changing and the track is always changing, so it’s a fun challenge.”
The Rum Bum racing Porsche machine rolled off the trailer well-prepared for the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca circuit as the team set the fastest lap of the first practice session Friday morning and was fifth in the second practice of the day.
The 2.5-hour race is set to go green at 1:00 PM local time (4:00 PM ET) and will be streamed LIVE on imsa.com. Follow @RumBumRacing on Twitter for updates throughout the race!
The post Rum Bum Racing Fourth on Monterey Grand Prix Grid appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.
Photo Courtesy of Chris Van Leeuwen
Last month, the Offshore World Championship and The Billfish Foundation announced a partnership to advance billfish science last month. The project, including OWC, The Billfish Foundation, Marina Pez Vela, the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT), the Presidential Challenge of Central America, Costa Sunglasses, King Sailfish Mounts and the Bonnier Corporation called upon tournament anglers and crews during this year’s event to collect the valuable data. With the incredible volume of sailfish found off Quepos, Costa Rica during the past few seasons, coupled with many of the world’s best offshore anglers fishing the OWC, the opportunity to tag billfish & collect data needed for improved conservation, was a natural fit for all partners.
Photo Courtesy of Kevin Clark
The tagging project provided 350 tags and a number of tag sticks to angler’s pre- fishing the Offshore World Championship to properly tag billfish and submit their tag reports to the staff of Marina Pez Vela. The tagging contributions made by the OWC anglers will be helpful and will be showcased via TBF’s website and other social media. We hear the first day had a record release number and eager to hear the tournament results. The total tags have not been tallied yet, but we cannot wait to see them and continue this partnership in the future!
The post Offshore World Championship partners with TBF appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
Sebring, Fla. (20 March 2015) – Rum Bum Racing continued its championship momentum at Sebring International Raceway on Friday as Hugh Plumb and Matt Plumb combined to take third at the iconic Florida road course. The event marked Round 2 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and after claiming victory in the opening round at Daytona, Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing team remains well positioned in the 2015 championship standings.
It took a mix of strategy, teamwork, and hard driving to deliver the podium performance and there was a big crowd of supporters on hand as Jennifer Bacardi and her family celebrated with the team following the race.
Hugh Plumb opened the event after qualifying the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche fifth on the grid for the 2.5-hour race. It was a hot and balmy Florida afternoon which made for some brutal conditions behind the wheel of the racecar. But undeterred by the heat of the day, Hugh Plumb drove a strong first stint before handing the car over to his brother Matt Plumb with just under an hour remaining.
When Rum Bum Racing called Matt Plumb to pit lane for the team’s final pit stop under green flag conditions, he had made his way up to third in the running order. The squad made quick work of adding fuel and tires to the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche and Plumb returned to the fray 13th in line.
In traditional Matt Plumb fashion, he wheeled the Porsche all the way up to third in the final segment and developed a significant gap over fourth place. Despite pushing the Porsche to its limit, the 3.74-mile Sebring road course favors the V8 machines of the Stevenson Camaros who ran 1-2, and the No. 13 Porsche was unable to catch them with Matt Plumb taking third at the checkered flag.
“Congrats to Stevenson Motorsports – they are a professional team and they’ve got great drivers, there’s no reason they shouldn’t finish 1-2,” said Team Manager and driver Matt Plumb. “I would have liked to be a little bit closer to them in the end, but it’s alright, we’ll get them next time. The team was flawless and the car ran perfectly.”
“Once again we did everything we could do given what we have,” echoed Hugh Plumb. “The Rum Bum Racing guys (crew chief) Joe Varde, Matt (Plumb) and (Technical Director) Nick Longhi, once again just did an awesome job. We just didn’t have the overall pace that the Camaros did. I’m so happy for the team, a first (at Daytona) and a third, what more can I say? The Bacardi family makes this possible. My thanks goes out to them for making this happen, what a great opportunity for me.”
Next up, Rum Bum Racing will travel across the country to California for Round 3 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca which takes place May 2.
Rum Bum Racing fans can catch the Sebring International Raceway event on FOX Sports 1 at 9:00 AM ET on Sunday, April 5.
The post Rum Bum Racing Scores Podium at Sebring International Raceway appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.
Orlando, Fla. (16 March 2015) – In Round 1, the Rum Bum Racing magic mix of talent and hard work generated another huge victory for the team at Daytona, and the squad is looking to repeat the feat this Friday.
When Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing travels to Sebring International Raceway for Round 2 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Championship, the team won’t have far to go. The Florida road course is as close to home as it gets for the championship team, located just 90 miles south of the Rum Bum Racing shop in Orlando.
Rum Bum Racing opened the season with a big victory at the team’s “other” home track, as Daytona International Speedway is just an hour’s drive north of the race shop. Drivers, and brothers, Matt Plumb and Hugh Plumb led 34 laps in the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche to claim the Daytona victory and are targeting a repeat performance in the 2.5-hour Visual Studio 150 (FOX Sports 1 broadcast, April 5 9:00 AM ET).
The Florida team showed podium potential in its Sebring Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge debut last year, only to settle for a 10th place result following a trivial pit call that ended up having a huge affect on the result. Though Hugh Plumb will take his first competitive laps in the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche around Sebring this year, he teamed with Matt Plumb as well as Jan Heylan and Madison Snow last year when Rum Bum Racing campaigned the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GTD class with a run to ninth place in the iconic race.
In the two months since the Daytona victory, Rum Bum Racing has been hard at work during the break and is well-prepared to take on one of the toughest tracks on the 2015 calendar. The 3.74-mile, 17-turn former airport road course is a very bumpy and physically demanding circuit which requires not only strong racecraft, but also strong car preparation.
“It was just incredible to open this year with a win and it was the perfect way to launch the season,” said Plumb. “But we saw in Daytona how this series has gotten even more competitive—which is something I didn’t think was possible. So we know after winning the first race that we’ll have targets on us and the Camaros and Mustangs will be strong. Racing in Florida, in front of the fans that you only find at Sebring, is a blast for us and we’d love to add to the Bacardi’s history of doing so well in the home state!”
Rum Bum Racing Crew Chief Joe Varde, who is well known in the IMSA paddock for his leadership atop the pit box, is a five-time IMSA Champion and has a long history at Sebring. He has several victories at the Sebring circuit which included the GTU class victory in the 1994 running of the 12 Hours of Sebring while driving a Porsche.
IMSA.com will carry a LIVE broadcast of the Sebring event beginning at 1:05 PM ET on Friday as well as timing and scoring throughout the weekend.
FOX Sports 1 will televise the race on Sunday, April 5 at 9:00 AM ET.
The post On a Winning Roll, Rum Bum Racing Returns to Sebring International Raceway appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.
We are asking some of the top captains in the world for some of their tricks/tips, and this month, Capt. Chris Sheeder from Casa Vieja Lodge, a Tag & Release Program Sponsor, will talk about hooking up multiples…
Courtesy of Capt. Chris Sheeder.
There are only a handful of captains that can say they have more than a thousand billfish releases under their belt. For a captain to even come close to reaching those kind of numbers takes certain combination of effort from the crew, great fishing conditions, and a skilled captain to bring them all together. This means making the most of every fish that comes into your spread and always being ready for the next one to show up. At Casa Vieja Lodge, Captain Chris Sheeder (2014 Top Overall Tagging Captain, Top Tagging Captain Pacific Sailfish) has released an amazing 20,000 plus billfish (with more than 5,000 caught on fly! Chris was nice enough to share with our readers some of his tips for hooking and more importantly, releasing multiple fish.
Sheeder, like most captains will tell you, “the best time to be fishing for doubles, triples or quads is when you have one on!” Often times when a billfish shows up in your spread, it’s not alone and perhaps the best teaser you can have in your spread is another billfish. After the first fish is hooked, Sheeder then turns the boat in the direction of whatever side the fish is hooked on and brings in the other teasers. Many captains have a preference for electric teaser reels because of the ability to preset the position of your teasers. With just a push of a button, a captain can bring in the teasers while keeping both hands free to drive and not have a tangled mess of fishing line to get snagged on. After teasers are cleared, Sheeder will pitch baits on the side the boat is circling toward to avoid tangles and try to raise a second, third or fourth fish in large circles until the fish stop biting.
Photo courtesy of Capt Chris. Sheeder
Once multiple fish have been hooked up and the bite shuts off, boat-handling skills are really put to the test and a captain then must prioritize which fish to pursue first. Sheeder does this by thinking of the hooked fish “as a line of fish” and chases them down one by one, “going from the closest fish to the farthest, keeping them all in a line for ease.” Of course, during a fight fish change directions and their position in relation to the boat is constantly changing. However, a hooked fish racing toward the bow can be easily managed with some quick boat maneuvering. “If one gets towards the bow as you are backing up, that one now becomes the first one in the line and starting fish. Always go to the closest fish first, until one happens to get towards your bow and then that becomes priority. If a second fish gets up in front of the bow, just be aggressive toward the first and then drive forward to the second while you throw a bait or whatever in the water. Driving forward to the hook fish as much as possible also allows you to fish as much as possible.”
Tournament winning boats not only have the skill to turn a single bite into a double, triple or quad, but a sound game plan for making sure they release every fish they hook. Hooking multiple fish is always on the mind of anglers, but when the chaos of triple header unfolds a captain needs a proven plan of attack. t is the Think of how many times during a tournament you hear a last minute double or triple come across the radio; it can come down to just that one extra fish. As Sheeder will tell you, “remember; always fish as much as you can while you have one on.”
Another Helpful Tagging Tip….
As an extra precaution to secure a tag on the tag applicator, most crews wrap a rubber band around the tag to keep it snug against the tag stopper. Loading a new tag on the applicator can be tricky though once the rubber band gets wet and difficult to grip. The crews down at Casa Vieja Lodge have come up with the simple solution of tying a piece of floss around the rubber band. Simply wrap the floss around the band with a few half hitches and and leave a short thread of floss that can easily be gripped to slide a new tag under the rubber band. This easy fix only takes seconds, but will save valuable time, especially when releasing multiple fish!
The post Captain’s Tips & Tricks appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
Family Fun Fest at Biscayne Bay National Park
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) is always looking for new avenues to engage the public on its programs, especially young people. TBF had a unique opportunity to educate over 400 children and adults about the Tag & Release program during Biscayne Bay National Park’s Family Fun Fest on February 8th. The event gave TBF a venue to show how citizen sciencedrives the program and contributes to science and conservation.
At the TBF station, participants learned about billfish through photos and larval fish samples. Following a brief discussion on the importance of the tagging program for billfish conservation, they were armed with a Billfish Foundation tag card and they went out “fishing” (wandering) through the park in search of “billfish”. When they encountered a “billfish” (a person with a special t-shirt, a flag, GPS unit), they were able to “catch” the fish by interviewing it: what kind of fish are you, how much do you weigh, how long are you, what is your tag number and what is your current GPS location? Participants recorded all of this data on the Tag card and returned to the TBF station where the data was processed and plotted on Google Earth. Participants saw exactly on the map where their “fish” was caught, as well as all previous locations where that same fish was caught. The combined data created a map showing how the “fish” moved around the park.
For real world applications, TBF displayed real recapture tracks, even some from Biscayne Bay, showing how far these fish can travel and grow. The public was amazed to learn about billfish, the program, and that they now know more about these biologically and economically important fish for south Florida. To learn more about TBF’s education programs or to have TBF come to an event please contact us at [email protected].
The post Family Fun Fest appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
Media Notes:
– Third win for Rum Bum Racing at Daytona, 16th overall IMSA win
– Matt Plumb ties Sylvain Tremblay for most wins in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series (20)
Daytona Beach, Fla. (23 January 2015) – It was a familiar sight for fans of Luis Bacardi’s hometown team at Daytona International Speedway, as brothers Matt and Hugh Plumb delivered Rum Bum Racing its third victory at the 3.56-mile road course. The result kicked off the 2015 IMSA Continental SportsCar Challenge in a big way for the championship winning organization who won back-to-back championships in 2012 & 2013.
The victory marked Rum Bum Racing’s 16th overall win as Matt Plumb firmly planted his name in the record books by tying Sylvain Tremblay for the most wins in IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge competition.
“Our boss Mr. Bacardi puts so much faith in us, so much trust in us, making this plan work,” said Matt Plumb, who also serves as Rum Bum Racing’s Team Manager. “We had a rough season last year, and he stuck with us. We’re just so glad we could win this for him.”
Hugh Plumb opened the 2.5-hour race at the iconic track from the front row after a strong qualifying run on Thursday. In an effort to err on the side of caution as the GS class field funneled down into Turn 1, the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche slipped to fourth in line.
When the race when back to green with 43 minutes to go, Matt Plumb restarted fourth and once again made his way forward as he ran second with half an hour remaining. He spent several laps sandwiched between the V8s of the Mustang and Camaro as the top-four cars battled for the point position.
As the race entered its final stages, a light sprinkle began to fall around the Daytona circuit and Matt Plumb, who enjoys racing in the tricky conditions that come with the rain, used that to his advantage as he utilized the draft on the Daytona high banks to once gain regain the race lead with just over 20 minutes to go.
“Having to do this week in and week out with Hugh being on another team for so long, to be able to join together as a team is very special,” said Matt Plumb. “It’s not a typical brotherly relationship, it’s very professional. He does a good job and he makes me want to do a good job.
“I think certainly with the Porsche the top speed at the end of the straightaway helps us a little bit but we
have to be in clean air and we have to be out in front so it’s really the crew’s responsibility for our success,” added Matt Plumb. “If I had been stuck in traffic, it would have been very difficult for me to keep moving forward. Hugh with an amazing driver handoff made it so much easier. The biggest plus for us today was toward the end of the race when it started to sprinkle. It was just enough to make the driving conditions a little tricky. As soon as that happened, I knew we were golden. Our car has always been very good in the wet and I very much enjoy driving in the rain.”
The post Another Big Day for Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing at Daytona appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.
Daytona Beach, Fla. (22 January 2014) – When Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing takes the green flag for the Daytona 200 on Friday, starting driver Hugh Plumb will have a prime view after he qualified the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche on the front row for tomorrow’s 2.5-hour IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race.
A 15-minute Thursday afternoon qualifying session saw Plumb post a fast time of 1:56.779-seconds on his first flying lap as his ‘eyes in the sky’ Nick Longhi coached him for a good gap in traffic.
The No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche scored good draft on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway, helping Plumb score some precious tenths on the way to his fastest lap of the weekend so far. The effort was enough to secure second on the grid for 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season-opening event.
“With this sort of team, I expect to be on the front row and I think if it was anything less, I would have let the team down,” said Hugh Plumb. “Thank you to the Bacardis, Rum Bum, and the whole team for making this happen.
Luckily, I was able to find a car to help us out on that lap because our car is good in the draft. And that’s what we needed. I think we’ll be right there at the front again tomorrow.. The plan is to give the car to Matt (Plumb) without a scratch and we’ll be all good.”
Hugh Plumb will open the race before handing the car over to his brother Matt Plumb, who also serves as Rum Bum Racing Team Manager, to take to the checkered flag.
Daytona International Speedway serves as Rum Bum Racing’s home track, with the team shop based in nearby Orlando, Florida. Having won the Daytona event twice before, the Rum Bum Racing squad is eager to return to Gatorade Victory Lane for a third time in front of their hometown fans.
“We didn’t have the car we really wanted after the practice sessions on Wednesday, but the guys put a ton of work in overnight to make a lot of changes, and that was clear in Hugh’s quick times,” said Matt Plumb. “It’s great to be starting with good track position and hopefully we can come out of here with a big result to kick off the year.”
The race will be streamed LIVE tomorrow on www.imsa.com beginning at 1:45 PM ET.
The post Rum Bum Racing on the Front Row for Daytona Season-Opener appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.
Whether it is billfish, tuna, or sharks, fishing for HMS species means finding blue water far offshore from the dock. Venturing offshore and pursuing big game fish requires larger boats, heavier tackle and presents challenges on the scale of the fish that anglers target. Of course, the bigger boats, specialized equipment, and more fuel needed means offshore anglers pursing species like billfish spend more than the average saltwater angler. For HMS fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic and New England region where fishing grounds can be 30-100 miles offshore and multiday trips are the norm this is especially true. When all of the expenses of an offshore trip are added up, offshore anglers can be a significant economic driver in some regions. While it is certainly not news to charter captains or boat owners that offshore anglers spend a lot of money to catch HMS species, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has just released the economic impacts of HMS anglers in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions that highlights the importance of offshore anglers. It is important to recognize that this study only analyzed the expenditures of private boat owners, excluding charter boats and additional offshore anglers and only reveals a portion of the true impact that recreational HMS fishing have in the region.
In 2011, NMFS surveyed close to 3,800 HMS Angling Permit holders registered in coastal states from Maine to North Carolina via mail and email. Permit holders were asked questions about fishing related purchases such as boats and tackle (deemed durable goods) as well as additional expenses associated with their last trip offshore (fuel, food, hotel, travel expenses etc.). From the results of the survey, NMFS estimates that in 2011, HMS Angling Permit holders spent $23.2 million on trip expenses and $151 million on durable goods. These expenditures are estimated to have a total economic output of $266 million, generate $153 million (value added outputs), and $96 million in salaries for the more than 1,800 jobs created by recreational HMS fishing from Maine to North Carolina. This may seem like a low value, but it is important to recognize that only HMS Permit Holders were surveyed for this study. Therefore, these results only reflect the economic contribution of private vessel owners because only the vessel owner is required to purchase a HMS permit. The estimate from this study does not include out the expenditure of other offshore anglers who do not own a vessel (i.e. guests on board), but still spend money on trip expenses, as well as the HMS for-hire (charter) sector. Taking this into account, recreational HMS fisheries make a far greater economic contribution than is reflected in this study.
HMS Permit Holders Expenditures in Mid-Atlantic to Maine in 2011
Billfishing in Mid-Atlantic to Maine in 2011
Billfishermen will also be interested to learn that this study has quantified the fact that billfish anglers are indeed a “dedicated following of specialized anglers.” More than half of all fishing trips made by billfish anglers are in pursuit of HMS species unlike anglers targeting tuna or sharks (other HMS) for which HMS trips make up less than a third of all fishing trips. Permit holders pursuing billfish are estimated to have spent $4.6 million over 5,123 days, spending on average more money ($900/day) on durable goods than anglers targeting tuna or sharks. While the total economic output of HMS anglers in the region is only a small fraction of what was generated by all other saltwater anglers in the region, HMS anglers on average spent more than ten times the amount of that spent by anglers targeting all other marine species in 2011.
It’s not exactly news to billfishermen that going after swordfish, sailfish or marlin is inherently expensive, but what use is this information? Socioeconomic studies like this are an invaluable tool for showing the importance of sportfishing and establishing policy that favors recreational anglers. The average congressmen may not have even seen a billfish before, never mind be familiar with the offshore fishing industry. One thing all policy makers understand are dollars and cents. As is put forth in the Magnuson Stevens Act (the guiding legislation for US fisheries) obtaining the maximum economic benefits is an important factor to be taken into account and used to weigh management options. The Billfish Foundation (TBF) has utilized socioeconomic studies in places like Costa Rica, Los Cabos, and Panama. This data was vital in helping these governments recognizing the tremendous benefits coming from sportfishing which was crucial in helping to establish closed areas for longlines and purse seiners and giving visiting anglers an even better fishing experience.
This important data is a tool for anglers and policy makers to promote sportfishing by allowing more access and opportunities for anglers to pursue HMS species. Currently, comments for the Recreational Fishing Policy are being submitted and groups like the Center for Coastal Conservation, an alliance of sportfishing groups to which TBF is a member, are advocating for using economic valuation to determine the best management practices. This vital socioeconomic information is just one way groups like TBF can help ensure that the important contributions of anglers are not overlooked, but recognized and promoted as the sustainable, economic engine that it is. Currently, TBF is working with other parties to obtain funding for a socioeconomic study of offshore, sportfishing in the Gulf of Mexico, another important offshore fishery. For more information on the Mid-Atlantic HMS study or to inquire about the GOM study, please contact TBF at [email protected]. The complete Mid-Atlantic study can be found online, here.
The post Recreational HMS Economic Contributions from Mid-Atlantic to Maine appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
The tag and release reports are in and the results have finally been tallied. This year was truly a record year for billfish anglers and for TBF’s Tag & Release Program. Below are some of the top anglers and captains from across the world at the apex of this amazing sport. Congratulations to all the winners and we hope to see everyone at our awards ceremony on Friday, February 13 in the Treetop Ballroom at Jungle Island during the 2015 Miami International Boat Show. See below for more information. Winners are asked to RSVP for the event by Monday January 12.
Every year, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) recognizes the captains, mates and anglers (including youth and ladies) who tag and release the most billfish in each of the world’s oceans. The competition is categorized by billfish species, ocean, and whether the fish were tagged or released untagged. Award winners are recognized at TBF’s Annual Tag & Release Awards Ceremony held during the Miami International Boat Show presented by the TBF’s 2014 Tag and Release Sponsors: Bisbee’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fund, Casa Vieja Lodge, Costa Sunglasses, PELAGIC, King Sailfish Mounts and SIMRAD.
The Billfish Foundation’s Annual Tag and Release Ceremony will be held Friday, February 13, 2015, in the Treetop Ballroom at Jungle Island. The evening will kick off at 6:30 PM with cocktails followed by the award presentation and dinner. Proceeds benefit TBF’s tag and release program. Get your tickets for the 2015 Tag & Release Award Ceremony here.
Please note that for all anglers, captains and mates to receive their awards they must be current TBF members. You can join or renew your memberships online.
Top Overall Tag & Release Winners
Overall Release Captain – Chris Van Leeuwen
Overall Tagging Captain- Chris Sheeder
Overall Release Angler – Pat McCotter
Overall Tagging Angler – Keith Brandner
Overall Release Lady Angler – Tiffany Sisolak
Overall Tagging Lady Angler – Sandra MacMillan
Overall Release Youth Angler – Gregory Benn
Overall Tagging Youth Angler Shawn MacMullin
Top Tagging Angler- Atlantic Ocean
Blue Marlin – Gray Ingram
Sailfish – Kasey Swan
Swordfish – Matt Bierley
White Marlin – Laurent Sahyoun
Top Release Angler- Atlantic Ocean
Blue Marlin – Gray Ingram
Sailfish – Gray Ingram
White Marlin – Gregory Benn
Top Tagging Captain- Atlantic Ocean
Blue Marlin – Ronnie Fields
Sailfish – Fin Gaddy
Swordfish – Mark Pagano
White Marlin – Christian Benazeth
Top Release Captain- Atlantic Ocean
Blue Marlin - Ronnie Fields
Sailfish – Dean Panos
White Marlin – John Mumford
Top Tagging Angler- Pacific Ocean
Black Marlin – Brady Wild
Blue Marlin – Keith Brandner
Sailfish – Darryl Schroeder
Striped Marlin – Robert Hendricks
Top Release Angler- Pacific Ocean
Black Marlin – Barry Alty
Blue Marlin – Pat McCotter
Sailfish – Bill Easum
Striped Marlin – John “Jack” Duvall
Swordfish – John Gregory
Top Tagging Captain- Pacific Ocean
Black Marlin – Tim Richardson
Blue Marlin – Josh Temple
Sailfish – Chris Sheeder
Spearfish- Gene Vander Hoek
Striped Marlin – Jaime Gonzalez
Top Release Captain- Pacific Ocean
Black Marlin – Brett Alty
Blue Marlin – Pete Rae
Sailfish – Chris Van Leeuwen
Striped Marlin – Chris Bays
Swordfish – John Gregory
Top Tagging Angler – Indian Ocean
Black Marlin – Scott MacGowan
Sailfish – Jo-Ann Riley
Top Release Angler – Indian Ocean
Black Marlin – Murray Teasdale
Sailfish – Henry Riggs-Miller
Top Tagging Captain- Indian Ocean
Black Marlin – Eddy Lawler
Blue Marlin – Eddy Lawler
Sailfish – Jourdain Ellens
Striped Marlin – Eddy Lawler
Top Release Captain – Indian Ocean
Black Marlin – Eddy Lawler
Blue Marlin – Ross Newton
Sailfish – Rolly Pierre
Youth Tag Divisions
8 and Under
Charles Gaddy & Kyler Swan (TIE)
Runner-up – Caden Alexander
9-10
Aidan Burke
Runner-up – Kasey Ray Swan
11-12
William Stark
Runner-up Kaleb Richardson
13-15
Shawn MacMullin
Runner-up – Bo Ingram
16-17
Nick Brackmann
Youth Release Divisions
8 & Under
Brown Gaddy
11-12
Jonathan Gaskill
13 – 15
Bo Ingram
Runner-up- Shawn MacMullin
16-17
Gregory Benn
Runner-up Curtis Englert
GOM Marlin Tagging Competition
Top Tagging Captain Blue Marlin
Al Roper- Michi
Top Tagging Captain White Marlin
Don Thrasher – Business Interruption
Top Overall Tagging Captain
Jimmy Crochet – Conundrum
Top Overall Tagging Boat
Conundrum – Capt. Jimmy Crochet
The post 2014 Tag & Release Winners! appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
“Anglers are the ones who can truly make a difference for the future of our billfish species. They’re the ones out there, every day, in all kinds of conditions and climates, catching and releasing fish, watching their patterns, noting their movements. Imagine how much data about highly migratory fish species we could study if we could gather every tournament anglers’ catch reports during the Quest for the Crest tournament series?” asked Amanda Perryman, marketing manager with Costa Sunglasses.
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and Costa wanted to find out the answer to that question together. So they created the Release Report Challenge, asking teams competing in each Quest for the Crest tournament to return their completed Release Report cards with information about each catch to TBF for a chance to win a Costa/TBF prize pack.
The prize pack includes: Costa sunglasses and gear, a Costa-branded YETI cooler, a TBF complete tagging kit and more. Each release reported counts as one entry, with the prize pack winner announced after each tournament leg. One grand prize winner will be selected at the awards ceremony of the Final Sail Tournament in April to win an all-expense paid trip to Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala.
Teams will receive their Release Report Challenge cards when they pick up their tournament packs prior to each event. Costa and TBF representatives will be on hand at each event to hand out more cards, as needed. Qualifying fish species include sailfish, white marlin, spearfish and blue marlin. Teams only have to report information about the catch on the card – they don’t actually have to place a tag into the released fish.
“There are typically more than 50 teams competing across the Quest for the Crest series, with thousands of billfish caught during that time,” said Peter Chaibongsai, director of science and policy for TBF. “Working together with the anglers, captains and crews, we’d like to capture the data they’re finding from each catch – including weather conditions, bait used, fish size, and overall health. The information we gather together will uncover critical understanding about billfish stocks and their habitats in and around South Florida, so we can inform sound policy to protect them for generations to come.”
All fish releases reported throughout the Quest for the Crest series also qualify anglers for TBF’s SoFlo Sailfish Regional competition, as well as its annual international Tag and Release competition. For more information, visit www.billfish.org.
The Quest for the Crest tournament series includes:
Operation Sailfish, December 10 – 14, 2014
www.bluewatermovements.com/operation_sailfish
Sailfish 400, January 14 – 18, 2015
www.bluewatermovements.com/sailfish_400
Sailfish Challenge, February 5 – 8, 2015
www.bluewatermovements.com/sailfish_challenge
Final Sail, April 15 – 19, 2015
www.bluewatermovements.com/final_sail
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The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released the final regulations for the domestic management of western Atlantic bluefin tuna with Amendment 7 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan. Anglers in the Gulf of Mexico and Florida will applaud the decision to maintain closed zones and to allocate a portion of the trophy bluefin quota to Gulf anglers. These new regulations were developed to reduce the amount of dead discards, increase accountability and reporting requirements, and ensure regulations are consistent with international management goals. Maximizing fishing opportunity is also a major objective of the amendment to help the US maintain its quota of bluefin, which if not utilized, could be allocated to other countries with less stringent regulations or regards for conservation.
In January of 2014, TBF submitted comments opposing alternatives that would allow longlines access to closed zones and pushed for longer closure periods in both the Gulf of Mexico and the Mid-Atlantic. Not only would this achieve the goal of reducing bluefin dead discards, but it would also have a significant impact on reducing dead billfish discards. Since the establishment of these closed zones in 2000, billfish discards have been reduced by as much as 74%. Opening these areas back up for longlines would certainly be a step in the wrong direction for the conservation benefits gained would be lost. It could also spell the loss of the tremendous socioeconomic benefits generated by sportfishing in the region.
Gulf of Mexico Gear Restricted Area. Courtesy of National Marine Fisheries Service.
In its final decision, NMFS chose several alternatives that will have both good and bad outcomes for anglers. In the Gulf of Mexico Gear Restricted Areas (which encompasses the waters in and around the Desoto Canyon) closed zones were slightly altered from the original proposal and will prohibit pelagic longlines from making sets during the peak of the bluefin spawning season in April-May. Longlines will still be prohibited in the closed area off of Florida as well. However, in the Cape Hatteras Gear Restricted Area (which was also slightly modified after public comment) only longline vessels that meet certain criteria will be granted conditional access to fish the area from December to April, but the area will be closed to vessels that do not qualify.
All longline vessels are now required to retain all legal sized bluefin to increase accountability and provide incentive for reducing catches of bluefin. This will also be achieved through the establishment of individual bluefin quota (IBQ) program, that will limit the number of bluefin that can be retained (a ‘catch cap’) at the vessel and fleet level. Once the quota for a vessel or fleet is reached, the longline fishery is to be closed by NMFS, but permitted vessels will be allowed to switch to more selective fishing gear such as green stick. These accountability measures will also be complimented by the adoption of more rigorous requirements for reporting catches, landings, and the mandatory use of vessel monitoring systems.
The reallocation of bluefin quota amongst the various sectors was also a highly contested issue. Previously, the trophy subquota allocated 1.4 metric tons to the Northern category (waters north of Egg Harbor, NJ) and 2.8 metric tons to the Southern subquota (which includes the Gulf of Mexico). Many anglers in the South and Gulf of Mexico were frustrated with having little chance to retain bluefin given the short period of time they have before the Southern category closes in April. In its comments, TBF advocated for greater opportunity for anglers in the Gulf of Mexico to retain any bluefin that are incidentally caught by redistributing the recreational, trophy bluefin subquota. TBF comments suggested quotas of 50% for the South, 33% for the North, and 17% for the Gulf of Mexico. Ultimately, NMFS chose an alternative that will divide the trophy subquota evenly amongst each region, meaning roughly 8 trophy sized bluefin can be retained by recreational anglers annually in each sector.
Over the past decade, implementation of the rebuilding plan for bluefin at the international management level has allowed for Western Atlantic bluefin stocks to rebound from historically low levels to a healthier state. This year the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) decided to increase the total allowable catch for western bluefin from 1,750 to 2,000 metric tons. Stock assessments estimate that the spawning stock biomass has increased by as much as 70% since 1998, which many scientists attribute to more stringent regulations, particularly measures taken by the US to reduce catches of juvenile tuna and more selective fishing practices. However, much debate and uncertainty still surrounds these assessments and the US is taking steps for the stock to continue to grow. The new regulations put forth by Amendment 7 will ensure that the US continues its best management practices while maintaining opportunities for anglers to pursue bluefin, one of the most iconic fish in the sea.
For complete details and more information including compliance guides and impact statements, please see the NMFS website.
The post Finalized Amendment 7 Measure for Bluefin Tuna appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
The 19th Special meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) met November 2014 in Genoa, Italy to consider changes in management and conservation measures for Atlantic highly migratory fish. Forty two of the forty nine member nations gathered for another “bluefin tuna” year.
Atlantic bluefin tuna landing quotas for both the western Atlantic and the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean fish were raised based on recent stock assessments that indicated a continuing increase in abundance. The quota for the western stock increased from 1750 metric tons to 2000 metric tons, and the eastern stock increased by 20% a year for three years. The increases will still allow the stocks to continue growing based on the most recent stock assessments.
Atlantic white marlin and blue marlin were not on the agenda this year, but in the Compliance Committee the United States pointed out that Trinidad and Tobago had significantly exceeded their authorized landing’s limit in their commercial fishery for both species. This violation will generate a Letter of Concern from ICCAT to the government of Trinidad and Tobago. Hopefully anglers in Trinidad and Tobago will bring attention of the excesses in killing marlin to government authorities higher than its fishery minister. Likely the fishing and landings are being made by a distant-water-fishing nation that has permission to fish under the flag and name of Trinidad and Tobago and possibly in the nations waters. Marlin are far too valuable to island nations for sportfishing eco-tourism than to allow distant-water-fishing nations to kill them in the island nation’s name. Such transgressions give tourism in Trinidad and Tobago a bad image; certainly traveling anglers will seek other destinations
The fleets of distant-water-fishing nations have the capability to fish great expanses of water even following fish, whereas most island fishers and anglers do not have such means. The result is that local individuals and businesses lose.
Curacao, another Caribbean island nation, made news by coming on board as an ICCAT member. Its representative shared words of optimism about the nation’s commitment to managing its fishery in the most sustainable manner, fulfilling all rules and applying control mechanism. No mention of the value of sportfishing to the nation was mention, but perhaps anglers and related sportfishing eco-tourism businesses will encourage their government to include a sportfishing delegate on the nation’s ICCAT delegations in the future. Hopefully joining ICCAT is not an indication that the nation has or will enter agreements with distant-water-fishing nations to fish under Curacao’s fly and allow the transgressions of killing excessive numbers of marlin to take place as has occurred under the flag of Trinidad and Tobago.
Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) received some attention during the meeting with delegations agreeing to establish an ad hoc Working Group on FADs. Each nation is now required to submit an annual Management Plan for the use of FADs if fishing with purse seine gear or from a baitboat for bigeye, yellowfin and skipjack tunas. By 2016 all entangling FADs, which can entangle sharks, turtles and other non-targeted species, must be changed to non-entangling FADs. All nations are encouraged to advance research on the use of FADs. No limits were set. The impact commercial fishing will make on fish stocks by fishing of FADs is a story yet to be fully understood.
The post ICCAT Highlights – November 2014 Genoa, Italy appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) regularly seeks out and participates in conferences to learn and discuss regional fisheries issues with scientists, policy makers, and local communities. In early November, TBF attended the 67th Gulf & Caribbean Fisheries Institute Conference (GFCI) in Barbados. This annual event provides a perfect forum for scientists, students, government representatives, fishery managers, and conservation organizations from the region to present and discuss their research findings and concerns.
Peter Chaibongsai and Roxane De Waegh represented TBF at the conference. De Waegh presented her work on the collection of fisheries data from all stakeholders for scientists and policy makers in the region. De Waegh spoke on the importance of incorporating all users, like recreational and small-scale fishermen, to collect vital fisheries data and be a part of the decision making process. The paper highlighted the importance of all resource users involved in both the post and pre harvest fishing industry sectors, in hopes of obtaining a baseline of statistical catch data. Without a baseline composed of actual numbers, policy makers and fisheries managers have no way to manage their resources efficiently. De Waegh’s paper also discussed TBF encouragement of active regional participation in fisheries management issues for all users.
During the conference, Chaibongsai and De Waegh had the opportunity to speak with the government officials from numerous nations like Colombia, Japan, Netherland Antilles, and Panama, as well as non-profit organization representatives, research institutions and regional fishermen. TBF’s Chaibongsai said, “This conference consistently provides TBF with a good venue to discuss current and future problems with a multitude of stakeholders in the region.”
The conference again provided an excellent opportunity for TBF to network with a wide variety of interests in the beautiful and culturally diverse Gulf and Caribbean Basin. TBF is looking forward to attend the next conference in Panama in 2015. To learn more about this event go to: http://www.gcfi.org/index.php.
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Photo courtesy of Laurent Cherubin
Did you know that removing a billfish from the water not only causes unnecessary harm to the fish, but in the Atlantic it is illegal to remove any highly migratory fish from the water that is not harvested. Learn how to ensure safe, healthy billfish release and still get great pictures of your catch without harming the fish.
Keep Them in the Water and Keep Them Alive
Can you remember the first billfish you caught? For those lucky enough to have caught a marlin, sailfish, or swordfish, the memory of the first billfish is perhaps one of the most coveted experiences for any angler. For most, it’s a memory full of the smell of diesel, spray of the water, and sore arms pumping as the captain backs down on a lit up fish, greyhounding and fighting with all its might. Although a memory that will last forever, many anglers want a photo with their first billfish. Pulling billfish out of the water is illegal in U.S. Atlantic waters unless the fish is going to be harvested. Unfortunately, more and more photos of people holding up sailfish or small marlin or stretching them across the covering boards are posted on websites, sent via social media and published in fishing magazines.
Removing billfish from the water puts additional stress on their body after the initial stress caused by the fight. Contact with the fish removes the slime that protects it from parasites and infections. Just like a person whose immune system is weakened after a hectic or traumatic experience, billfish are more susceptible to infections or diseases when stressed. A billfish’s skeleton is designed for buoyant conditions of the ocean, so when removed from the water the skeleton and internal organs come under the strain of gravity, which can cause serious harm to the fish. While some research is complete on the effects non-offset circle hooks have in reducing billfish post release mortality, less research is complete on assessing effects of fight times and other fishing stressors. In studies by students at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) 22 pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) were deployed on white marlin caught using circle hooks. As part of the study, blood samples were taken from the fish requiring removal of the marlin from the water. Data from the PSATs indicated that 21% of those white marlin died immediately after release. In a separate, similar study also conducted by VIMS, 30 white marlin were tagged withoutbeing removed from the water and resulted in only 2% post release mortality. It was hypothesized that the significantly different mortality rates could be due to the additional stress put on the white marlin when removed from the water. It’s also interesting to note that the white marlin that did not survive, did not experience the longest fight times. Researchers hypothesize that a short fight time before being removed from the water for blood samples may be equivalent to a human sprinting for as long and hard as possible, then being forced to hold their breath! Results from PSATs studies also show that it can take billfish as long as 14 days to recover and resume normal behavior.
It is well known that stress caused by fight time makes a fish more vulnerable to predation and commercial fishing pressure. Anglers should strive to keep the billfish from getting injured, especially when deploying a $4,000 PSAT, to gather valuable data. The scientists took every precaution during the research to ensure the survival of the fish, but even so some died, perhaps due to the additional stress from being hauled aboard a boat, being deprived of oxygen and having blood taken.
For anglers, the condition of the hooked billfish should be a priority. Injury can be mitigated by using non-offset, circle hooks with all natural baits, proper hook removal, and using tackle to match the size of your query. Taking the time to rig baits, spectacular boat handling, and world-class angling is all null if the fish is pulled from the water and injured.
If an angler wants a photo with his or her fish, TBF recommends safe handling practices be followed. Once the fish is alongside the boat, keep it in gear with the fish’s lower jaw in the water to ensure oxygenated water passes over the gills. Then the angler can lean over the gunnel while someone snaps photos. Taking the time to ensure a safe release is the mark of a real sportsman, not just the number of flags flying from outriggers, or pictures on a wall. The next time someone wants to pull a billfish out of the water for a photo, ask that person if the photo is worth the life of the fish. A photo may be worth a thousand words, but it is not worth killing a billfish.
The post Safe Handling Practices appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
Winter is approaching and that means one thing for us down here in South Florida, the return of the world class sailfish bite. Anglers begin to anticipate the onset of the season’s first cold snaps and along with that, the annual migration of Atlantic Sailfish down the coast. Some anglers let us know how a finesse game can not only help keep you in the money, but be better for the fish as well.
The beauty of this near shore fishery is that just about anyone can get in on the action; however some anglers take this season a bit more serious than others. These hardcore tournament fishing teams know what it takes to put up numbers and may run forty plus miles in heavy seas from their home inlet in search of a bite.
We caught up with one such team recently to pick their brains a bit about what they feel contributes to their repeated success and some of the measures they take to keep up with an ever-growing fleet of competitors. What we learned encouraged TBF in regards to the direction this fishery is going.
Team Sailsmen, formerly known as team “Advanced Roofing,” has been competitively fishing in the south Florida area for over 15 years. This group of friends, who have been fishing together since high school, have mastered their craft. To them the change of season means time to ready their tackle in preparation for the upcoming tournament schedule. With many top finishes and over 1 million dollars in career tournament winnings, we figured we were talking to the right guys.
“You have to constantly be stepping up your game…” team captain Jeff Scott states. “The competition has gotten so good out there that we constantly have to be looking for ways to elevate ours. We can’t control how many fish are going to show up and where” says Scott, “but it’s important to make it count in the areas you do have control over, like our tackle.”
“One thing that’s changed over the years is tackle” says Mike Calabrese, another member of the team. “It seems like just a few years ago guys were using J hooks and big, 60 lb. leader material. Now, not only are crews using circle hooks, we’re using really small ones at that.” In addition to the small, lightweight hooks, the guys have downsized their leader material as well. “30 lb. fluoro. That’s it.” Scott says. “You have to try pretty hard to break it and if you do, you probably did something wrong.”
How do the guys feel about these adjustments? “We’re all for it” says Scott. “Smaller hooks penetrate easier and also help to present the bait in a more natural manner.”
“For our kite fishing, we’re using a 5/0 hook” Calabrese says. “I like a little bigger if I’m trolling, say a 6/0 or 7/0.”
Still, those hooks are considered small by most standards. “The best part about all that,” Calabrese proclaims “Is that we’re letting these fish go with hardly anything left on them.” “A quick grab of the 30lb. and it usually parts inches from the hook where the leader was chaffed. And they’re off…Just remember to make sure you have photo or video verification of your catch before doing so” he adds.
Both guys agree that since the shift, they have seen far fewer deep hooked and bleeding fish. “I think it’s safe to say that virtually all of our fish we let go swim off in great shape” explains Scott.
Another detail the “Roofers”(as they are so affectionately known as by their peers) have adapted is the use of a lighter main line as well.“Everyone used to use 20 lb.” says team owner, Michael Kornharens. “Now, we’ve realized we don’t need that heavy of line.”
“There are numerous benefits. We get more line capacity using 17 lb. and experience less belly in the line when it is in the air through the kite clip or in the water when we are fighting a fish,” explains Kornharens. The added capacity is also beneficial when the team hooks up to multiple fish that head off in different directions.
The anglers also agree that with the lighter line and decreased drag pressure, the sailfish tend to stay higher up in the water column when hooked.
“It’s not for everyone…” Scott adds. “You have to have good anglers who know when to back off and know when to push it up. Ultimately though, if you can do it and chase these fish with the boat and get a quick release, everybody wins.I’d say we average a 2-4 minute release time for each fish. It enables us to get our baits back out quickly and the fish usually take off like nothing happened” he adds.
“When you catch fish quickly, you are able to hopefully stay with that body of fish that has just moved upon you,” says Calabrese. “The positioning of the boat and where you set back up after a release is really what can make or break a tournament for you. Catching them quick is the only way to go.”
While the Sailsmen and TBF both advocate tagging measures for billfish, it should be added that tagging fish during a tournament may not be the best time to do so. “We carry tags onboard and attempt to deploy them when the time is right” says team member David Collier. “In the heat of a tournament is usually no time to attempt to properly place a tag. Instead we will try to get our tags out while pre-fishing when we have a little more time to ensure the tag is placed in a good spot on the fish,”he explains.
The main thing is you do not have to be in a tournament or be a professional to attempt a transition in your tackle for both your sake and the fish’s. Use smaller hooks and make a conscious effort to go after your hooked billfish and reduce the fight time. “Bottom line, the smaller the hook you use, the less force required for it to penetrate and the better chance you have it will stick. The quicker you catch and release your fish while leaving as little as possible behind, the better for the fishery” adds Scott.
With all the evidence pointing towards mutual benefits for all involved, there is hope for a great sailfish bite off South Florida for years to come.
The post Sailfishing Tips from Sailsmen Fishing Team appeared first on The Billfish Foundation.
Public Input on the Future of Bermuda’s EEZ
In 2013, the Bermudian government began the ongoing process of evaluating options for the future management of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). From September 3rd to October 31st of 2013 public consultation was conducted and the results of this consultation have recently been released by the Sustainable Development Department. The report, The Future of Bermuda’s Exclusive Economic Zone: Outcome of the Public Consultation reflects the diversity of opinions held by stakeholders. Most of all, the report emphasizes the need for the government of Bermuda to identify and evaluate the many important ecological, social, cultural and economic issues to be further addressed before any decisions about the future of its EEZ can be made.
In surveys distributed by the Sustainable Development Department, the public was asked to weigh in on options including the establishment of no-take marine reserve (MR) covering roughly 80% of its EEZ, developing an offshore commercial fishery, seabed exploration, and mineral extraction from the seabed. Survey responses and comments submitted ranged from advocating for strict protection of Bermuda’s EEZ to activities that “fully explore” the natural resources within Bermuda’s EEZ. The government has stated it wishes to show its commitment to the international community while fully considering the socioeconomic impacts that may arise including foreign investment and the creation of new jobs and industries. Unfortunately, the Bermudian government is lacking any “sound economic profiles” for the potential options they are considering.
Fortunately, TBF has been involved with this process since news of a possible MR was announced. By participating in public meetings, distributing TBF reports to the public and meeting with government officials, TBF stressed the importance of sportfishing and that the many benefits it generates to Bermuda are not overlooked. Government administrators obviously understood input from TBF about the significant deterrent that a marine reserve would have for anglers wanting to fish for fishing would be prohibited. Not being able to fish during the long trip to Bermuda or explore new fishing grounds could result in fewer visiting anglers. Current statistics that visiting boat owners and guests spend on average $150,00 and $4,000 respectively compared to the average visitor coming by air or cruise ship that spend on average $1,100 and under $200 respectively. Previous socioeconomic studies conducted by TBF in other fishing destinations also indicate that visiting anglers participating in billfish tournaments generate $40 million USD annually in Bermuda alone. For Bermuda to retain its self-proclaimed title as the “blue marlin capital of the Atlantic” and the millions of dollars its economy currently receives from sportfishing tourism, shutting out the economic benefits generated by anglers would not be a wise decision. In Bermuda, billfishing is almost an entirely non-extractive activity and 98% of all billfish caught in tournaments from 2010-2013 were released. Establish a MR and prohibiting sportfishing from up to 70% of Bermuda’s water would do little to protect highly migratory species that face intensive commercial fishing pressure. Officials from Bermuda have also stated that the high costs of enforcement for such a large, offshore area is another significant challenge in maintaining an effective MR and quite often anglers are responsible for reporting illegal activities. Prohibiting anglers from these areas would mean the loss of an invaluable aid to enforcement efforts while providing virtually no benefit to Bermuda’s marine resources.
Though planning and managing a MR, like managing all marine resources, benefits from public input, sound decision making requires detailed, substantiated facts and statistics. Assessing the economic impacts of establishing a MR necessitates socio-economic studies. In an address to the Bermuda House of Assembly, the Premier, Michael Dunkley, acknowledged that “perceptions of biased and unreliable information, shallow due diligence and subjective assertions out not to be relied upon to make such an important decision.” Like Bermuda, the initial design and public consultation for Australia’s national system of marine reserves was also heavily influenced by powerful environmental organizations. For Australia, the failure to fully account for all of the potential impacts and not working with important stakeholders like anglers throughout the creation of its marine reserves resulted in tremendous controversy and the government having to repeat the entire process of consultation and creation of these reserves. These are all efforts and resources that take could be put toward better utilizing the strong, proven management practices that Bermuda already has in place.
“Planning for the future of our EEZ is probably one of the most complex and capacious opportunities that the Government and people of Bermuda have ever been presented with.” This statement made by the government of Bermuda in its consultation report shows that Bermuda has a lot of work in front of them to establish effective management of its marine environment that does not erode the current economic benefits from sportfishing. Going forward, Bermuda plans to investigate options for conducting independent socioeconomic assessments and TBF posts will follow.
To learn more about the issues in Bermuda, see TBF’s News Section for previous articles.
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