2013 Volume 3
T h e B i l l f i s h F o u n d at i o n ’ s S p o r t f i s h i n g C o n s e r vat i o n M a g a z i n e
Sailfish Season in South Florida
Daytime Swordfishing
Tag ‘em right!
Tips for Improving your Tagging Success
2013 rybovich
award winners . . .F ish F orever
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Youth Angler Profile
On the cover Professional photographer Pat Ford traveled to Isla Mujeres, Mexico where he ventured underwater and returned with some amazing images of Atlantic sailfish, including this one. w w w.PatFordPhotos.com
In this issue 5 Saluting the Winners This year’s Rybovich Lifetime Conservation Award winners are Maumus Claverie, Jr., Capt. Ron Hamlin and Eddie Smith, Jr.
TBF Team Ellen Peel President Peter Chaibongsai Director of Science & Policy Andrew Cox Science & Policy Specialist
8
‘TIS THE SEASON: Atlantic sailfish invade Southern Florida waters.
10 Tag ‘Em Right! Tips and techniques for
better (and safer) sailfish tagging.
14
Daytime Swordfishing: Capt. Dean Panos offers advice on tackling one of the world’s toughest pelagics.
Deborah Cummings Membership Manager Robert Jones Chief Operating Officer Michael Kelly Science & Policy Associate Dr. C. Phillip Goodyear Scientist
16
Herbert Nanne Conservation Director, Central America
TBF Destination: The Lone Star State offers up a picturesque location that’s off the beaten path.
Dr. Russell Nelson Chief Scientist
Departments 4
Chairwoman’s Message
26 Science
6
Meet the Interns
28 On The Docks
19 Education
34 How You Can Help TBF
22 Conservation Ambassador’s Letter 23 Advocacy
35 Anglers We Will Miss 38 Calendar of Events
Sam White Editor Jackie Marsolais Graphic Designer
5100 N. Federal Hwy. #200 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 800-438-8247 www.Billfish.org
To advertise in Billfish, please send inquiries to Robert_Jones@billfish.org Billfish is owned and operated by The Billfish Foundation. All rights reserved. Copyright 2013. Printed in the USA.
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chairwoman’s message
TBF Trustees Chairwoman Sandra MacMillan Vice Chair Fin Gaddy Treasurer Scott Cooper - OBBC Secretary Joan Vernon Luis L. Bacardi John Brownlee Gary J. Chouest Jim Cox - MBGFC John P. “Jack” Duvall Keith English Chris Fischer Bill Gooch Norm Isaccs Elaine “Lainey” Jones Mark O’Brien Chase Offield Tim Simpson emeritus Francisco Rangel Castelazo Paxson Offield Don Tyson Ralph “Agie” Vicente Jack Willits Founding Chairman Winthrop P. Rockefeller 1948-2006 President Ellen M. Peel, J.D. LL.M.
Dear TBF Friends, As fall closes in, there are four seasons approaching. The tournament fishing season is winding down in some places but will be picking up again in others, most notably South Florida, and it should be a great year, thanks to an abundance of sailfish. At the same time another season begins here in the United States, with passionate anglers focusing on the “pigskin” species (technical name: football). It may sound strange but the U.S. football season draws passionate fans, many of whom are avid billfish anglers, and they definitely bring those passions with them to the games. A good example of this occurred in January 2013 when the University of Alabama and Notre Dame met in the National Collegiate Championship game in Miami, Florida. The events caused an armada of sportfishing boats from Orange Beach, Alabama to steam into the Miami Beach Marina and provide some Crimson Tide backup even though passions were already at an alltime high in the stadium. In the end, the sportfishing fans felt it was a just cause. Roll Tide! A third season, this one not so enjoyable, fast approaches us as well: tax season. At the end of each year, many charitable organizations benefit as individuals seek relief before meeting with the tax man, who can taketh away. And we can help. Seasonal relief is spelled d-o-n-a-t-e. It’s as easy as writing a check or swiping a credit card, after which you will experience immediate relief knowing you did a good thing for our hard-hit marine resources. Churches, universities and local and national charities for both humans and our pets are usually the first charities that come to mind; unfortunately, offshore gamefish are often forgotten if the weather outside is chillier than it was when we were enjoying warm saltwater breezes and great fishing. As Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of The Billfish Foundation, I ask that you please remember TBF when considering your tax options. Each donation you make means a great deal for the fish and the organization that fights for your sportfishing options. We strive to keep our overhead under 10 percent by keeping our operational expenses as low as possible. The Billfish Foundation is a lean, efficient and highly effective organization. This makes your donations go further than with any other charitable organization that stirs your passions and fights for your rights to fish. During the past twelve months while serving as Board Chairwoman, I have come to appreciate those TBF advantages and understand that when investing in TBF, I have made a sound personal decision. Please help us help you by donating to this incredible organization so that we can ensure a bright fishing future for our children and future generations to enjoy.
TBF achieves successes worldwide to advance the conservation of billfish and associated species, to improve the status of the fish, the health of the oceans, fishing opportunities and related economies.
Lastly, enjoy the fourth season: the holiday season!
Thanks,
Sandra
Sandra MacMillan Chairwoman
Rybovich Lifetime Conservation
Award Honorees The Billfish Foundation’s Rybovich Lifetime Conservation Award—named in honor of the late John Rybovich, a pioneer in billfish conservation and former member of TBF’s Board of Directors—is this organization’s highest award. This award is presented to members of the sportfishing community who have excelled in their contributions to billfish and other marine gamefish conservation as well as to the associated sportfishing and boating industries. This year’s award winners, Maumus Claverie, Jr., Captain Ron Hamlin and Eddie Smith, Jr., have all made outstanding contributions. Maumus Claverie, Jr. of New Orleans, Louisiana has an extensive record of service in domestic and international fishery management, including serving on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, the National Maumus Claverie, Jr. Marine Fisheries Service Advisory Committee for Highly Migratory Species and the U.S. Advisory Committee for the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. He also served on the Board of Directors of TBF. Captain Ron Hamlin of Stuart, Florida is well-known for his expertise at the helm of a sportfishing boat, racking up awards, including multiple TBF Tag and Release honors, and recognition for his superb skill in placing anglers on billfish. He is one of the few who initially recognized the conservation benefits of non-offset circle hooks with natural baits, which he supported vigorously in the United States and in Central America where he fished for years. Capt. Ron Hamlin
Eddie Smith, Jr. of Greenville, North Carolina, owner and CEO of Grady-White Boats, has
devoted his life to designing and building outstanding fiberglass boats with an understanding of the importance of the ocean and fish conservation to the future of the industry. If there are no fish, customers would soon turn to other interests. Over the years, Smith has given of both his time and energy by taking active roles with numerous recreational fish conservation organizations. Eddie Smith, Jr.
Join TBF at www.Billfish.org | 5
Meet the TBF
Interns & Volunteers The Billfish Foundation is proud to announce the new Winthrop P. Rockefeller Student Ocean Program Interns for summer 2013. This initiative carries on Win’s vision of responsible ocean and fish stewardship by providing valuable work experience to selected students. TBF was able to hire more interns for this summer due to additional donations to the program. Please join us in welcoming the new Winthrop P. Rockefeller Student Ocean Program Interns: Kristina Trotta is in her second year of Master’s Candidacy at NOVA Southeastern University studying Marine Biology and Coastal Zone Management with a concentration on the economic impacts of highly migratory species. Kristina works in our Science and Policy Division and is drafting a report on the impacts of sportfishing in Colombia to coastal communities.
TBF is also very fortunate to count Dianne DeHart among our volunteers. She has stepped up to the plate to pitch in at various boat shows, dinners, tournaments and fund-raising events. She also assists TBF staff in the office with less glamorous but much needed help with administrative tasks.
Nicole Besemer is a recent graduate from East Stroudsburg University, where she majored in Marine Science and Biology. Nicole works in our Science and Policy Division assisting on TBF’s Caribbean Campaign, gathering vital socioeconomic data on sportfishing interests in the region.
Dianne’s affinity for marine conservation comes naturally, as she worked aboard luxury yachts for many years. She has a degree in culinary arts from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and recently added a degree in event planning and management from Richland College in Dallas, TX. Giving back to the community is important to Dianne. She also lends her tireless efforts to volunteering for the Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce and Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) at the Green Market, which showcases local produce.
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Friday, November 1, 2013 at 6 o’clock p.m.
Harbor Beach Marriott 3030 Holiday Drive, For� Lauderdale, FL 33316
Cocktails, Dinner, Live Music & Dancing, Silent & Live Auctions Individual Tickets - $225 • VIP Table for 10 - $2,250 Purchase tickets at www.Billfish.org or call 954-938-0150, x113
‘Tis the Season for South Florida Sailfish Light Tackle Opportunities Abound as Fall Run Commences By Sam White
Atlantic sailfish are one of the world’s most popular billfish species for a number of reasons. They’re strong, acrobatic fighters, willing to inhale a wide variety of offerings from live to dead baits and even artificial lures and flies. Sailfish are frequently found close to shore, especially in areas where the warm waters of the Gulf Stream push in tight to the beach. They often travel in schools ranging from just a few to several dozen, and are also one of the prettiest billfish species, redolent in their lavender, blue and silver colorations. And so when the weather begins to cool, all eyes turn to the Sunshine State and the annual migration of these superb gamefish through what’s known as Sailfish Alley.
8 | The Billfish Foundation
Photo courtesy of Endless Imagery
Geographically, the region off the eastcentral coast of Florida down past Miami varies quite a bit. From north of Stuart, the fishing grounds are quite broad, which leads to a more conventional approach to sailfishing. Boats here usually troll a combination of dead ballyhoo rigged with circle hooks and umbrella-shaped dredge teasers. But as the Gulf Stream narrows to the south past West Palm Beach, most of the locals and tournament hotshots alike will switch to using live bait, slow-trolled just above idle speed or even drifted along with the aid of a sea anchor. Frisky baits like goggle-eyes, pilchards and threadfin herring will be suspended from fishing kites as well as placed around the boat in a variety of positions. The kite is flown from a dedicated rod, usually equipped with an electric reel for easy retrieve, and the fishing line clipped to it using a release clip. This highly effective method, pioneered by local fishing legends like Capt. Bob Lewis and others, keeps the live bait near the surface of the water where it attracts the attention of any prowling sailfish that may be in the
neighborhood. Kite fishing also keeps the leader suspended above the bait as well, making for a very clean presentation to a sharp-eyed predator. The first few cold fronts of October and November kick off the season, which stretches through March and April. And because these South Florida sails are found within just a few miles of the beach, a wide variety of boats may be used to chase them. On any tournament weekend there may be hundreds of craft ranging in size from 70-foot sportfishermen to 20-foot center consoles. There have even been sailfish released off Miami from kayaks and inner-tube rafts, within sight of the city’s downtown skyline. And while a big boat isn’t a necessity, it sure can help in terms of offering not only a wide spread of baits but also in the comfort it provides when the weather turns rough. Sandra MacMillan, TBF’s Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, can often be found in the offshore mix with her highly competitive team aboard the
Sandman. MacMillan is a passionate sailfish angler with a long list of tournament victories to her credit, so it should come as no surprise that she is just as passionate about billfish conservation.
Many cite the use of circle hooks for the rebounding numbers of sailfish in both South Florida and also the area around Isla Mujeres, Mexico where these fish spend the winter.
And the good news is that the future of the species seems bright. Recreational anglers are reporting more sailfish each season and the release numbers in area tournaments, while very dependent on the weather, continue to trend upward over the years. Many cite the use of circle hooks for the rebounding numbers of sailfish in both South Florida and also the area around Isla Mujeres, Mexico where these fish spend the winter. Circle hooks have been proven to greatly reduce post-release mortality among sailfish, so it only makes sense that as the use of these hooks has increased, so have the fish stocks. Sailfish season is nearly upon us, so whether you choose to troll or live-bait, get out there and give it a shot. Be sure to report your releases to TBF via email or Billfish.org and if you choose to tag your sails then, please do so carefully and responsibly.
Photo courtesy of Endless Imagery
Photo courtesy of Sam White
Ta g ‘ E m R i g h t !
Leonard Bryant Photography.
By Capt. Tony DiGiulian
Each year, starting in November, recreational anglers and professional sportfishing crews from Daytona Beach, Florida to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula start gearing up for the Atlantic sailfish season. Over the next six months, tens of thousands of these popular billfish will be caught, tagged and released. Atlantic sailfish are not only one of the most sought-after gamefish on the planet, they also play a critical role in the sportfishing industry’s ability to thrive in tough economic times. The good news is tag recapture reports are on the rise. Here are some tips and techniques to help you correctly tag and release your next sailfish. There are several factors that come into play when tagging Atlantic sailfish. First, keep in mind that these fish are relatively thin in girth and have a fragile bill. Because of their biological makeup and the fact that they are often very active at the boat, sailfish are vulnerable to all types of serious tagging injuries and can make for a difficult target for proper tag placement. It is best to control the fish first before taking a tag shot, even if the control is very brief. Patience Pays Start by keeping the boat in gear and slowly towing the fish on the leader so it swims with the boat, upright, with its upper shoulder exposed. The tag stick should always be equipped with a stopper to prevent the applicator from pushing the tag all the way through the fish. Stoppers can be customized to shorten the length of the applicator and this should be taken into consideration if you are going to be tagging mostly sailfish; some professional
crews have designated tag sticks set up for sailfish only. Because of a sail’s slim girth, it is easy to over-penetrate with the tag if you do not use a stopper. At best this will result in a lost tag and at worst a puncture wound that can lead to infection and death. The tagger should be firm but not too forceful, aiming for the thickest part of the fish’s shoulder and always above the lateral line. If a fish is thrashing, wait for the opportunity for a clean shot so you don’t accidently tag a fish in its eyes or gills. Tag shots to the gills can produce blood and make it easier for predators like sharks
the sail if possible. Never rush the tag shot and always be in control—better the fish swims away unharmed without a tag than mortally wounded from a bad shot.
will eventually recover if you give them enough time. Many fish that are foul hooked or tail-wrapped can fully recover if you give them the time they need to get
Take care when tagging sailfish. Never attempt to tag a wildly thrashing fish!
A properly installed stopper will prevent over-penetration of the tag in a slim-bodied Atlantic sailfish. to move in for an easy meal. Tag shots to the eyes will blind the fish and although it may survive, its ability to feed will be compromised. In addition to those areas of concern, a sailfish’s sail is also important to its survival as they use their sails to ball bait and trap their prey. The sail contains a vast network of nerve endings that enable the fish to lower its body temperature after feeding when exposed to air at the ocean’s surface. Be careful not to tear or puncture
water flowing through their gills. There are It is also important to be aware of a plenty of examples of fish being revived for sailfish’s head and bill. It is never a good up to 30 minutes before they fully recover. idea to grab a sailfish by its bill or Remember too that it is against federal law to let the fish thrash around close to remove any billfish from the water if to the boat. Not only can this you are not harvesting it. Anglers should be dangerous to the angler and crew but it takes very little force Proper handling of sailfish at boatside (when necessary for tagging) to break a sailfish’s bill. Another greatly improves both crew safety and the fish’s post-release health. vulnerable area is where the bill begins to grow out from its head. This area is sometimes referred to as the stump. A quick headshake when being held here or a violent collision with the side of the boat can result in the entire bill being ripped out of the head and certain death for the fish. Revive Alive When a sailfish has been fought to complete exhaustion, it is sometimes necessary to grab it by its bill in order to swim it through the water and allow the fish to recover from the fight. Hold the bill with your leading hand from the top of the bill and with your thumb down, and with your trailing hand just in front of the sail to keep the fish upright. Again because of a sailfish’s delicate bill, it is better to revive the fish by holding it with your hands than to use a “snooter,” as is common when reviving large billfish like blue marlin. With the boat in gear, tow the fish through the water until it recovers. Don’t get impatient and give up on a tired fish! Most sails, no matter how exhausted from the fight,
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take their pictures with the fish in the water to avoid causing trauma to the fish’s internal organs. With the advancement in photo and video technology there is no longer any reason to pull the fish into the boat to get a good picture. Another important and often overlooked part of releasing a sailfish properly is the way in which you actually free the fish from your line. If you have a tired fish under control and have a long enough dehooker, you can quickly remove the hook. However, if the sailfish is still green it is far better to cut the leader as close to the hook as possible, keeping the fish away from the boat to avoid injury to you and the fish. A release knife can be attached to the end of your tag stick so you can tag the fish and immediately reach out and cut the leader very close to the hook. Never under any circumstances, is it okay to violently jerk the leader to pop a fish
off. This is simply not acceptable behavior and shows a direct lack of respect for the fish and your fellow anglers. It is also important not to release a fish with several feet of leader trailing off behind it as it swims away. The drag from the leader pulling through the water will continue to tire the fish and the leader rubbing against the fish will continue to agitate it, making it difficult for the fish to recover and its survival less likely. Tournament Time When fishing sailfish release tournaments during a hot bite, it may be a good idea to avoid tagging altogether. The speed in which a crew catches and releases the most fish can be the difference between victory and defeat. Often, sails are caught in just a few minutes, or even less than 60 seconds. These very quickly caught sailfish make the act of tagging even more difficult and this is when most tagging errors occur.
Some tournaments include an award for the most fish tagged which can entice participants into taking needless risks with their tag shots. If you are intent on tagging during tournament conditions, don’t be overzealous and realize you will not be able to tag every fish. Be sure you have a very experienced tag person and make smart decisions on which fish you attempt to tag using the criteria above. Always keep in mind that a tagged fish serves no purpose if that fish does not survive to fight another day or if the tag falls out of the fish. And if you are new to the tagging game, don’t be afraid to approach a professional captain or crew member for instruction and advice. The Billfish Foundation will do all we can to help you become proficient at tagging sailfish and other billfish if you ask. So get out on the water this season and tag some sails. Just remember that you owe it to the fish, to our industry and to future generations to tag effectively and responsibly.
Join TBF at www.Billfish.org | 13
Daytime Swordfish
Success By Capt. Dean Panos
Capt. Dean Panos has been a member of The Billfish Foundation for many years. Here he shares his tips and tactics for targeting one of the world’s toughest species: the broadbill swordfish. In broad daylight.
The keys to a successful daytime swordfishing trip are really no different than any other successful fishing trip. There are certain factors like weather, ocean conditions and fish feeding patterns that we may not be able to control, but we must be able to understand them and work within those parameters. Then there are other factors like the tackle and boat readiness and even experience that are within our control. With these elements in place, we should be at 100%. First, do your homework. Whether you’re fishing in your own waters or traveling to a new destination, you need to figure out a few things beforehand. Is there a certain technique that is more successful than others, is there a specific bait I need, and what about tackle? The questions can seem endless and while a lot of information can be found on the Internet through various forums and blogs, it is also helpful to contact some of the tackle stores in the area and maybe go down to the docks and speak to a few of the local charter captains. Nothing beats “on the water” experience. Once you’ve gathered as much information about the fishery as you can, it’s time to start prepping. One thing that we have total control over is the tackle, and it should be in the best possible shape. The vessel you are fishing from should be prepped and ready as well. And don’t forget licenses. You will need the proper state fishing licenses and also a federal vessel HMS license that can be obtained online at https://hmspermits.noaa. Daytime swordfishing can be done in almost any boat; in order to consistently be successful you will need a decent chartplotter and more importantly, a
14 | The Billfish Foundation
good depth recorder. Many swordfish are near some type of bottom structure so it is important to have a bottom machine that can read the bottom in depths of 1,600 to 2,100 feet. I have one of the new CHIRP Simrad sounders and not only does it read the bottom at that depth, it can also pick out a single swordfish on the bottom.
If you opt to fight your fish right off the gunwale then you will need a swivel rod holder with a reinforcing backing plate installed. If you choose to fight standing up, be sure to have a properly fitted belt and harness. And if your boat has a fighting chair, you can choose that option as well. If you elect to land your swordfish, reporting to the federal government within 24 hours of landing the fish is very important. Failure to do so can result in a reduction of the U.S. international allocation of swordfish, as well as a fine, so do your part and report your catch. If you’re fishing on a charter vessel, the captain will do this for you. The minimum size limit is 47 inches measured from the lower jaw to the fork of the tail. If you decide to release the fish, then carry a tag stick as well as tags, which can be obtained from The Billfish Foundation (www.billfish.org or call 954-938-0150, ext. 105 or 107). Now that most of the prep stuff is done, you need to pick a date and a location that you want to try. For daytime swordfishing in South Florida, the locations are more like broad areas than specific pinpoint numbers. Target the bottom contours in 1,600 to 1,850 feet of water and try to find fish in front of and especially behind depressions in the sea floor. Some “holes” may offer over 100 to 200 feet of relief, but even 20 to 30 feet is more than sufficient. If you think about it, a two- or threestory building provides plenty of vertical relief and that is only 20 or 30 feet high. If you do find a This previously tagged swordfish was recaptured aboard the Jeni Lyn with Capt. Mike Taute, angler Natalie Johnson and decent-sized
mate Josh Ardis (holding fish). The fish was originally tagged in 2012 off Key Largo. Photo credit Capt. Mike Taute.
depression in the bottom, you will have to adjust your bait so it does not snag the sides of the hole. Snagging bottom is no fun at all and often results in the loss of a few hundred dollars’ worth of tackle and can ultimately cause you to end your day early if you don’t have backup gear available. The weather is also another factor. Although I have caught swordfish on every wind direction and velocity, it is much more pleasant when the seas are relatively calm. For the most part any wind out of the north, northeast or northwest will kick up seas against the strong north-flowing Gulf Stream. With that said though, some of the best daytime swordfishing I have seen has been with the wind out of those directions. I say that with caution though because the safety of your vessel and crew is much more important than catching any fish. If the seas are not that bad, the northerly winds will often slow your drift and make your bait presentation better. For the most part though, a light breeze out of the southeast is probably the wind that many anglers I know enjoy the most. For daytime swordfish, you are basically dropping a single bait all the way to the bottom in 1,600 to 1,850 feet of water in the Gulf Stream and then attempting to keep that bait near the bottom with a lot of current. Braided line is definitely needed—we use the new 80-pound Sufix 832 braid to get the job done. You can choose an electric reel like the Lingren Pitman 3000, any manual 80 Wide reel or a hybrid electric/manual reel like the Dolphin Electreel, the Daiwa MP 3000 or others. Spooled with 80-pound braid, you then have a 150-foot wind-on leader of 300-pound test mono. At the end of the wind-on is where you will attach your bait. At the beginning of the wind-on, floss a waxed loop to attach your eight- to 12-pound weight. Make sure this loop is flossed on securely as you do
Here’s a happy charter party with a nice South Florida daytime swordfish. Photo credit Capt. Dean Panos.
not want it to slide on the leader. About 10 to 20 feet away from the lead, attach an artificial light source (we often use the LP diamond strobe lights). I like to use two separate lights with two different colors. We normally drive with the current and slowly deploy the bait and the wind-on behind the boat while in gear, then attach the weight to the floss loop line with a longline clip and slowly drop the bait down about 300 feet. Keeping the boat in gear, we stretch out the bait and make sure the weight is not going to tangle with the line. Taking the boat out of gear, continue to drop slowly at first. Once about 1,000 feet down you can drop faster and slowly spin the boat into the current (the boat should be heading south now against the northbound Gulf Stream). Once you hit the bottom, reel up about 50 to 75 feet to avoid snagging the bottom. Now the trick is to drive the boat into the current, keeping the line as straight up and down as possible. Every five minutes or so, re-drop to the bottom and then reel up 50 to 75 feet. Depending on your driving, the first few re-drops may take a bit of line but after that you should find some sort of equilibrium.
The ability to deploy a bait to the bottom in over 1,600 feet of water while enduring a three- to four-knot current and keeping the bait near the bottom while the bait is “swimming “ is important. A bait that is spinning will most likely tangle on the way down and even if it doesn’t, the presentation will look terrible. Time spent rigging baits to perfection is time well spent. Swordfish use their bills to repeatedly attack a bait and you want it to be durable enough to withstand numerous attacks from a sword’s bill.
The fight with a big swordfish may be completely uneventful until the fish reaches about 300 to 500 feet in depth.
Earlier, I mentioned that probably the most important factor is bait presentation.
One of the most popular baits for daytime swordfishing are Panamastyle strip baits. Usually a strip of bonito or mahimahi is embedded on the hook and then folded over and carefully stitched together. Often a skirt is placed over the bait. The skirt serves two purposes: First, it helps streamline the bait and reduces the bait’s tendency to spin. It also helps keep the bait presentable after repeated attacks by a hungry swordfish. Squid are also used but do not stand up to a sword’s bill very well. Unless you get them on the first attempt the fish will usually fade off due to the squid being mauled and looking unnatural on the hook. A word of advice here: a swordfish’s bite is usually very subtle. Most times the rod tip (CONTINUED ON PAGE 36)
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A Historic Lone Star Destination Situated on Mustang Island, named for the horses brought to its shores by Spaniards in the early 1800s, the town of Tarpon, Texas has had a long and distinguished tradition in the history of sportfishing. The region was a favorite haunt for a band of pirates led by Jean Lafitte, who is rumored to have buried treasure on Mustang Island using a silver dagger to mark the spot. By 1810, the area was involved in the Mexican War of Independence and 50 years later in the Civil War, with locals fortifying Tarpon
16 | The Billfish Foundation
and Mustang Island against Union troops. They were successful until their defenses fell in 1863. By the late 1800s, Tarpon was on the map as a great sportfishing destination, drawing tourists from around the country to catch the town’s namesake gamefish. It was this early boom in fishing tourism that provided the impetus for construction needed to lodge these visitors from out of town. The Tarpon Inn was completed in 1886, built from surplus lumber left from Civil War barracks. As commercial activity and shipping expanded and the importance of the local waterways and ports was recognized, the town of Tarpon was renamed Port Aransas. Tarpon fishing continued and in 1932 local anglers created the Texas Tarpon Rodeo to display their angling skills and compete to land the largest tarpon. Visiting anglers began their own tradition of retaining one tarpon scale for each fish, signing, dating and labeling it with the size of the fish. The scales were then pinned to the wall in the lobby of the Tarpon Inn. Among many distinguished guest anglers, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s
Port Aransas Dock. Photo: Wikipedia Commons, Travis Witt. tarpon scale was taken in 1937 and is proudly displayed. Today the Inn’s gourmet restaurant is named in his honor and three lobby walls glisten with these trophy tarpon scales under the watchful eye of current proprietor Leroy Hoskins.
the Rodeo changed its name to the Texas Deep Sea Rodeo and switched its focus to offshore angling. The last tarpon was entered in 1983. The Deep Sea Rodeo remains hugely popular today, now in its 77th year. Tarpon are no longer king in Port Aransas, though an occasional catch and release of one stirs the hopes of locals that one day there could be a resurgence of silver kings off Mustang Island.
It’s a town rich in history that’s just as welcoming today as it was in the earliest days of sportfishing.
Unfortunately, the local tarpon stock did not withstand the fishing pressure; President Roosevelt catching a tarpon off the coast of Port Aransas in 1937.
Billfish are now the top gamefish in Port Aransas, with many organized fishing tournaments held during the year including the largest of the summer: the Texas Legends Billfish Tournament. Under the leadership of Capt. John Cochran—world-renowned sportfishing captain turned tournament director—the Texas Legends draws approximately 50 large sportfishing vessels each year with hundreds of colorful and robust Texans
Top: Tarpon scales, listing the angler’s name and date of their catch, cover the walls of the historic Tarpon Inn. Above: Anglers can fish the waters surrounding Port Aransas for a long list of gamefish species. ready to compete. Anglers have released all marlin and sailfish during the past two years, 37 in 2013 and an impressive 153 in 2012. Some of the same boats now enjoy a real fight with swordfish in the Gulf of Mexico with a large 400-plus pounder just landed in the area. Not all fishing in Port Aransas takes place offshore though. Because so many species are available, anglers can fish from a wide variety of boats, from flats skiffs to multi-engined center consoles. Seatrout and redfish abound on the inshore flats while king mackerel, cobia and other species are found in the Gulf just off the port’s rock jetties. There’s also the option to board a charter or party boat to fish for an even wider variety of species that swim just offshore. It’s a town rich in history that’s just as welcoming today as it was in the earliest days of sportfishing so don’t miss your chance to check out Port Aransas. You may not find Lafitte’s silver dagger in the sand, but it will be a rewarding visit nevertheless.
Join TBF at www.Billfish.org | 17
TBF Experience By Andrew Cox
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
jobs supported by the world-class fishery. The number of boats headed for the fishing grounds that morning was impressive, especially since there seemed to be an equal number of small outboard-powered panga skiffs selling live bait to the fleet as they departed. Their opportunity to see how the financial benefit of sportfishing circulates through the local economy further demonstrated the importance of a healthy fishery and the number of those who rely upon it. With a trolling spread set out no more than twenty minutes after leaving the dock, the first sign of action did not take long. Serving as a good warm-up for Connor, a small mahi-mahi piled on the right short lure. Rather than hitting the ice in the fish box, the fish was tagged with a dolphin tag and released to swim away strong. As soon as the last lure was reset in the spread, an explosion on the left longline followed by the ever-anticipated sing of the drag signaled what these anglers had come for—striped marlin! Connor made quick work of the fish and the striped marlin was tagged and released after a quick photo. Battling unforeseen weather and an unusually finicky striped marlin bite, Connor ended the first day of the trip releasing not one, but two of these acrobatic billfish.
The sight of a striped marlin tailing downsea off of Cabo San Lucas is enough to get the adrenaline rushing and the heart pumping for even the most seasoned billfish angler. Imagine the excitement of witnessing this after a lifelong desire to catch a billfish and knowing your opportunity may be just seconds away. For many anglers, fishing in destinations like this are only possible vicariously through television shows or reading the latest fishing publications. But the TBF Experience gave two lucky TBF members the opportunity to make their fishing dreams a reality! In addition to providing unforgettable memories, the TBF Experience gave our members a chance to see the excitement and passion behind The Billfish Foundation and the work that we do. In July, Steven Payne of Destin, Florida and his son Connor joined TBF’s Andrew Cox for the trip of a lifetime, fishing two
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Top: Connor Payne releases his first striped marlin off Cabo San Lucas, Mexico as part of the TBF Experience. Above: TBF’s Andrew Cox with Steven and Connor Payne, winners of the TBF Experience—Cabo adventure. days in Cabo San Lucas aboard the 35-foot Cabo Picante Expresso for striped marlin. Leaving the hustle and bustle of Cabo behind them as they left the docks for the first day of fishing, Steve and Connor were able to see first-hand the socio-economic benefits of sportfishing and the different
The second day brought even more shots at tailing striped marlin, but despite the best efforts of the crew to present both live and dead baits, only a few showed interest. Fooled by live baits pitched from the bow, the crew finished the second day of fishing with two more striped marlin tagged and released. It was a great trip for Steven and Connor, who later said, “The TBF Experience gave us the opportunity for our first ever marlin trip. We were very happy that Picante has a focus on conservation and their crews realize how important conserving the billfish population is to their industry and livelihood.” The Billfish Foundation would like to thank Picante Sportfishing for generously donating two days of fishing for the TBF Experience–Cabo. If you want to fish with a top-tier charter operation in Cabo San Lucas, check them out at www.picantesportfishing.com.
Educational Outreach: The Science Behind Sportfishing The Billfish Foundation recently conducted an educational project at LMR Tackle, based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida that allowed students to apply their math and science skills (without even realizing it) in a hands-on project. Consistent with an educational concept called STEM, that incorporates science, technology, engineering and mathematics, TBF, with assistance from a Fish Florida Grant, provided students with the opportunity to grasp this concept by building a fishing rod. For two days, two groups of students from South Broward High School built their own light-tackle rod with guidance from
Ms. Susan Ostheim supervised the mural drawing with the help of marine artist Carey Chen. In addition, Jessup and other National Honor Society art students, under the guidance of Ostheim, created artistic billfish sculptures from blank fish mounts donated by King Sailfish Mounts. These pieces were later auctioned at the Billfish Art fundraiser and raised over $600 for TBF’s Education Program. is dependent on healthy stocks of fish and anglers having access to fishing opportunities. As part of the orientation, Capt. Tony DiGiulian and LMR Tackle owner Andy Novak gave the students a tour of the tackle shop and provided them with an extensive list of vendors whose diverse products are sold in the store, demonstrating that many livelihoods are dependent upon recreational fishing. The Billfish Foundation appreciates LMR Tackle and the Fish Florida Grant for assistance with this project. TBF’s staff plans to hold more of these rod building workshops this fall with the goal of getting more kids out fishing.
Science and Education at the Ballpark On May 1, nearly 10,000 students from across South Florida learned about weather and billfish at the eighth annual CBS4 Weather Day prior to the Miami Marlins game at Marlins Park. Elementary and middle school students from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties were on hand as part of the fun-filled, sciencefocused educational field trip.
A number of the local meteorologists and hurricane scientists spoke during the pregame program designed to teach kids some basic concepts of weather and how these topics relate to living in South Florida. The students also learned about marlin, not the baseball players, but the actual fish. Because offshore marlin fishing and weather are closely linked, The Billfish Foundation collaborated with the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, to develop a presentation on billfish and billfish conservation. With the help of Billy the Marlin, the kids learned that billfish, like blue marlin, are extremely popular with the recreational fishing community. The kids also learned about conservation effortsTBF’s Tag & Release “Week of the Ocean” Student of the Year Jessica Program.
TBF Congratulates Student and Teacher of the Year
Students from South Broward High School had the opportunity to build their own fishing rods through an educational project with TBF and LMR Tackle. the LMR staff. “Seeing a person’s face light up when they catch a fish is fantastic, but when you watch a young person build their own rod knowing they will use it to catch a fish is truly satisfying,” said TBF’s Peter Chaibongsai. The project at LMR also introduced students to the business side of the recreational fishing community, which
TBF would like to congratulate Jessica Jessup and Susan Ostheim from South Broward High School for being recognized as “Week of the Ocean” Student of the Year and Teacher of the Year. Jessica Jessup worked extensively on a beautiful Jessup and Teacher of the Year Susan Ostheim wall mural with their Carey Chen-inspired mural. Following the lessons and organized on weather and marlin, a Billfish the kids were invited to stay and watch the Art fundraiser for TBF. Her goal was to game against the New York Mets. Not a help raise awareness with students and bad day at school, we would say. Have a the public about the need for billfish chance to learn about weather, fish, and conservation. then enjoy a day at the ballpark!
JOIN OR RENEW YOUR SUPPORT Membership Levels and Benefits Sailfish $25 U.S./$50* International • Unlimited free release certificates • Official membership card & decal • Full-color issues of Billfish magazine • FREE TBF membership T-shirt
Striped Marlin - $75 All of the above, plus: • License plate frame featuring TBF Logo
Join or renew at the Chairman’s Club level and join a core group of leading members.
Chairman’s Club - $1,000 All of the above, plus: • Beautiful signed and numbered print by a favorite marine artist with hand-painted remarque • Insider reports from the Chairman • Special invitations to exclusive TBF events • Chairman’s Club Flag for your boat or home • Chairman’s Club hat
Legacy - $10,000 and above • Lifetime Chairman’s Club Level Membership
White Marlin - $125 All of the above, plus: • TBF membership visor
club memberships & Conservation Partnerships
Swordfish - $250
Fishing Clubs are a prime source to spread TBF’s conservation message! Make YOUR Fishing Club a TBF Member at one of these levels: $250 $500 $1000
All of the above, plus: • Exclusive signed and numbered print by a favorite marine artist
Blue Marlin - $500
TBF Conservation partners are a great way to support billfish conservation and promote your business. Corporate partnerships are available at these levels: $1,000 $1,500 $2,500 $5,000
All of the above, plus: • Set of 5 billfish tags • Three complimentary gift memberships • Complimentary tickets to Fort Lauderdale & Miami International Boat Shows
To learn more about details and benefits for TBF’s Club Memberships, or Conservation Partnerships contact Deborah at: Deborah_Cummings@billfish.org or 954-938-0150 ext 106.
Visit www.Billfish.org to learn more.
Membership Application I want to support billfish conservation as a TBF member. I have enclosed my membership payment in the following amount: $25 $50* $75 $125 $250 $500 $1,000 $2,500 $5,000 $10,000 Other $______ * Minimum donation for International Sailfish level
Name _________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________________________ City___________________________________________ State__________________________ Zip_____________ Country________________ Phone_________________________________________ Fax____________________________ Email__________________________________ Payment Method: Visa MasterCard American Express Discover Check Account #:______________________________________________________ Exp. Date ______________________________________________ Name on Account________________________________________________ Signature______________________________________________ Members-Only T-Shirt: S
M
L
XL
2XL
3XL
Type of Contribution: New Renewal Gift Please provide the name and address of gift giver and recipient separately if you are giving a gift membership. Membership donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Please fill out and return with your contribution in the envelope provided to:
The Billfish Foundation
PO Box 628259 • Orlando, FL 32862-9941 800-438-8247 ext. 106 • www.billfish.org
TBF Signature Jackets
Water-resistant Toughlan® lined with soft panda fleece available in yellow or navy, or a lighter weight, water-resistant jacket in cotton poplin comes in black or yellow. Available in sizes S-XX, size 2X tall comes in black or navy only.
TBF Release T-shirt
“Release Them, They’ll Grow on You”, a TBF classic! White shortsleeved T-Shirt comes in 100% pre-shrunk cotton with TBF logo on front pocket. Available in sizes S-3X.
Deluxe Lady’s Shirt with Embroidered Marlin
sHOP tbf
Choose from short-sleeved style made of super soft 50/50 poly/cotton ring spun jersey or a classic tank top made from100% ring spun combed cotton. Both with beautifully detailed embroidered marlin. Available in sizes S-XX.
for the HOlidays Visit www.BILLFISH.org to place your order today!
Pelagic Eclipse Guide Shirt
TrollPro TrollPro3 Underwater Marine Video Housing - Model No. TP3 Tow it alone or clip the housing inside your dredge teaser. Compact and easy to use, this latest TrollPro model is designed to support the entire line of GoPro™ (camera not included).
Made of ultra light-weight micro-TEK Mechanical Stretch polyester, has UV 50+ sun protection, vented mesh panels, and is stain and water repellent. Available colors are aqua and ice, Sizes: M-XX.
All sales from TBF merchandise go directly towards keeping billfish in the water for future generations of anglers to enjoy. So you can look good AND show your commitment to conservation all year long!
For questions concerning your order, please call 800-438-8247, x106 or email Deborah_Cummings@Billfish.org
Conservation Ambassador’s Letter
important economic factor for many coastal cities and communities around the United States. We often elect to go fishing, which I understand, rather than take on the dirty work of dealing with the federal government.
As a professional captain and angler I confess that I would much rather be fishing than worrying about what the federal government is doing to change recreational fishing regulations, though I know that staying informed is crucial. Failure to do so does not exempt any of us from federal citations and fines; some can be costly, like the $10,000 and $15,000 fines given two anglers who landed a giant bluefin tuna after the Angling Category was closed in April. My immediate concern focuses on the fact that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recently released two amendments to its Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan, one Final Rule for swordfish (Amendment 8) and the other, Proposed Rules for bluefin tuna (Amendment 7). The final rule and proposed regulations are very important and will impact our recreational fishing; therefore, we must understand what is being considered and what has been decided upon to avoid citations and fines and to be aware of options for our fishery. The proposed bluefin actions include reallocation of the quota among user groups, some gear restrictions, possible closures, possible authorization of longline boats to fish in closed zones, possible incidental trophy allocation to anglers in the Gulf of Mexico and many other possible regulatory measures.The government is not giving us much time to read and absorb this material, for written
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comments are due October 23, 2013, and a series of public hearings began the last week of August and continue through early October. TBF is calling for a longer period. I don’t know about you, but to find the time to read and comprehend this large document will take me from now until the end of October, if by then. The Final Swordfish Rule is intended to help the U.S. land its international quota, which we have not landed in at least a decade. The rule includes, among many, authorization of a Swordfish General Commercial permit that allows landing swordfish with the use of rod and reel, handline, harpoon, greenstick and bandit gear. Charter/headboats will be allowed to fish for swordfish, when not on a for-hire trip, with rod and reel or handline under a swordfish open access retention limit. And a Florida swordfish management area is being created, just to list a few. A big difference between our recreational fishing industry and the commercial fishing industry for highly migratory fish is that the commercial guys show up at all the public hearings and all write letters making their positions very clear and loud. We anglers cannot afford to be complacent; we must make our voices and thoughts heard. Our recreational fishing industry is often the most
My advice: join The Billfish Foundation and sign up to receive monthly digital news, which will include all you need to know about these two extremely important actions. Read TBF’s materials and respond when they send you via email a letter with comments they suggest you send to the federal government. They make it easy: all you have to do is enter your name and click. Then go fishing! I am directly challenging all the members in our recreational fishing industry to engage with TBF; we can’t afford to sit on the sidelines and not get informed; we must be part of the solution to keeping recreational fishing access and fish available. Recruit your fishing friends to join us and get involved; spend a little time to reach out to those who may not be aware of TBF and what we do. We have proven time and again that we can win the many battles that we face if we have your active support. Visit www.billfish.org or call 800-438-8247. Be sure to check out the information in this Billfish issue in the Advocacy section to learn more about the two actions. We don’t have a lot of time on these federal actions, so let TBF read, analyze, digest and inform us of what the federal government is proposing with bluefin tuna and what it has decided and will be implementing with swordfish.
Best regards and tight lines,
Capt. Tony Digiulian Twitter @SaltwaterproTBF Conservation Ambassador
Reductions in Striped Marlin Catch Limits Announced
In June, the federal Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (the Council) recommended to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) a reduction in the landing of striped marlin in waters off Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands to help rebuild the overfished species. The recommendation supports continuation of a phased reduction in landings established in 2010 by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (the Commission), an international regional fishery management organization. The Commission established an annual catch limit of 3,600 metric tons for non-members and countries with a catch history of less than 500 metric tons, which includes Hawaii, Guam and American Samoa. Beginning with a 10 percent reduction in catch limits in 2011, catch limits have decreased annually by five percent, toward a target of 20 percent catch reduction from the historically high catches of 2000 through 2003. The Commission also noted the need for more data and analysis of striped marlin catch condition (dead or alive) upon retrieval and an examination of marlin market prices.
Future of Billfish Conservation Act
On July 3, The Billfish Foundation submitted comments to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in response to its Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Billfish Conservation Act (BCA). The Notice requested public comment on 1) the scope of potential regulations; 2) the scope of exemption 4(c) written in the Act; 3) the use of a modified Certificate of Eligibility to document that billfish offered for sale qualify for the exemption; and 4) what restrictions, if any, can the NMFS impose on the transportation, sale and possible trade of billfish caught by U.S. vessels and landed in Hawaii or the Pacific Insular Areas (PIA).
and recreational fishing for the species. Further contrast exists with Atlantic billfish management, which in 1988, five federal Councils decided to “optimize the social and economic benefits to the nation” from billfish by prohibiting their commercial retention and sale.
The intent of the Act, which is the prohibition of the sale of Pacific billfish in the continental U.S, is wholeheartedly embraced by TBF and all others interested in billfish conservation. Section 4(a) of the Act “prohibits any person from offering billfish or billfish products for sale, selling them, or having custody, control, or possession of them for purpose of offering them for sale.” But Section 4(c) exempts “billfish caught by U.S. fishing vessels and landed in Hawaii or Pacific Insular Areas from general prohibition on sale and custody with the intent to sell in section 4 (a).”
NMFS will likely approve the Council’s recommendation consistent with a slow-growing trend for striped marlin conservation. In May 2013, New Zealand upheld a ban on the commercial landing of billfish, which should keep an estimated 25 metric tons out of fish markets and in the water for recreational fishing, an industry that generates approximately $90NZ million annually to the nation’s economy. In the Los Cabos region of Mexico, a striped marlin hotspot, a TBF socioeconomic study estimated $1.125 billion is generated annually to the local economy from billfishing. In stark contrast, in Hawaii the commercial sale of striped marlin, authorized by the Council, averages $1.25 per pound or $1.137 million total in 2011. This clearly illustrates the sharp differences in potential financial returns from commercial sale
A reduction in the catch limits for striped marlin like this one has been recommended to the National Marine Fisheries Service. Photo by Stacy Powers.
Join TBF at www.Billfish.org | 23
Whether the Act will be implemented or not and, if so, will it be effective rests on answers to several crucial questions. (1) Does the sale prohibition placed on foreign nations constitute an international trade violation? (2) Will fish landed by vessels of Hawaii and PIA still be allowed to be sold in the continental United States? (3) Will fish sold from foreign nations into Hawaii and PIA be mixed with US caught fish and then sold in continental United States?
New Policy Will Enhance Rigs To Reef Program On June 26, 2013 the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement revised its policy for evaluating proposals to convert obsolete, offshore oil and gas production platforms into artificial reefs,
rather than require companies to remove them in accordance with the “Idle Iron” requirements. The “Idle Iron” regulations require offshore oil and gas operators to seal wells no longer producing and remove any infrastructure associated with the production platform, which destroys habitats for many of the Gulf of Mexico’s most sought-after game fish. The Bureau’s new policy allows companies to avoid the removal process by making their rig part of the ‘Rigs to Reef’ program
to enhance a state’s artificial reef program. Once all hazardous materials are removed from the platform, and depending upon the location and the bottom characteristics, the rigs can either be reefed in place or towed to a designated reefing area. The new policy supports and encourages the use of obsolete oil and gas structures as artificial reefs and provides greater opportunities for reefing by reducing the five-mile buffer zone between reefing areas to two miles. The policy also provides extensions to regulatory decommissioning deadlines for companies actively pursuing a “Rigs to Reefs” proposal. Oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico provide productive fishing grounds for recreational fishermen and popular dive sites for divers. Removing them as a result of the “Idle Iron” regulations not only has detrimental impacts on fish habitat, but reduces the potential fishing locations in the Gulf of Mexico. The revised policy surrounding the ‘Rigs to Reef’ program will truly benefit both the recreational fishing and diving industries in the Gulf of Mexico.
Obsolete oil and natural gas rigs like this one create impressive habitats for a wide variety of marine life in the Gulf of Mexico. Photo courtesy of Schmahl/FGBNMS (From NOAA)
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TBF Scientist Receives American Fisheries Society Award The American Fisheries Society recently honored TBF scientist Dr. C. Phillip Goodyear with the presentation of its Oscar E. Sette Award, a prestigious science award. The award is named in honor of the scientist who is recognized nationally and internationally for his significant contributions to modern fisheries oceanography and marine fisheries research. The award is given to individuals for sustained excellence During his career thus far in marine fishery he has led stock assessment biology through research on particularly high research, teaching, profile species – striped bass, administration or Goodyear being presented AFS Gulf of Mexico red snapper and a combination of Sette Award. billfish. While working for the these professional U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service his research areas of emphasis. The American focused on striped bass, which live part Fisheries Society is the oldest, largest and of their life in fresh water and part in most influential association of fisheries saltwater, making management and professionals in the world. Its mission conservation complicated and intertwined is to improve the conservation and amongst many user and non-user interests. sustainability of fishery resources and Goodyear researching with John Boreman, aquatic ecosystems by advancing fisheries Ph.D. of Woods Hole Research Institute and aquatic science and promoting the were the first federal scientists charged with development of fisheries professionals. assessing and identifying ways to mitigate the impacts power plants were having Goodyear took to fishery science like he on striped bass. The issue was highly took to fishing as a young boy with his contentious and included multimillion father, Chester, while living in Gulfport, dollar litigation and settlements to which Mississippi. He later was proud to have Goodyear’s fishery science expertise was caught the 1979 annual Florida record pivotal. Essential fishery management permit in Islamorada. Goodyear also and conservation, including regulations has a passion for bow hunting, a skill he impacting power plants, were implemented perfected during his undergraduate study and today the stocks are recovered. days at Millsaps College, where he was on the All-American College Archery Team. Afterwards, he completed his Master’s and Doctorate degrees at Mississippi State University and began a distinguished fishery science career in 1969.
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In 1987 Goodyear moved to the South East Fisheries Science Center within the National Marine Fisheries Service in Miami where he served as the Senior Fish Stock Assessment Analyst. It was in this position
that Goodyear’s mathematical modeling expertise was directed to the overfished Gulf red snapper as well as to red drum, vermillion snapper, red grouper and other reef species; it was red snapper that brought the most political and user pressure. Just like striped bass, Gulf red snapper generated a great deal of passions once landing restraints were implemented. It is ironic that Goodyear, who loves, perhaps lives to fish found himself professionally in the middle of highly contentious fishery science issues. Being an angler he grasped the unpopularity of severe restrictions, but as a top scientist he understood why restraints were needed, especially since the government managers had not implemented measures earlier. Goodyear is considered one of the world’s experts on red snapper assessments. Today the most recent stock assessment for Gulf red snappers indicates that they have recovered, yet the government has not fully increased anglers’ landings limits or fishing days. Goodyear next moved offshore in January 1997 when joining The Billfish Foundation team and focused on marlin, sailfish, spearfish and swordfish. His research on billfish includes extensive development and testing of a variety of stock assessment models. A few additional billfish research areas undertaken by Goodyear include: analyzing the possible utility of timearea closures for pelagic longline vessels to reduce billfish bycatch, assessment of the possible magnitude of recreational landings of Atlantic blue marlin in light of the great numbers that anglers used to land, estimates of sailfish catch, vertical habitat use, and identifying and analyzing hypoxia-based habitat compression impacts on tropical pelagic fish. Today his billfish focus is on age and growth research, a subject that has received very little attention, though it is of great importance to better understanding and managing the species.
Caribbean Fisheries Exchange Program Helping to further educational opportunities for fishery employees and students in other nations is one way TBF invests in helping to improve the future of fishery management and conservation beyond U.S. shores. In 2012 TBF hosted a stock assessment workshop for college students in Costa Rica, a science and math educational area of study not available in local universities. Conducted by TBF’s Dr. Russell Nelson and Dr. Rob Ahrens of the University of Florida, the goal of the workshop was to introduce the students to statistical and mathematical modeling techniques that allow them to analyze data in a way that is used to assess stock abundance. Stock assessments are the scientific reports upon which most fishery management decisions are made. One Costa Rican student who completed the course is on her way to pursue a Ph.D. in fishery science in the U.S. One day this individual may greatly improve Costa Rica’s fishery management capabilities. In 2012 when Charles Sidman, Associate Director for Research, Florida Sea Grant at the University of Florida, asked TBF whether it might be interested in providing some support to a Caribbean Fisheries Exchange Program in 2013, the answer was an easy “yes.” TBF then partnered with Florida Sea Grant, the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism to launch the Caribbean Fisheries Exchange Program. The program offers professional development through university study for an individual employed by a marine or fisheries resource management agency in the Caribbean region. The program goal is to promote greater collaboration, synergy and the sharing of knowledge among organizations that manage and promote fishery management and conservation in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. The candidate selected was Randel Thompson, a fisheries biologist with the Department of Marine Resources of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Thompson requested specialized training in the application of geo-spatial technologies (GPS and GIS) to assist him in implementing an action plan
Randel Thompson, a fisheries biologist with the Department of Marine Resources of Saint Kitts and Nevis, was selected to participate in the Caribbean Fisheries Exchange Program. for the management of a system of Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs). His training at the University of Florida included graduate-level courses in the application of Trimble Navigation global positioning system (GPS) and Esri ArcGIS geographic information system (GIS) technologies. His mentoring experiences while at the University included working with an academic advisor with expertise in fisheries management and policy, fundamentals of
Sea Grant fisheries extension and outreach programs and data. After completing his studies at University of Florida, Thompson received a fellowship to pursue a master’s degree program in coastal zone management at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. TBF looks forward to continuing its support of the Caribbean Fisheries Exchange Program.
TBF Representative Named to Represent Costa Rica at IATTC Herbert Nanne, TBF’s Central American Conservation Director, is the first sportfishing representative to serve on a Central American delegation to fishery negotiations, IATTC. Nanne represented Costa Rica. Having earlier served as head of Costa Rica’s fishery management agency, Nanne, armed with his fishery management expertise and a strong passion for sportfishing provided an excellent voice for the nation’s anglers.
Join TBF at www.Billfish.org | 27
On the Docks 2013 MBGFC Memorial Day Tournament May 24-27, 2013 • www.mbgfc.org The 2013 Mobile Big Game Fishing Club Memorial Day Tournament is one that will not soon be forgotten, with a fleet of 88 boats competing for a total purse of $822,000 in cash awards. Departing Top Female Angler Sydney Turner and the winning Orange Beach crew of You Never Know. Photo by: Hamp Johnston. Marina on Friday night after a fantastic spread of appetizers and food, many of the top crews in the Gulf of Mexico set sights on the billfish that make fishing in Orange Beach a true treat. In the two days of fishing, the teams released a total of 13 billfish. The crew aboard the Dolphin IV with angler Tom Pace took home the Top Boat trophy in the catch and release category after catching their blue marlin on 80-pound tackle. The Breathe Real Deep claimed second place in the catch and release competition with the blue marlin caught by Andy Yarborough. Peter Martin, Jr., aboard the Cotton Patch released a blue marlin on 80-pound tackle, giving them enough points for third place in the catch and release division and also enough for Top Male Angler. The crew aboard the You Never Know with angler Sydney Turner took top accolades in the blue marlin division. Sydney also took home the Top Lady Angler for her catch. The Top Junior Angler was Will Kaelin aboard the Donny D III. The Top Small Boat was the Miss Print owned by Wylie Parks.
The Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic May 28 – June 3, 2013 • www.comefishla.com Held annually the weekend after Memorial Day, the Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic highlights the incredible Southern hospitality and to-die-for Cajun food for which this part of Louisiana is worldfamous. This year’s Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic saw The Smooth Finish, with owner/angler Brad plenty of both great food Aery, won the Tag and Release Division. and great hospitality, with 31 boats and crews fishing for a total purse of $459,000. With only two billfish reported on the first day of fishing, the action picked up and provided much anticipation on the docks for the gathered spectators as the boats filed back into Cypress Cove Marina. Continuing their hot streak, the crew aboard Done Deal was awarded the C.R. Bob Potter Memorial Trophy as the Top Boat by combining
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their win in the blue marlin division and third place in Tag and Release division. The team aboard the Smooth Finish, with owner/ angler Brad Aery, won the Tag and Release Division with two blue marlin releases and one white marlin release. The crew aboard C-Ya finished strong and claimed second place on time with two blue marlin releases. The Done Deal finished in third place of the Tag and Release Division with a pair of blue marlin releases. Sydney Turner aboard the You Never Know took home Top Female Angler honors while Jansen Pellegrin on the Caboom was named Top Youth Angler and received the Jim Peachy Memorial Trophy. The Billfish Foundation thanks the Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic for their continued generosity in supporting TBF.
28th Annual Ladies’ Annual Fish-Off May 30th – June 2, 2013 • www.ladiesfishoff.com The Ladies’ Annual Fish-Off kicked off their 28th year with a new pre-event party aptly dubbed “Tournament Teaser” night held at St. Coleman’s Parish Hall in Lighthouse Point, FL. It was a chance to kick back, relax and have some fun. The evening featured crafts for kids, a chance to bid on select silent auction items, The Top Boat winners from this year’s event, and great food and drinks. Team Blue Moon! The big hit proved to be the wine toss game, where eager anglers lined up around the hall to take a shot at tossing rings to win their favorite bottle of wine or beer. The LFO kick-off party and silent auction was at Galuppi’s Restaurant in Pompano Beach on May 30th. There was something for everyone in the silent auction, including tempting vacation stays, fishing trips, great boating and fishing accessories, gift baskets loaded with wine, gift certificates and apparel plus beautiful art and jewelry. Bidders were especially excited about the new “Bid Now” feature, which allowed them to snag their favorite item without worry that they would be outbid! Rain and rough conditions didn’t discourage the determined group of lady anglers heading offshore on June 1. A total of 36 boats toughed it out and some were handsomely rewarded for their efforts. The Blue Moon captained by Rick O’Neill was the day’s big winner, snagging awards for Top Boat, Heaviest Fish (brought in by Stacy Statham), Top Captain for Tom O’Neill and the group was quite touched to also win the Tom Tucker Memorial Family Award. Other notable winners included Top Angler Ana Limochi aboard Reel Tension, Top Junior Angler Kayla White on Pop A Top and Top PeeWee Lorelei Bennett from team Fin-Sanity. TBF is honored to have been once again selected as one of The Ladies’ Fish-Off charities. The LFO committee is made up of tireless volunteers who combine a passion for fishing and fun with a spirit of giving back, both to the sport of fishing and the local community. The Billfish Foundation is grateful for their many generous donations over the years.
Tournaments & Events Supporting TBF Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic
Hatteras Marlin Club Tournament
June 9th – 13, 2013 • www.mgcbc.com
June 15-22, 2013 www.hatterasmarlinclub.com
It is never hard for participants to enjoy themselves during the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, even with the The Pipe Dream won big during this year’s tournament. sometimes fickle weather conditions. A total of 52 boats competed in spite of the delay. Again this year, the jackpot was over $1 million in total prize money, making 2013 the ninth year in a row the tournament has awarded this benchmark amount or higher. The Pipe Dream, a 60-foot Spencer based in Port Mansfield, Texas, claimed the biggest payout for 2013 for a blue marlin caught by angler Corbin Bass. Sweeping first place in the team award category, crew and several optional divisions, Pipe Dream pocketed $179,825 for its efforts. Earning the Top Boat prize and team honors for releases, Breathe Reel Deep, a 50-foot Ocean Yacht from Orange Beach, Alabama took home a check for $73,450. That performance also earned the team the new Sonny Middleton Excellence Award as the Top Boat for 2013.
Arguably the most family-oriented of all billfish tournaments, the 54th Hatteras Marlin Club Tournament provided great food, family fun and camaraderie on the docks once again this year. The HMC became the Top U.S. Donating Club in 2012 by the members matching a $25,000 pledge for a total of $50,000! Again this year, the match challenge was put on the table for the Hatteras Marlin Club members and again TBF is proud to announce that the Hatteras Marlin Club is the Top U.S. Donating Tournament. While relatively few in number, these members understand the importance of billfish conservation and support TBF at the very highest level. With a lot of blue marlin seen and released the days prior to the tournament, the anticipation of great fishing off of Hatteras had the crews and captains chattering more than usual. Boats fished
TBF appreciated the tournament donating a BOTE stand-up paddleboard for the raffle.
New Orleans Invitational Billfish Tournament June 13-15, 2013 • www.nobgfc.com Cypress Cove Marina in Venice, Louisiana welcomed a fleet of 27 participating boats for the 41st Annual New Orleans Invitational Billfish Tournament. The First Place Team award went to Peter Laborde’s Lady Lab for tagging and releasing one blue marlin and two white marlin. The Top Angler was Tony Neuner on the Lady Lab for tagging and releasing a blue marlin and catching a 37-pound dolphin. The event’s Top Lady Angler was Katie The first place team aboard the Lady Lab with Gonsoulin on the Done Capt. Peter Laborde. Deal for tagging and releasing a blue marlin. The First Place Billfish individual award went to Bubba Watkins on Make It Happen, who won on time for tagging and releasing one blue marlin. The Billfish Foundation thanks the New Orleans Big Game Fishing Club for encouraging tournament participants to support TBF.
TBF board member Capt. Fin Gaddy, right, led the Qualifier team to victory in this year’s tournament. any three of five days with many of the boats laying on Wednesday because of the family day at the docks. Jumping out to a quick lead on the first day of fishing with two blue marlin releases was the crew aboard the Qualifier with TBF Board Member and Award Winner Capt. Fin Gaddy, TBF’s Andrew Cox, Mark Granville-Smith, Steve Drummond, and Chris Kubik. The crew aboard the Double B braved the tough weather conditions on the fourth day of the tournament, but their gamble paid off releasing two blue marlins and putting them in position for the top spot going into the final day of fishing. Desperado caught one blue marlin and one sailfish on the first day of the tournament and was able to hold onto third place. TBF’s Andrew Cox took home Top Male Angler for his two blue marlin releases. Linda Bloomer and A.B. Bullington took home Top Female Angler and Top Youth Angler, respectively. The Billfish Foundation would like to thank The Hatteras Marlin Club for a great tournament and for again ‘Meeting the Challenge’ by once again becoming the Top U.S. Donating Club. We look forward to the 55th Annual Tournament in 2014.
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Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic at Sandestin June 19-23, 2013 • www.fishECBC.com With conditions looking perfect for some great fishing, this year’s edition of Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Tournament was bound to be another terrific event. As it turned out, the week was filled with a huge number of gamefish that came to the dock and over 30 billfish releases. Past TBF award winner and current TBF board member Scott Cooper and his team aboard CE, based in Point Clear, Alabama, won the blue marlin category. Testing the Water was the Scott Cooper led the CE team to victory in this year’s Top Release Boat Emerald Coast Classic. with two blue marlin. The team won $39,525 for its efforts. Breathe Reel Deep came in second place in the Release Division with a blue and a white marlin based on time, followed by Committed with four sailfish. Deb Hebert on Iona Louise was declared the Top Lady Angler for 2013 based on her points tally overall. Fourteen-year-old Parker Green won the Top Junior Angler title by releasing one blue marlin aboard Testing The Water. The Billfish Foundation thanks the ECBC for their financial donation and for allowing TBF to host a small auction and raffle.
42nd Annual Pensacola International Billfish Tournament June 27-30, 2013 • www.pbgfc.com The Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club hosted yet another successful event, this time under the leadership of Tournament Director Billy Engfinger. Fiftyeight boats registered to fish in this year’s tournament despite a less-than-stellar weather forecast; those who did brave the seas were rewarded with The Privateer team topped this year’s Pensacola International Billfish Tournament. some excellent fishing. The tournament bases their scoring on a sliding scale, rewarding anglers who use lighter tackle. This can often mean the difference between first and second place, as was the case this year. The Privateer was the Top Catch and Release Boat with three blue marlin and one white marlin released on 50-pound test tackle. The Reel Fuelish finished in second place, also with three blues and a white marlin
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released but on 80-pound, while the Reel Addiction finished third with one blue and one white on 80-pound tackle. Tracy Hyman from the Plumb Crazy won the marlin category. The Privateer also swept the Top Angler, Top Lady and Top Junior awards: Jennifer Cobb was the First Place Catch and Release Angler as well as the Top Lady Angler for her release of two blue marlin and one white marlin while Corey Blanchette was the Top Junior for his blue marlin release. The Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club has been and remains a longterm supporter of The Billfish Foundation.
ICAST Industry Trade Show July 9-12, 2013 • www.icastfishing.org The Billfish Foundation joined more than 9,500 members of the international fishing industry at the 56th International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) show in Las Vegas, held July 9-12, 2014. Hosted by the American Sportfishing Association, the annual trade event drives the global sportfishing industry and is a showcase for the latest innovations in gear, accessories, and apparel. The TBF Team spent time with current TBF Conservation Partners and established new relationships by showcasing TBF’s work. Some of TBF’s Conservation Partners including Costa, Pelagic, YETI Coolers, Troll-Pro, Mustad and others placed items in the “New Product Showcase.” Costa, a TBF Tagging Program sponsor and a Grand Slam Sponsor won the Best in Show-Eyeware for their new Tuna Alley glasses. Costa also celebrated its 30th Anniversary at the show. To learn more about the Conservation Partner program, please visit www.billfish.org/conservation-partners.
18th Annual Caicos Classic June 28- July 1, 2013 • www.caicosclassic.tc The Turks and Caicos is showing why it’s quickly becoming another marlin hotspot for anglers in the Caribbean. In the three days of fishing, six boats raised over twenty blue marlin, with some boats raising as many as five blues in a day. The tournament was gracious enough to host special guests Tony Ludovico (underwater artist and strong supporter of TBF) and TBF staff member Michael Kelly. Not only did the event have great The first place team, Spellbound (L-R): first mate fishing but also a drive to support the charities of Bill Caldwell, Capt. Toby Wiener and William Shakespeare. TBF and The Edward C. Cartland Youth Center. Leading her team to a third place finish was Top Lady Angler Delphine Hartshorn, fishing aboard the all-ladies team of Panoply with Capt. Bill Sewall. Finishing in second place on time was Magic V with Capt. Dieter Decker. Leading the pack was Top Angler William Shakespeare aboard the First Place Boat, Spellbound, with four releases. Spellbound showed why they were the returning champions with Capt. Toby Weiner and mate Bill Caldwell taking home the honors of Top Captain and Top Mate respectively. Special thanks to the Blue Haven Marina, the crew of Panoply, Delphine Hartshorn and Belinda Martin for all their assistance and support in making this year’s event a success.
Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo July 19-21, 2013 • www.adsfr.com This year, more than 3,000 anglers were drawn to Dauphin Island, AL to participate in the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, catching everything from bluefish to billfish and competing for a chance to win $1 million in cash and prizes. Established in 1929, the Rodeo has drawn crowds of over 50,000 people and currently holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest fishing tournament. This year the tournament drew in even more anglers with new rule changes, including a catch and release billfish category as well as cash prizes for the Big Game category. The Top Daily cash prizes for the Billfish Catch and Release category went to High Definition and Reel Priority, who limped back to the docks after a lightning strike took out one of their engines. In the Big Game Jackpots, Reel Busy took home first place for both swordfish and tuna, with anglers Hunter Harkness and Parker Nall weighing in a 154-pound yellowfin and an 86-pound broadbill respectively. Rounding out the Big Game Jackpots were James Herrington aboard the Fin Addition with largest dolphin and Michael Milford for the largest wahoo caught on the Deliverance. Winners in the tuna category were High Definition and High Risk. Fish caught at the Rodeo were utilized by the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, whose researchers took samples and collected important information. In fact, over the past ten years the ADSFR has raised more than $150,000 for marine science scholarships at the University of South Alabama, showing that anglers are a great aid in conservation. Funds were also raised for TBF through raffle items including a standup paddleboard generously donated by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic. TBF would like to recognize the ADSFR officers including President Chris Hankins along with Mike Crenshaw and Gene Fox for all their support during this great event. Thanks also go to Sonny Middleton for his continued support of TBF.
Sailfish Brewing Tag and Release Amber Festival July 20, 2013 The first annual Sailfish Brewing Company’s Tag and Release Amber Festival was held on July 20th at Sailfish Brewery in Fort Pierce, Florida to bring awareness and generate funds for The Billfish Foundation. This event was the brewery’s way to help support TBF and to introduce themselves as a TBF Conservation Partner for 2013 and beyond. As part of their commitment to honor the TBF mission, the owners of Sailfish Brewing Company named one of its most popular offerings Tag and Release Amber. Sailfish Brewery donated one dollar for every Tag and Release beer sold during the festival to help support TBF’s tagging program. During the event, a silent auction was also held to raise more funds for TBF, with discounted memberships for those who joined The Billfish Foundation that evening. Following the event, proceeds from the Tag a Release Amber (as well as their seasonal White Marlin Wheat) will benefit TBF as well. Nick Bischoff and Dave BuShea, co-founders of Sailfish Brewing, are both avid fishermen who wanted to share their love of the sport and the importance of conservation with others. “From our inception, we wanted to give Florida beer drinkers a craft beer that speaks to our unique taste, hot weather and love of the sea while committing to
protect the water that surrounds us,” said Bischoff. “We created the Tag and Release Amber, an American pale with a healthy dose of rye malt brew, specifically to focus on the importance of this TBF initiative,” he said.
Peter Chaibongsai from The Billfish Foundation, second from right, with the staff of the Sailfish Brewing Company in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Over $1,000 was collected from the auction, beer sales, and memberships from the event. TBF would like to thank Sailfish Brewery for hosting this unique and fun benefit event and we look forward to seeing this relationship blossom in the Florida fishing community.
Houston Big Game Fishing Club’s Lone Star Shootout July 23 – 28, 2013 www.thelonestarshootout.com The 2013 Houston Big Game Fishing Club’s Lone Star Shootout had big shoes to fill after the impressive number of billfish caught in 2012. Nevertheless, the 2013 tournament brought its fair share of fun with fantastic dockside parties and red hot billfish action! The fleet of 37 sportfishing boats competing for a total of $681,500 saw great action and released a total number of 18 blue marlin, six white marlin and seven sailfish released in the two and a half days of fishing.
The Done Deal emerged victorious in this year’s event.
The Done Deal continued their summer hot streak at the 2013 Lone Star Shootout and was named Tournament Champions of 2013. Owned by Jon Gonsoulin and captained by Jason Buck, the crew of the Done Deal released four blue marlin for a total of 3,000 points. The Nereus, owned by Michael Thorn-Leeson and with Capt. Sean Welsh at the helm released three blue marlin for a total of 2,250 points. Finishing in third place was the crew aboard the Rehab with Capt. Kerry Fritz and owned by Jasen Gast who released two blue marlin for 1,500 points.
Japan International Billfish Tournament July 25-28, 2014 • www.jgfa.or.jp/e TBF’s Peter Chaibongsai took part in the Japan Game Fish Association’s Japan International Billfish Tournament, held in July off Shimoda, located several hundred miles south from Tokyo. Shimoda is known as the location where the U.S. Navy opened up trade between the two nations in the mid-19th century. The JIBT, now in its 35th year, pits the best Japanese billfish anglers against one another in a friendly tournament, where the only thing on the line is pride and bragging rights for the top billfish boat.
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Eclipse, won $44,100 with a blue marlin late on the last day of fishing. The group took all Top Billfish Team Awards with the catch. Another local boat, La Hielera, with Chucky Van Wormer on the rod, was the big money winner for the week. A 192-pound yellowfin took the top tuna honors, along with the first two days’ jackpot money, for a total payout of $63,150. The rest of the gamefish prize money was evenly split.
TBF’s Peter Chaibongsai, second from left, presents Team Bonito with the Top Tag and Release Team award at the Japan International Billfish Tournament. While the JGFA holds billfish tournaments nearly every weekend in the summer, the JIBT is the largest, with over 100 boats and 600 participants in this year’s event. During the tournament, Chaibongsai was welcomed by the JGFA and met with their directors and executive officers. The purpose of TBF’s visit was to enhance communication between the groups, especially since the JGFA has continued to be a staunch supporter of TBF’s Tag and Release Program. A Japanese angler or captain has won a Tag and Release award from TBF in three of the past five years. Some JGFA members have used TBF tags since the early 1990s, which is quite a feat. Moreover, in JGFA’s fishing museum, where they proudly display Japanese billfish records, they also prominently show and discuss the importance of TBF’s tagging program in billfish conservation. With this in mind, TBF has recently seen a number of their tagged fish showing up in places like Taiwan and the South China Sea. The parties also discussed ways to continue regular communication outside of the Tag and Release program. The tournament was lively every morning with a shotgun start and with everyone returning to the dock by early evening to be recognized for what they caught, tagged and released. The format of the tournament is to tag any billfish under 100kg (or about 220 pounds). Over 40 billfish, including blue, black and striped marlin, were tagged and released safely over the three days of fishing. On the first day of the tournament, TBF presented the first 10 boats that tagged a billfish a TBF tag flag, magazine and sticker as a small gesture of our thanks. During the awards ceremony, TBF was recognized as Chaibongsai spoke to the gathered anglers and presented the JIBT’s Top Tag and Release boat award to Team Bonita. TBF would like to thank the members of JGFA for the invitation to attend the tournament as well as to Mr. Higashi for his assistance and Team Forward for their hospitality. TBF is eager to work with JGFA and in returning to Japan in the near future to continue our strong working relationship.
East Cape Offshore Tournament July 23-27, 2013 • www.bisbees.com The self-proclaimed Team Hayseeds, a trio of buddies from Oregon, captured the only qualifying marlin for the 2013 East Cape Offshore Tournament to sweep the billfish categories. A record 70 boats competed for $638,000 in prize money during this year’s event. Anglers Rodney Normand, Grant James and Chris Connelly, joined by local captain Alejandro Cota and mate Carlos Cota aboard the
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In the David Wirth Release Division, Fishing for Business came out on top with 1,900 points. The team released nine striped marlin and one blue. Crank It Up was second with three stripers, two blues, one sailfish and the only black marlin released for the week. One & Only was the third-place release team with five striped marlin and three blue marlin on its ledger. These teams took home beautiful David Wirth prints for their accomplishments. Two teenagers led their family team to the Costa Top Junior Angler Team title. Thirteen-year-old Spencer Dow released three striped marlin, while his 15-year-old brother Riley added another striper release and weighed a dorado. The boys, fishing with their grandparents, were awarded Costa polarized sunglasses for their fun summer vacation.
Team Hayseeds won this year’s East Cape event. “We had a pretty great week of fishing,” said Tournament Director Wayne Bisbee at the awards banquet. “Best of all, our [billfish] release ratio was nearly 100 percent and we also had a new record number of entries at 70 boats. Our overall purse jumped more than 25 percent to $638,000.”
Texas Legends Billfish Tournament Aug. 7-11 • www.stingerhooksystems.com/legends Texas Legends Billfish Tournament is dedicated to Texas fishermen and celebrates deceased anglers whose names are placed on the Texas Big Game Fisherman’s Roll Call within Texas’ Saltwater Fishing Hall of Fame. Under the leadership of Captain John Cochran, this year’s tournament attracted 49 large sportfishing boats that released 37 billfish. Though a bit down from last year’s high of 156 releases, the event was first class and a terrific success. All participants, friends and family enjoyed the fantastic food and libations served at Virginia’s Restaurant, the tournament’s official site in Port Aransas. The Tournament Champion was won by George Gartner’s Legacy team with the boat’s captain Kevin Deerman winning the Captain Bill Hart Memorial Trophy and the team’s mate Cameron Plaag
Granitzki with 17 releases. In the angler division, Top Overall Angler was rewarded to Randy Easlick from the Skiligal. The Top Female Angler for the second consecutive year in a row was Heather Brennan of the Smoker and Top Junior Angler went to John Kennedy fishing aboard Summer Girl. TBF would like to thank tournament directors Paula Owen and Deirdre Bell for allowing TBF to hold a small raffle, which included, among many items a TrollPro donated by Captain Dave Wessner from the area. TBF appreciated the donation from the event. Special thanks to TBF board member Bill Gooch and his wife Suzanne for their generosity and continued support over the years.
George Gartner’s Legacy team emerged victorious in this year’s tournament.
Mobile Big Game Fishing club Labor Day Tournament Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2013 • www.mbgfc.com
winning the Steward Campbell Memorial Trophy. The team’s name will also be engraved on the perpetual Bob Byrd Memorial Trophy, which Gartner keeps for one year.
Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament Aug. 21-24, 2013 • www.vbbt.com This year marked a record setting one for the 10th annual VBBT with white-hot fishing providing nonstop action for anglers with 463 white marlin, 13 blue marlin and seven sailfish released. The event is not only about great fishing, but giving back to the local community and charities including the Boys and Girls Clubs, Children’s Performance Workshop, the Virginia Beach D.A.R.E. program and TBF. The majority of the boats took advantage of the calm weather and great fishing by choosing to fish the first two days, racking up a total of 237 and 227 releases for days one and two, respectively. Going into day three the seas picked up, but fishing was still consistent and the seven boats that did fish managed 19 releases. In the end, the Tarheel with Capt. John Bayliss and anglers Rob Mahoney, Tommy Farella and Ross Darling secured the win and $213,416 in prize money with 22 white marlin releases. In second place with 20 billfish releases was Stream Weaver with Capt. Mike King. Rounding out the top three was Bi-Op-Sea with Capt. Jesse
Capt. John Bayliss (left) won the Virginia Beach tournament with his Tarheel team.
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Tournament Director Dr. Joe Crow with the Big Gin team, winners of the Catch and Release and Top Boat categories. Photo by ParShots.com. The Mobile Big Game Fishing Club’s Labor Day Tournament was a great success this year under the leadership of Tournament Director Dr. Joe Crow and a top team of volunteers. There were 119 boats and 583 anglers participating who released a total of thirty-six billfish over the Labor Day weekend tournament. The Big Gin, owned by Kenny McLean, released the most billfish and won the Catch and Release and Top Boat categories. Other winners were: Top Junior Angler, Patrick Haley on Skin Deep; Top Male Angler, Del Angelo Corte on Big Gin; Top Lady Angler, Laurie McVay on Reel Addiction; Top Small Boat, Reilled Up; and Top Blue Marlin, Michael Burroughs on Quick Time. The tournament is always a favorite not only for the payout, but also for the fantastic food, gracious hospitality, location and fierce competition. The Club has been a TBF member and great supporter for years, which is greatly appreciated.
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Year End Tax Planning With TBF The Billfish Foundation appreciates all the support from its members and friends throughout the year, and as we approach the end of another remarkable year of fishing we want you to remember there are many ways to make a year-end tax deductible gift. By being generous to TBF, you can easily reduce your April 2014 income tax liability! Please take a few moments to review the many ways you can give financially to TBF before time runs out on 2013. Membership –A December 2013 renewal of your membership will put you in good standing with TBF for all of 2014. TBF has a membership for every budget, from the basic $25 ($50 for memberships outside the U.S. and $15 for youth) to the Chairman’s Club level, starting at $1,000. For $10,000, you can be a Legacy Member. Matching Programs - Ask your employer. Many companies will match charitable contributions made by their employees and their spouses. With a small effort now, you might be able to double your gift before the end of the year. Memorial and Tribute Gifts – Make a difference for billfish as you honor a special person or mark an important event. Or ask friends and family to make a gift in your honor instead of the birthday present you don’t need! What better time than the holidays to send a special tax deductible donation to TBF? Gift Memberships and Merchandise A great way to introduce a fellow angler or family member to the importance of our conservation programs and the benefits of TBF membership. Help friends and family show their TBF colors with a new shirt, jacket or hat. Or get that shirt you’ve been wanting for yourself!
Research, Advocacy, Student Internships, General Conservation Fund – TBF stands ready to make use of your year-end gifts to particular programs of interest to you, such as tagging or research, or to our general operating fund. Gifts are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law and will help TBF plan for more conservation work in 2014. Monthly Giving – If you would like to support the operations of TBF with a monthly donation over and above your regular membership, we would be happy to establish a recurring monthly gift with your credit card. This can make giving to TBF both easy and affordable for your budget. A little bit each month can do so much to save billfish for future generations. Stocks and Bonds – Your gift of appreciated securities is the opportunity to make a substantial gift while taking a charitable tax deduction and avoiding the capital gains on the amount of the appreciation. TBF has a special account to receive these gifts; check with us for wiring instructions. Be sure to contact us by early December to make sure your year-end 2013 contribution of securities is fully executed by December 31st. Other Gifts–As you plan for the end of 2013, you may also be thinking of longer range goals, and TBF would be very grateful to be included. Trusts, bequests and gifts of retirement plan assets or life insurance are all strategic ways to reduce or avoid income and other taxes while ensuring the future of TBF and the fish. TBF would be happy to work with you or your advisor to explain how any of these instruments might meet your needs. Tax planning can be complicated, so be sure to check with your own advisors. For any questions about membership, memorials, tributes or other current gifts, please call Deborah Cummings at 800-438-8247, x106 or email her at Deborah_Cummings@billfish. org. To discuss any other planned gifts, please call Robert Jones at 800-438-8247, x113 or email Robert at Robert_Jones@billfish.org.
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Anglers We Will Miss W.D. Brunson
will be recruited into the billfishing world through his family. A granddaughter, Traci Brunner, and her husband Chuck are also in the industry working for Merritt Yacht Brokers in Fort Lauderdale.
Lee Fickinger
Wilton D. “W.D.” Brunson, who owned W.D. Construction for years and afterwards worked for Sonny Middleton’s A&M Yachts Sales in Orange Beach, Alabama passed away on May 10, 2013 at the age of 89 and after 70 years of marriage. Anyone who met W.D. experienced his wisdom, kindness and humility, saying just before he died that the only enemies he recalls having were the Germans he fought in World War II under General Patton. W.D.’s fishing machine was the Dotty B, a 53-foot Hatteras named after his wife. Offshore fishing with W.D. was a family affair that he introduced his children to at very young ages. One daughter, Deborah Hood, who enjoyed a 25-year career as an advertising manager with Marlin, Salt Water Sportsman and Sport Fishing magazines, said her father usually was the last to pick up the rod when the line went tight because he reserved those opportunities for family or friends onboard, with one notable exception. It was July, 1984, fishing the inaugural Bay Point Invitational Billfish Tournament in Panama City, FL, when W.D. saw a huge blue marlin in the baits and all on board knew immediately that was his fish. After an eight-hour fight the marlin was brought on board and subsequently won the tournament. Today two of W.D.’s grandsons, Chris and Taylor, who grew up fishing on the Dotty B are now deeply embedded in the sportfishing community, both being boat captains. Chris and his wife, Laura, just had their first child, Campbell, who no doubt
The angling community lost another one when Lee Fickinger passed away on May 24, 2013 after a short battle with cancer. Lee was well-known as an angler, observer and captain by his friends. He especially enjoyed observing in many international billfish tournaments, having been in this role for many years before the formalized
exile from Cuba in 1959. He pursued his education in colleges in the U.S. and the University of Puerto Rico. Joaquin loved deep-sea fishing and enjoyed a reputation as a fine angler. He was a TBF member for 25 years and supported many organizations devoted to marine conservation and responsible fishing. Mr. Bacardi is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, Joyce; daughter Karen, son Joaquin III and six grandchildren.
Michael David Butler Capt. Mike Butler passed away at age 54 on August 13, 2013, following a courageous battle with cancer. Mike was born in 1959 in Galveston, Texas and turned his love for fishing into a career at a young age. His expertise as a fishing captain earned him great respect throughout the industry and his travels took him to billfish ports and destinations all over the world although he may be best remembered for his many years at the helm of the Galveston vessel, Bella Donna.
IGFA Certified Observer program began. After his passing, many of his friends gathered to return his ashes to the sea off the Florida Keys at one of Lee’s favorite fishing spots. He leaves a legacy of camaraderie and friendship to those who were fortunate enough to know him.
Joaquin E. Bacardi, Jr. Joaquin E. Bacardi, Jr. unexpectedly passed away July 13, 2013, at the age of 76. He was famed for the iconic Bacardi Rum Company founded by his greatgrandfather. He had a hands-on role in the family business, working for many years as a well-respected master blender and serving on the board of directors for Bacardi, Limited. Born in Santiago, Cuba, Joaquin became a naturalized citizen of Puerto Rico following the family’s
Mike’s passing will be a loss to the big game fishing community where he will be fondly remembered for his generosity and positive attitude. Mike was also a devoted father, son and brother; leaving behind sons Jordan, Ross and Kyle; parents, Betty Lou and C.J. and sisters, Joanne and Diane.
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(SWORDFISH CONT’D FROM PAGE 15) simply bounces out of sequence with the motion of the boat. You must constantly watch the rod tip! It can be frustrating to see the rod tip bounce and the fish does not eat the bait but there are several tricks that have helped us
to trigger the swordfish to eat a bait. As with most predatory fish, they do not like to see their meal swim away, so when we see a bite we reel the bait 20 to 50 feet away from the fish. They usually come back and attack it again. We continue pulling the bait away from the swordfish as many times as is needed until they physically eat the bait. I have reeled the bait away so many times that it is often over 500 feet off the bottom. There are times that we might drop the bait back to the bottom, but I have had much more success reeling the bait away from a swordfish. Once the fish Dean Panos, left, is well-known for locating and catching big does eat the bait the rod broadbills like this one. Photo credit Capt. Dean Panos. will load up and now is the time to fish heavy drag and until the fish reaches about 300 to 500 get tight on the fish. With so much feet in depth. Once the fish is in the line out and a large weight, using thermocline, the battle usually begins. In heavy drag will help ensure a quick most instances, the swordfish will make at and hopefully solid hookup. Once the fish least one attempt to charge the boat. With is hooked, you can back off the drag a bit. the fish being “green” at this point, please With 80-pound braid we usually use 25 be careful as their huge bill can inflict a to 30 pounds of drag to hook the fish and tremendous amount of damage. I have then back off to 20 to 25 pounds of drag actually seen fish charge to the surface for the fight. and then dive all the way back to the bottom and at that point you have to inch Depending on whether you are fishing them all the way back up. a breakaway weight or a weight that stays attached, you can usually Catching a daytime swordfish can be determine the size of the fish by the very challenging but it is also very way the fish fights. If the fish fights rewarding. Just as with all other large on the bottom with lots of drag and pelagics, you may not catch one on every then the rod tip goes slack, that trip, but every one you catch will be is usually an indication that this remembered for a lifetime. is a pretty big swordfish and this fish is strong enough to swim the For more information on daytime swordfishing weight up to the surface. On the out of South Florida, contact Capt. Dean other hand, if the fight is a slow Panos of Double D Charters via email, constantly bumping of the dean@doubledcharters.com. rod tip, it is usually a smaller swordfish that cannot swim up the weight. For whatever Scientists can learn much from reason, most swordfish swim swordfish movements and migrations up after the bite. The fight through the use of conventional TBF with a big swordfish may be completely uneventful tags so if you’re interested in helping to
Swordfish caught during the daytime are frequently larger than those encountered at night.
36 | The Billfish Foundation
tag these magnificent gamefish, then please visit www.billfish.org for more information on our tagging programs.
Tag Recaptures Captain Sean O’Connor and Richard Gudoian aboard the Deep Threat have been dialed into tagging swordfish over the last couple years. Not only have they claimed the title of TBF Top Swordfish Tagging Captain and Angler for the species over the last three years, but they have also contributed to TBF’s science by having some notable recaptures. With very little known about the seasonal migrations of this species, their data provides valuable insight into the migrations of the ‘Gladiator of the Sea.’ One of their recent swordfish recaptures migrated nearly 1,500 miles in nineteen months. In October of 2011, the duo tagged the swordfish off of Key Largo and estimated the fish to weigh only about 50 pounds. In July 2013, the swordfish was recaptured on Georges Bank off Nova Scotia and weighed 150 pounds, gaining an impressive 100 pounds during its time at large. Also recaptured in July, 2013 was another swordfish O’Connor and Gudoian tagged 17 months previously. Estimated to weigh 18 pounds when it was tagged, the fish weighed 75 pounds when it was recaptured off Marathon, FL in February, 2013. Since 2010, there have been 164 swordfish tagged with TBF tags; of those, 20 have been recaptured as of August 1, 2013.
2013-2014
Please support tournaments and vvents that support TBF.
Calendar
St. Lucia International Billfish Tournament Oct. 1- 4, 2013 Gros Islet, St. Lucia Phone: 758-716-8124 hava-party@hotmail.com Presidential Challenge Aruba Oct. 11-14, 2013 Varadero, Aruba joan@preschallenge.com www.preschallenge.com Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore October 18-20, 2013 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico tricia@bisbees.com • www.bisbees.com Phone: 714-393-6107
Bisbee’s Black & Blue October 22-26, 2013 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico tricia@bisbees.com www.bisbees.com • Phone: 714-393-6107 Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show Oct. 31-Nov. 4, 2013 http://www.showmanagement.com/event TBF’s Annual Gala Fundraiser Nov. 1, 2013, 6 p.m, Harbor Beach Marriott Ft. Lauderdale, FL www.billfish.org
Presidential Challenge of Guatemala
Casa Vieja Lodge, Guatemala Nov. 17-20, 2013 joan@preschallenge.com www.preschallenge.com Miami International Boat Show Feb. 13-17, 2014 http://www.miamiboatshow.com TBF Tagging Award Celebration Feb. 13, 2014 www.billfish.org
passionate about fishing since 1983.