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Version 13 SailfiTeens Take on Billfish Conservasthion

Fisheries Series part 1: Artisanal Jr. Anglers of Alabama Recapture Maps

TBF’s New Short Movie get hooked! Contents Inside this issue of

features

3 Artisanal Learn about various styles of artisanal fisheries from around the world. 6 Jr. Anglers of Alabama Jr. Anglers learning that conservation actually does pay! 7 TBF Tracking Maps Follow two in the Caribbean & Gulf of Mexico.

Back Cover TBF’s new video Get Hooked and the new Online Database.

FRONT COVER courtesy of Capt. Chris Sheeder. Capt. Sheeder is captain at the world renown Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala and former TBF Tag & Release Award winner.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the Fleming Family Foundation, and the 5: TBF News William H. and Mattie Wattis Harris Foundation for their belief in education • The Science Behind Sportfishing as an important conservation tool. The Billfish Founation, educators, students, • Student and Teacher of the Year parents, the ocean and the fish are grateful for our sponsors generous donation that • TBF Visits the Ballpark made this issue of Sailfish possible.

Copyright 2013 • The Billfish Foundation • Editor: Peter Chaibongsai • Contributing Writer: Jorie Heilman • Graphic Designer: Jackie Marsolais Sister Publications: Billfish and Spearfish magazines • Published by The Billfish Foundation • For subscription information contact: [email protected] Artisanal

Fisheries: by Jorie Heilman ishing is a pastime that humans have participated F in since the earliest of times. When one thinks of , you might think of a trip out to a local dock or pond using a rod and reel with some bait on the end of a hook. This does describe one type of fishing, but did you know there are other variations of fishing, specifically when it comes to a person’s livelihood?

Fishing can be divided into three sectors; traditional (artisanal), commercial and recreational. includes both wild caught and farmed fisheries. , typically with a rod and reel, is a main focus for The Billfish Foundation. This category extends to fishing in salt antiquated and and freshwater, including a range unprofitable way to fish, of species from big like but for stilt fishermen in Sri Lanka, this billfish, to smaller species like traditional practice is their livelihood. and . Any kind of The fishermen on the petta fishing can have profound impacts (crossbar) and use a rod to fish for on the targeted species and to the and . The benefit of livelihood and culture of the this type of fishing is that unlike nets or FRONT COVER courtesy of Capt. Chris Sheeder. Capt. Sheeder is captain at the people involved. This is article is other fishing methods, the fish do not the first in a series that will focus world renown Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala and former TBF Tag & Release Award winner. get scared away as easily. Despite all on the different sectors of the this effort, the fish may only sell for a . few cents. Stilt fishing is an example of Sitting for hours on the crossbars of an artisanal , meaning it is small tall metal poles anchored in the reef scale, for subsistence (consumed by (top photo) might seem like an locals) and typically employs traditional methods. • The Science Behind Sportfishing Artisanal fisheries occur all over the world and play an important role in food security. It is estimated that 30 • Student and Teacher of the Year million tons of fish come from artisanal sources every year which is • TBF Visits the Ballpark equivalent to the amount harvested by industrial fisheries. Surprising right? What is even more surprising is that 150 million people are considered to rely directly on in some way. This means that a larger

3 Photo courtesy of Antonio “Tuba” Amaral

Many traditional methods flourish today; some are waning in the face of competition from industrial fishing among other issues. For example, Belgium fishermen have harvested shrimp from horseback for over five hundred years, yet now it has been preserved as a tourist attraction; not as a profitable fishery. Since artisanal fisheries are often very specific to one area or species, unpredicted environmental events like an oil spill, algal bloom or major storm can have huge impacts on subsistence fishermen. This makes them less financially stable and efficient than their industrial counterparts.

When considering conservation there are advantages and disadvantages to Two Remoras are attached to a above, which are used in some countries to catch larger fish. At right is a close up of a Remora’s suction cups. artisanal fishing. Since they are small scale, their ability to detrimentally number of people depend on artisanal fishing than commercial affect any specific area may not be as fishing making this “small-scale” sector a crucial industry to large as commercial fishing. However, study and understand. (CMBC) can still be a major issue.

These small-scale traditional fisheries offer some unique and Overfishing is the depletion of interesting fishing practices worldwide. For example, variations populations and stocks below levels of baskets have been used. It can be dated all the way back to that can be sustained. In some areas, too many fishermen the usage of weir baskets by the Egyptians for thousands of sharing a tiny area causes pressure on the local fish populations years. Some indigenous people still use basket fishing today. even though each individual is considered small scale. For example, the Wagenya people of the Democratic Republic This is a good example of a phenomenon called the tragedy of of Congo set up large baskets on tripods in the rivers, an the commons. The idea is that when there is a large shared extremely selective method that catches only large fish. resource that seems limitless (like the ocean), people naturally (center photo previous page) want to maximize the amount they collect with no regard that when everyone has that mindset, the resource is no longer Employing are another way to harvest fish for many limitless. This trend must be kept in mind when considering how artisanal fisheries. fishing has existed for hundreds to deal with conservation and management issues. of years throughout the world, in places like Peru, and . In Japan, the fishermen first have to get the Overall, there are aspects of artisanal fisheries that lend acclimated to living with them, and slowly train them to catch themselves to a lower ecological impact than other parts of the and deliver fish. (bottom photo previous page) Remoras are fish fishing industry. Fuel consumption is lower because there aren’t that has a suction dish on top of its head which it uses to attach large ships to power. Many of the methods do not require fuel at to large fish and sea turtles. By connecting a line to the remora’s all. Technology is less complex, therefore easier to maintain and fins, the fishermen use it to find these larger animals. This may have a lower environmental impact. Construction costs can practice is employed in places like Australia and the West be lower because the ships are simpler and don’t have to travel Indies. (see photo above) far distances. On the opposite side of this, safety equipment can suffer from the simplicity of artisanal fishing. Also, since Many artisanal fisheries are quite simple. Spears, fish traps, fishing efforts directly relate to being able feed or support their hand lines and nets deployed from small boats, canoes or the families, fishermen are more willing to do risky things while shore are all common forms of fishing that occur worldwide. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Various types of artisinal fishermen below. Left: Egyptian Nubian’s fishing the Nile River. Center: Fishermen on the Blatna Pond Czech republic have enjoyed this technology since the 1550’s. Right are shrimpers on horseback in Belgium.

44 4 Sailfish NEWS

The Science behind Sportfishing Students from South Broward High School recently got to participate in an exciting adventure of rod building! LMR Tackle helped TBF to create a fun, learning experience for local students. For 2 days students built their own with the help of LMR staff. The kids were using their math and science skills (without even realizing it)

donated blank billfish mounts for Jessica TBF and other students to decorate and Congratulates later auctioned at the fundraiser! Over $600 was donated to TBF’s Education Student & program. A big thanks to Jessica Teacher of and Susan for all your hard work! the Year Science and Congratulations to Jessica Jessup and Susan Ostheim from South Broward Education at High School, who have been nominated as “Week of the Ocean” Student and the Ballpark Teacher of the year! Jessica Jessup How about instead of a day in class worked extremely hard on a beautiful you get to spend a day at the ballpark? wall mural and organized a Billfish Art Well, almost 10,000 students across fundraiser for TBF. Ms. Susan Ostheim South Florida got that opportunity! helped with the making of the wall mural CBS4 had their 8th annual Weather Day with artist Carey Chen and she also at Park on May 1st. Kids from organized the art fundraiser. One of elementary and middle schools in the TBF’s sponsors, King Sailfish Mounts, area got the opportunity to learn about weather patterns and billfish from local “Week of the Ocean” Student of the Year Jessica scientists. The program showed kids Students from South Broward High School had Jessup and Teacher of the Year Susan Ostheim the basics behind weather, including with their Carey Chen-inspired mural. the opportunity to build their own fishing rods hurricanes and how they relate to through an educational project with TBF and living in South Florida. Since weather LMR Tackle. and fishing go hand in hand, the students also got to learn about to build a rod that they could use to fish marlin! Not the baseball team but the with when it was done! This project also fish! TBF and the Rosential School helped to teach kids about the business of Marine and Atmospheric Science side of fishing and how it is important got together to give a presentation to keep a healthy amount of fish in the with the help of Billy the Marlin who water so business can grow. The Billfish taught kids about recreational fishing Foundation plans to hold more rod and the program. building workshops in hopes of getting After the lesson, the kids were more kids out fishing. Check to see if invited to stay and watch the game there are any available in your area! against the New York Mets! Sounds Various types of artisinal fishermen below. Left: Egyptian Nubian’s fishing the Nile River. Center: Fishermen on the Blatna Pond Czech republic have enjoyed this like a fun day of school to me! technology since the 1550’s. Right are shrimpers on horseback in Belgium.

5 Jr. Anglers from Mobile Alabama! Check out this great story from the Haley’s, who were fishing the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club Labor Day Tournament had a great weekend on their boat catching and releasing a number of fish. Patrick Haley, 13, caught and released two blue marlin with his father Chris.They had a great weekend and got 3rd place in the division and Top Junior Angler for the tournament. One of the blue marlin was over 400 lbs and they could have probably killed it since it was over 106 inches, the tournament minimum. Instead, they elected to use a blue marlin release ruler on the fish, measure it, and release it. They never got a clean measurement despite having the fish on the wire 6 times, and after a little while the fish pulled the hook. Funny thing is that, they ended up winning more money in the catch and release division than they would have had they killed the fish. We think the boys won a “valuable” lesson of conservation!

Have a fishing story to tell? Send them to: [email protected]. We’d love to read and share them in future issues of Sailfish!

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 fishing. This could mean foregoing safety equipment to save has proved a successful method. Group consensus is higher with money or going out in storms. this type of management, and societal norms and expectations can enforce compliance much better than the government. A downside of artisanal fisheries is that they are hard to manage. Management means any steps taken to formalize conserving a Subsistence fishing can be overlooked because it is not on the resource. Small scale fisheries are typically overlooked since they scale of commercial fishing. But, artisanal fisheries are crucial to do not have a set place to “land” or drop off their catch. This local livelihoods all over the world and their importance should causes problems since it is harder to grasp the total amount of not be underappreciated. It is important to note that they are just fish that are caught by this sector. Only 30% of countries regulate one piece of the puzzle of conservation issues surrounding fish size for artisanal fisheries, and 7% regulate the quantity fishing. Each sector of the fishing industry has different caught. (Ocean Health Index) Regulations overall are often conservation concerns and learning about each of them will give inconsistent and lack enforcement. Adding to the challenge of a more complete understanding how to manage our precious conservation is that sometimes fishermen are less responsive to ocean resources. conservation efforts. Setting quotas on artisanal fisheries means directly restricting a fisherman’s ability to feed their family. So REFERENCES: 1)“Small Scale Artisanal Fisheries Research regulations are often unpopular. One conservation strategy that Network” Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation. shows promise is community level management. This means that University of California: San Diego. http://cmbc.ucsd.edu/ instead of top down management from a government, the Research/artisanal/ 2) “Artisanal Fishing Opportunities” Ocean fishermen are in charge of conserving the resource. While Health Index. http://www.oceanhealthindex.org/Goals/Artisanal_ scientific and administrative support from the government can be Fishing_Opportunities helpful, having the regulations come from the community level

6 TBF Tracking Maps

Yet another recaptured tagged by TBF award winners, Capt. Sean O’Connor and Richard Gudoian. This swordfish was tagged by them back in October of 2011 aboard the “Deep Threat” off of Key Largo, FL and at the time it was tagged was estimated at 35 lbs. Fifteen months later and roughly 150 miles southwest from where it was tagged this swordfish was recaptured by artisanal fisherman off of Santa Cruz del Norte, Cuba aboard the “Arconis”. Upon recapture the sword was estimated to weigh 75 lbs., more than double its weight when it was tagged.

Another recaptured billfish off Veracruz, Mexico! This time a recaptured sailfish was originally tagged off of Isla Mujeres aboard the “Qualifier” with Captain Rom Whitaker and TBF award winners, Chris Kubik and Sinapo Sinsay with angler, Michael Houston in February of 2013. Two months later in May of 2013 this sailfish was recaptured by Capt. Troy Poteet roughly two hundred miles off the coast of Veracruz.

You can find more maps like these on Billfish.org and on TBF’s fan page on Facebook! 7 Photo courtesy of Capt. Chris Sheeder

Watch TBF’s new short movie, Get Hooked! Experience why recreational fishing is loved by so many and why it isn’t always the fish that draws them to the sport. Vimeo.com/76057218

Go to www.billfish.org to watch all of our videos!” Be sure to check out our first movie, Moneyfi$h, as well and learn how sportfishing contributes to conservation!

The Billfish Foundation @TagBillfish #TagBillfish TBF’s NEW Online Database

• Enter your own data • View all your billfish tag & release data • Share your catches via Facebook & Twitter • Interactive map Go to: TagBillfish.org