Issue 22 Teens Take on Conservation

BILLFISH TWINS White vs Roundscale Spearfish

SWORDFISH IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Billfish Conservation How Closed Zones Make A Difference CLOSED ZONES and Gear Restricted Areas

Areas (MPAs). MPAs exist worldwide and are an ONE OF THE MOST umbrella for any area of the marine environment where human activity is limited. Depending on IMPORTANT their purpose, MPAs prohibit or limit various human activities, including boating, diving, fishing, FACETS OF BILLFISH or even beachgoing. For example, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park is one large CONSERVATION MPA composed of different zones where different activities are allowed or prohibited. Some areas are is protecting the waters open for general use, some areas allow the public but no extractive activities (like fishing), while that they inhabit. some are completely closed off to everyone except Because billfish are highly migratory pelagic for certain no-take research activities that require , they populate massive swaths of the extensive permitting to be allowed. ocean and travel thousands of miles every year. This highly migratory nature makes protecting As the name suggests, GRAs are a form of MPA their entire habitat impossible. As such, it is most that restrict or prohibit the use of certain types efficient to protect areas where billfish occur of fishing gear. These restrictions can be for just most often and are thus most important for their one particular season or year-round. They can survival. These areas can be where they prefer refer to only types of commercial gear or include to eat, mate, spawn, and more. Unfortunately, recreational fishing. They can be for the benefit of identifying these locations is extremely difficult, whales, dolphins, sea turtles, lobsters, billfish, or and researchers do not currently know the exact really anything that is being negatively impacted locations where billfish mate or spawn. As a result, by the particular gear being restricted. GRAs may we must rely heavily on data from tag and release even exist simply to avoid conflicts between gears. to understand where billfish are being seen the For example, off the coast of the US Northeast most frequently and thus where we must center between Delaware and Rhode Island there are four our habitat conservation efforts. zones that limit different types of lobster gears at GEAR RESTRICTED AREAS different times of the year. These restrictions were The premiere form of billfish habitat conservation agreed to by the lobster fishermen themselves to avoid conflicts with their different gears. comes in the form of Gear Restricted Areas and Closed Zones. Gear Restricted Areas (GRAs) and Conversely, the entirety of the US Gulf of Mexico Closed Zones are both forms of Marine Protected requires the use of weak hooks (hooks that 2 | The Billfish Foundation straighten out for over 250lbs, essentially releasing them) when targeting pelagics in Federal waters, making the entire Gulf a GRA for part of the year. This GRA was established not for the benefit of fishermen with conflicting gear types, but for bycatch mitigation and the health of marine species populations.

Closed Zones are the more intense version of GRAs. While GRAs can be for the purpose of or habitat conservation or the benefit of Some GRAs regulate hook types, like circle versus J hooks or offset versus non-offset. Photo credit: NOAA fishermen, Closed Zones are generally only created in situations where multiple marine species are species are in danger due to bycatch, including experiencing such drastically negative conditions dolphins, sea turtles, whales, , and that there is substantial risk to their long term marlin. The majority of the time, when commercial survival. All Closed Zones are GRAs, but not all fishermen catch these bycatch species, the animals GRAs are Closed Zones. A Closed Zone completely die. Even more unfortunately, there is nothing to prohibits certain fishing practices for the purpose be done except throw the dead organisms away. of conserving a species or group of species. For Bycatch is not only wasteful, but it is exceptionally example, the Florida East Coast Closed Zone dangerous and must be mitigated to ensure the runs along the entirety of Florida’s East Coast health of oceans and marine species. In fact, many and completely prohibits longline fishing. This Zone was established in 2001 when recreational fishermen, scientists, and conservationists discovered that swordfish along Florida’s East Coast were in serious trouble. Pelagic longlines, a type of gear with particularly high levels of bycatch, were catching young swordfish at an unsustainable rate. With decades of these juvenile swordfish caught before they can grow large enough to mate and spawn, the swordfish population was on the brink. We are now seeing their numbers rebound due in large part to this restriction and conservation measure.

BYCATCH Bycatch occurs when a fisherman, usually commercial, lands any marine animal that they did not intend to catch. For example, if a purse seiner goes out with the intention of catching tuna, but a sea turtle gets caught in their net as well, that sea turtle is considered bycatch. Bycatch is extremely problematic and is one of the greatest threats The Florida East Coast Closed Zone prohibits longline facing the health of our oceans today. Hundreds of fishing year-round. Visit Billfish.org | 3 THE FINAL RESULT One of the most important ways to fight bycatch and conserve species is through Gear Restricted Areas and Closed Zones. For example, because of the Florida East Coast Closed Zone, swordfish numbers are starting to rebound. As an added bonus, closing this area has allowed for the rise of an extremely successful catch and release recreational fishery for sailfish. This sailfish fishery not Pelagic longlines tend to have a lot of bycatch, and are prohibited in some GRAs. only supports the recreational fishing community and economy, but has been times, bycatch is the primary reason that certain extremely important in helping us learn more marine species have been placed on the endangered about sailfish migrations and life history. species list. Closed Zones and Gear Restricted Areas are Certain fishing gears are more prone to high levels undoubtedly good for marine species across the of bycatch than others. For example, according world. While many entities who see these areas to the 2014 NMFS National Bycatch Report, the as potential profit seek to dismantle these MPAs, Southeast US Shrimp Trawl Fishery discards 64% organizations like The Billfish Foundation continue of all of their catch as bycatch and, for every one to fight to keep them closed. So what can you pound of shrimp caught, one pound of billfish is do? Read up on what Gear Restricted Areas and discarded as bycatch. Pelagic longlines also have Closed Zones are near you, and make sure to massive bycatch rates. In fact, 75% of discarded educate your fellow fishermen on why they’re bycatch by the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species important. Pay attention to where the seafood Pelagic Longlines are swordfish, billfish, and you eat is coming from (check out Monterey Bay tunas. Operating in a similar area near Florida, the Aquarium’s Seafood Watch online), and remember Southeast Snapper-Grouper Longline Fishery has a that catching it yourself is always the best way to 66% bycatch rate and caught over 400,000 sharks minimize bycatch. Only by protecting these Gear in one year. Restricted Areas and Closed Zones can we ensure future oceans full of fish! Many Closed Zones and GRAs are created for the express purpose of bycatch mitigation. The areas that become Closed Zones and GRAs often relate to an important part of a species’ life history. This is specific to the species, but can include the places where they spawn, where they live as juveniles, or where they mate. Animals during these portions of their life are most important to the survival of the species. Therefore, it is most effective to focus our conservation measures to decrease bycatch and mortality at these ages to have the greatest impact on conserving the species as a whole. The Monterey Bay Aquarium denotes the best and worst seafood to eat. Visit their website for the current list. 4 | The Billfish Foundation SWORDFISH IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

When people think of mythology, they think of Egyptian Gods or blonde, beer-guzzling Marvel superheroes, but did you know that swordfish have played a role in the in Greek mythology, but it mythologies of ancient civilizations? actually makes a lot of sense. In ancient Greek mythology, one story After all, the scientific name of the denotes that swordfish were not fish swordfish is Xiphias gladius. Xiphias at all, but were transformed warriors. comes from the Greek ξίφος or “xiphos”, Specifically, they were the Myrmidons, which was a double-edged, one-handed followers of Achilles who fought sword used by Ancient Greek armies on alongside him the battlefield. Gladius is a latin word in the Trojan also meaning sword. Thus, swordfish are War. literally named “sword sword”. So, next The myth time you’re wrestling with a swordfish, goes that, remember that you’re dealing with after Achilles what the Ancient Greeks believed to be was killed the slain warriors of none other than by Paris, the Achilles, and be sure to tag and release it! Myrmidons sought to avenge him. The Trojans, Swordfish also show however, refused to fight, instead up in the mythology of hiding behind their wall. So, in anger the Solomon Islands. and despair for their fallen leader, the The Adaro were evil sea Myrmidons threw themselves into the spirits that looked like sea. At this, Thetis, a sea goddess and the mermen with swordfish mother of Achilles, turned them into fish. spears growing from their However, in recognition and appreciation heads. They were said to for their loyalty to Achilles, she allowed travel along waterspouts them to keep their swords, placing them and rainbows, attacking upon their snout. Thus, the Ancient unsuspecting fishermen by Greeks believed, was the swordfish born. firing flying fish at them. Not only is it kind of awesome that swordfish are featured so gallantly

Visit Billfish.org | 5 Get Onboard With Billfish Tagging!

GET STARTED: you definitely don’t need those to get started. To tag billfish, you need three things: access The Billfish Foundation sells everything you to a boat, tagging equipment, and of course, need on our online shop (shop.billfish.org) in a billfish! handy bundles so you can be sure that you have everything you need. Boat: There are two main ways to access the deep ocean where billfish are - through a Billfish: The most important part of billfishing private boat or a charter company. If your family is, of course, the billfish! Billfish occur in oceans or friends have a boat and go billfishing, then all over the world. While they’re more populous you’re already set. If not, don’t worry! There are in some areas than others, if there’s deep ocean, billfishing charter companies all over the world. there’s billfish. The species you see will depend on When you’re picking out who will take you on your ocean, latitudes, and maybe a little luck. Make your fishing trip, be sure to ask if they tag. sure to go out with experienced Captains who know the area you’re fishing well and have experience in Equipment: Many are surprised to learn releasing billfish in the safest way possible. that tagging billfish doesn’t require a ton of extra equipment. All you need is a tag stick, tag applicator, stopper, and, of course, a tag! There are lots of fun extras, like tag flags, tag bags, and Release Rulers that you can get, but ] FLANK

Target Area

Lateral Line

LOWER JAW FORK LENGTH

HOW TO TAG: Once the billfish you’re fishing is leadered, tagging is a fairly simple procedure. 1. Carefully bring the fish along the side of the boat. Leave it in the water, NEVER remove it for photos or tag insertion. 2. Idle the boat forward. 3. Place the tag in the dorsal muscle of the billfish, well behind the head and gills and above the lateral line. Using your tag stick, place the applicator with the tag on the fish and press until the stopper is pressed against the fish. You do not need to stab hard for the tag to become firmly lodged. 4. Tow the billfish gently forward until it is adequately revived. 5. Remove the hook or cut the leader and watch the newly tagged billfish swim away!

You should never attempt to tag a billfish that is jumping or thrashing, only when it is tired. Tagging an energetic fish is dangerous for both you and it.

HOW TO REPORT: The biggest mistake people make when tagging billfish is forgetting to report their tags. If you tag a fish without reporting the information back to TBF, it is like you didn’t ever tag in the first place! Fortunately, reporting a tag is easy.

1. After you tag, completely fill out the accompanying tag card. The more information you include, the better! At minimum, you must include the species, tag date and location. 2. Send the tag card to TBF. If you’re within the United States, you can just drop the cards directly in the mail. If you’re outside of the U.S., place cards in an envelope with a stamp and mail it to the address on the back of the card. 3. If you tag a lot, you may want to input your own tag data to the TBF Online Database. Just go to tagbillfish.org and make an account (it’s free). Then, navigate to the Reporting pane and input the information there.

Visit Billfish.org | 7 RECAPTURES: Now that you know how to tag, what do you do if you catch a billfish that already has a tag? Count yourself lucky! Recaptures, where a previously tagged billfish is caught again, are the most important aspect of the Tag & Release Program. They teach us about billfish migratory habits, growth rate, and other life history traits.

If you are lucky enough to recapture a tagged billfish, all you have to do is email TBF at [email protected] and tell us the species, date and location of recapture, and any other information you remember (length, weight, bait used, hook type). Then, we’ll send you an official Recapture Certificate and a t-shirt!

The TBF Tag and Release Competition awards the highest tagging Captains and anglers of each species and ocean. Plus, it has a youth category, meaning you could win an award just for tagging billfish!

To learn more about tag and release, check out The Billfish Foundation’s Youtube Channel! There, you’ll find a playlist titled “How To Tag with Fly Navarro” with videos showing you how to fill out tag cards, place a tag, and release a fish!

Youtube.com/FishTBF @TheBillfishFoundation @BillfishFoundation @TagBillfish

8 | The Billfish Foundation RECAPTURE MYSTERY SOLVED

On March 13, 2020, Captain Tommy Twyford went fishing with his mates Willy Schmidt and Victoria Watt off Lake Worth, Florida. After a beautiful day at sea aboard their boat “Triple T”, they found themselves with a sailfish on the line. A great fight commenced and they reeled it in. Tagging angler, Kristie Kane, on the day she tagged the sailfish. To their surprise, this sailfish had an orange TBF tag firmly lodged in its shoulder. They clipped the tag off, released the fish safely, and called TBF.

Upon searching our database, we discovered that we had no previous record of a fish being tagged with that particular tag number. Unfortunately, this is fairly common. People tag fish and forget to fill out the cards or send them in, resulting in orphan recaptures like this one would have been. However, this time, we were able to discover the original purchaser of the tag and reach out, hoping they had more information. The Captain, Bill Kane, wasn’t sure of the origin of the tag, but his wife Thank you to everyone involved in this recapture. and angler Kristie Kane keeps detailed records of their Remember to always input your data online or mail the trips and went to work hunting it down. tag card when you tag a fish. You never know when or where your fish may be recaptured! The first piece of the puzzle unearthed was tagging location. The Kanes fish out of Carolina Beach, North Carolina aboard their boat “Legend”. Already, this The success of the TBF Tag and Release was shaping up to be an exciting recapture, with over Program is only possible due to dedicated 500 miles between tag and recapture location. But, Captains, anglers, and mates across the the excitement didn’t stop there. Incredibly, Kristie world, as well as our dedicated sponsors: discovered that this particular sailfish had been tagged Garmin, YETI, Costa Sunglasses, King by them on October 27th of 2013, over seven and a half Sailfish Mounts, Casa Vieja Lodge, and years before it was recaptured. Most sailfish recaptures the International Game Fish Tournament are within a few years and less than a hundred miles Observers. We appreciate their support! apart. A 500+ mile difference over 7.5 years is absolutely unprecedented in the best way! Visit Billfish.org | 9 Roundscale Spearfish

Photo credit: Karen Talbot, Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources

BILLFISH TWINS vs Roundscale Spearfish

White Marlin

Photo credit: Diane Rome Peebles, Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources

At first glance, most marlin look alike. However, (150lbs versus 50lbs, relatively), size is not a with enough time on the water, their unique reliable identifier. This is because most white marlin qualities become easy to see. Differences in size, are caught at a comparable size to roundscale fins, geography, coloration, and behavior are used spearfish, around 40-80lbs. Unfortunately, the to identify billfish. Despite this, there’s one pair that only perfect way to know if you have a roundscale even the most experienced anglers mix up: white spearfish or a white marlin is through genetic marlin and roundscale spearfish. White marlin and analysis. However, for the everyday fishermen, roundscale spearfish look nearly identical, frequent there are three physical clues that can be used to the same areas, and exhibit similar behaviors. In differentiate the two. fact, these two marlin are so alike that they are treated interchangeably in most research and 1. Anal Fin To Anal Vent Distance management. The most reliable identifier between white marlin and roundscale spearfish is the difference between Both white marlin ( albida) and roundscale the length of the anal fin and the distance from the spearfish ( georgii) are only found in anal vent to the anal fin. To find this, you need two the Atlantic Ocean. They prefer warmer water, measurements. First, measure the distance from staying in the tropical and subtropical zones. As a the anal vent along the underside of the fish to the result, they’re most commonly fished for in places base of the anal fin. Second, measure the length like the U.S. MidAtlantic, off Northwestern , of the anal fin from base to the corner tip. In white and the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. While white marlin, the distance from vent to fin will be less marlin can grow larger than roundscale spearfish than half of the fin length. In roundscale spearfish,

10 | The Billfish Foundation Courtesy of Virginia Institute of Marine Science the distance from vent to fin will be over half of one on each side. In roundscale spearfish, these the fin length. In general, vent to fin distance will rays extend almost as far back as the pectoral fin. be two or three inches in white marlin and up In white marlin, these rays are much shorter. to six inches in roundscale spearfish. However, This method is tricky because it relies on these distances vary with fish age and size, so it comparison instead of a measurement. However, is better to rely on the difference between the it is much easier to see brachiostegal rays than it measurements instead. is anal fins on a live fish. While you’re reviving the While this method is helpful, it has one major marlin for a healthy release, shift it slightly so that drawback. It is extremely difficult to locate the one side of it is facing you and you’ll be able to anal vent on a live fish in the water, let alone take easily see these rays below the animal’s face. measurements. Taking a photo of the underside that you can closely examine after release can 3. Dorsal Fin Spots make this easier, though, as a stationary photo is The final way to differentiate white marlin and easier to study than a moving fish on a line. roundscale spearfish is via the dorsal fin. Though the shape is similar, white marlin have spots on 2. Brachiostegal Rays their dorsal fin and roundscale spearfish do not. The second way to identify white marlin versus In general, this is the easiest difference to see, but roundscale spearfish is the brachiostegal rays. it should only be used with another strategy to Brachiostegal rays are bones that start at the chin confirm your identification. This is because, like the of the fish and slope up and back to support the fingerprints on humans, billfish spots are unique to gill membranes. Fish have two brachiostegal rays, each individual.

Visit Billfish.org | 11 Understanding FROZEN F e b rua ry

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you probably already know firsthand about the record- breaking cold that occurred in February 2021. What you may not know is why it happened.

To understand why February froze, first you have to understand two atmospheric entities: the polar vortex and the jet stream. The polar vortex is a huge area of cold air that covers the North and South Poles and is at its coldest during the winter. Just underneath the polar vortex is the jet stream. Jet streams are narrow bands of super strong winds that circle the planet, moving west to east. They can be thought of like rivers of wind that separate hot and cold air. There are many jet streams, but this particular weather phenomenon was caused by the polar jet stream of the Northern Hemisphere.

Variations in the jet stream can disrupt the structure of the polar vortex. In February of 2021, a Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) occurred, where the air surrounding the poles warmed suddenly, which weakened the polar jet stream. When the polar jet stream weakened, the polar vortex destabilized and was allowed to escape, pushing frigid cold down and covering parts of the Northern Hemisphere in snow. Put simply, the stratosphere warmed, which weakened the jet stream, and the polar vortex slipped through and brought a lot of cold with it! However, the sudden cold did bring down the temperature of some coastal waters, impacting This year’s polar vortex instability wreaked havoc nearshore species like sea turtles, who stranded on a lot of the U.S. and Europe, with locations on beaches as a result. Fortunately, marine experiencing temperatures that they were not conservation entities across the U.S. and the prepared to handle. As far as we know, much of world worked hard to ensure the survival of these the oceans were unscathed, as the deep ocean animals and thousands were released back to the is fairly robust to sudden temperature changes. oceans once the temperature returned to normal.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the FLEMING FAMILY FOUNDATION for their belief in education as an important conservation tool. The Billfish Foundation, educators, students, parents, the ocean and fish are grateful for our sponsor’s generous donation who made this issue of Sailfish possible.

Sailfish #22 • Copyright 2021 • The Billfish Foundation • Editor: Peter Chaibongsai • Writer & Co-Editor: Faith Benner • Graphic Designer: Jackie Marsolais Sister publications: Billfish & Spearfish magazines • Published by The Billfish Foundation • For subscription information contact: [email protected]