Passion for Life

Most fishermen I know have a deep passion for the sport. The thrill of being on the water, coupled with the battle between man and fish, permanently injects salt water into our bloodstreams. Then there’s the fellowship of old and new friends. Or, the sadness of losing a cherished fishing companion.

Last year, my dear friend, Neil Burnie, passed away while freediving in his home country of Bermuda. I’ve never known anyone who had such a passion for fishing and all things related to the ocean. And, just life in general. A veterinarian by trade, Neil assisted on many shark tagging expeditions we performed. He was full of life and always the life of the party. In honor of him, his work in marine conservation and our friendship, I’ve included an article about “The Man” in this issue. If you didn’t know him personally, at least you’ll get a glimpse of his colourful personality and contributions to our oceans after you read about him.

This, the 19th issue of Guy Harvey Magazine, also focuses on the iconic family of groupers and how they are being managed. Another good friend, Joe Ierna, who resides on Long Island in the Bahamas, has been working hard to protect the critical spawning grounds of the Nassau grouper from rampant commercial fishing. Keeping these sites off limits during spawning seasons is a passion of mine as well, and we’ve been successful doing so in Little Cayman where Nassau grouper are once again growing stronger. Joe has provided us with a gripping account of his ongoing efforts—regardless of the 10-ft. seas they’ve had to battle along the way.

The other grouper we’ve covered in this issue is the mighty Goliath. Once hunted to near extinction in South Florida, these massive predatory fish have rebounded. Some claim that their numbers are so vast that they’ve become a nuisance, while other evidence suggests even booming populations have a positive effect on the ecosystem. It’s certainly an encouraging problem—to have too many of a species when, in most cases, we’re concerned with declining populations.

Finally, we’ve taken an in-depth look at Guatemala, a country that shares the Pacific Ocean with one of my favorite places in the world—Panama. Tucked away just under Mexico, this culturally vibrant nation has some of the most amazing sailfishing in the world and, to their credit, they’ve gone to great lengths to protect their marine resources.

There’s a lot more to keep you entertained and informed in this edition, so please enjoy, and just as my friend Neil did, always hold onto your passion.

GUY HARVEY, PhD

is an internationally-acclaimed artist, fisherman, scientist, and world traveler, who devotes much of his time and money toward ocean conservation.