Your Help Needed to Protect Billfish From Commercial Harvest

Marlin and sailfish --- collectively called “billfish” --- are not only majestic sport fish; they are slow-growing, top-level predators whose populations cannot be sustained with commercial harvest.

In the United States, harvest and import of Atlantic-caught billfish is illegal. But, incredibly, fish caught in the Pacific Ocean flood into U.S. markets legally, further contributing to the depletion of these stocks.

 The Billfish Conservation Act (S. 1451 and H.R. 2706) would close U.S. commercial markets to Pacific billfish, preventing both their harvest and their importation.

“It would have a negligible impact on the commercial fishing industry in the U.S., since billfish represent only 0.1 percent of all seafood sales and there are many sustainable alternatives,” says Keep America Fishing (KAF).

“The subsequent increase in billfish abundance will add value to the recreational fishery, which annually generates billions of dollars to the economy and has a minimal impact on billfish populations.”

Go here to learn more and help protect some of the most important --- and threatened --- fish in our oceans.

And while you are at the KAF site, check out all of the other issues of concern to anglers. And make your voice heard!

Pacific Billfish Need Your Help

On our Pacific Coast, billfish need help.

Here’s the situation, according to Keep America Fishing:

Marlin, sailfish and spearfish, collectively called billfish, are highly esteemed by recreational anglers who practice catch-and-release fishing for these iconic fish while generating substantial income to the economy. Unfortunately, as a result of commercial overfishing, primarily by foreign countries, stocks of these magnificent big ocean fish are greatly depleted in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

It is currently illegal to harvest or import Atlantic-caught billfish into the U.S., but fish caught in the Pacific Ocean flood into U.S. markets in substantial numbers, threatening the survival of these fisheries. The Billfish Conservation Act of 2011 (S. 1451 and H.R. 2706), introduced into Congress on July 29, would close U.S. commercial markets to Pacific billfish, preventing their harvest and importation.

It would have a negligible impact on the commercial fishing industry in the U.S., since billfish represent only 0.1 percent of all seafood sales and there are many sustainable alternatives. The subsequent increase in billfish abundance will add value to the recreational fishery, which annually generates billions of dollars to the economy and has a minimal impact on billfish populations.

In short, this important bipartisan legislation will help restore billfish populations and improve recreational fishing opportunities while concurrently creating jobs and other economic benefits.

Take Action
In order to ensure this important bill is passed, Keep America Fishing needs your help!

 Send a message to your Members of Congress today, asking them to support the Billfish Conservation Act of 2011.

Help Protect Billfish and Other Marine Life in Costa Rica

Join the campaign to make the sailfish the national fish of Costa Rica and to better protect billfish, sea turtles, and marine mammals from longliners and other non-selective fishing methods.

You can help by sending a note of support for this movement to Joyce Hernandez Arburola at the Tourism Institute in Costa Rica, jhernand@ict.go.cr.

Also, become a friend of Pez Vela (Sailfish) Como Pez Nacional de Costa Rica? on Facebook.

Many who fish for sailfish and other species in Costa Rican waters don’t live there so the in-country lobbying voice is small. “We need people outside the country to remind the government it is important to protect marine resources,” says a spokesperson for the campaign.

Already it is having an impact: Hilton Hotels in Costa Rica just removed sailfish and marlin from their menus.

Support Effort to Protect Sailfish in Costa Rica

With 26 national parks, Costa Rica long has been a leader in Latin America to protect rain and cloud forests and the birds and wildlife that live there.

Now a grassroots movement has begun with the message that it’s time to extend that protection to its oceans and fisheries. Check out this just-announced effort at the Facebook page for Pez Vela Como Pez Nacional de Costa Rica?

The site seeks to make the sailfish the national fish of Costa Rica, with only catch-and-release sport fishing allowed for the billfish. Commercial harvest would be prohibited.

My good friend, Todd Staley, who runs the fishing operation at Crocodile Bay Lodge, is helping push this campaign.

Not much up yet on the Facebook page, but check in and follow it to find out how you can help.

With hundreds of baited hooks stretched across miles of open water, longlines devastate billfish, turtle, and shark populations as incidental bycatch. In other words, the commercials who set these lines aren’t even fishing for these species, but kill them by the thousands “incidentally.”

Earlier this year, Panama became the first Central American country to restrict longlining in its waters.

Anglers to 'Sail' for Charity, $1 Million in Key West

Set for April 12-16 in Key West, the 9th annual World Sailfish Championship, will raise $2 million for charity and award $1 million to anglers.

Among the celebrities expected to attend or compete are former Miami Dolphins and Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, legendary saltwater Capt. Norm Isaacs, newly inducted Hall of Fame wrestler “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds,  and  fly-fisherman Stu Apte.

Teams will fish three days --- Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday --- in a catch-and-release format with video documentation required for review.  

Charities benefiting from the World Sailfish Championship include the Don Shula Foundation for Breast Cancer Research, Camp Boggy Creek, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, and the Rotary Club of Key West.

“We are very excited about breaking the $2 million mark for charity this year and we could not have done this without the generosity of our anglers, sponsors, contributors and volunteers,” said Chris King, Chairman of the World Fishing Tour.