2009 Volume 1 2009 Volume The Billfish Foundation’s Sportfishing Conservation Magazine Tag and Release WINNERS! GUATEMALA - HOT as EVER! US - Largest Importer of Billfish for Food Gulf of Mexico Expedition with Ocean Explorers . FISH FOREVER 1 2 Welcome to BILLFISH, TEAM TBF Ellen Peel The Billfish Foundation’s President Sportfishing Guillermo Alvarez Conservation Director, Conservation Magazine Mexico Peter Chaibongsai Director of Science and Policy FeatURES Elliott Stark 8 Featured Artist: Tim Borski Science and Policy Specialist 9 Corporate Conservation Deborah Cummings Partner Profile: Rampage Membership Director Sportfishing Yachts Julia Shafer Development & Constituent 16 Recreational Boating and FPO Relations Specialist Fishing Join Forces Carmela Siegel Accounting Manager 17 President Protects Pete Johnson Sportfishing Access Communications Specialist Edythe Ledbetter 18 Dreamin’ On Financial Consultant th Climactic 5 chapter of world Dr. C. Phillip Goodyear Scientist tour delivers storied blue marlin fishing with 100 releases! Herbert Nanne Conservation Director, Central America Dr. Russell Nelson Scientist PROGRAMS 4 Chair’s Letter Jennifer Paul Membership Consultant 6 Volunteer Profiles Jackie Marsolais 17 Memorial Graphic Designer 21 Fishing Destinations FPO 24 Research 26 Advocacy 32 Education 34 Collage 36 On the Docks 2161 E. Commercial Blvd. Second Floor 42 Captain’s Corner Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 800-438-8247 www.billfish.org TBF Trustees Chair's Message CHAIR John Brownlee VICE CHAIR Dear Fellow Anglers, Mark O’Brien It is an honor for me to have the opportunity to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Billfish Foundation (TBF), an organization I have believed in and supported for years. I’m an TREASURER “old salt” at heart. I have spent most of my adult years on a boat, countless other hours within those Rich Andrews years writing about fishing and boating. I’m currently the Editor-in-Chief ofSalt Water Sportsman Magazine. From an advocacy or policy perspective, I volunteered and served on a federal fishery management council for six years and closely tracked the actions of Florida’s former Marine Fisheries SECRETARY Commission during some of its most contentious years. I believe in the importance of credible science and the persuasive value of socio-economic data that reflects the strength of the sportfishing community and industry. I continue my longstanding and active memberships with TBF, the Coastal Conservation Association, the International Game Fish Association, the Islamorada Fishing Club and other sportfishing conservation organizations. My point is I have a perspective like many of you TBF members do, one of a passionate angler, captain and once a mate. I love to fish; it is a passion for me and my wife, Poppy, and my son Ben, who is a mate on the 72-foot Merritt yacht, Briar Patch. Each chance that we have, Poppy and I escape on the Poppy B., our 37-foot Bertram. Jose “Pepe” Anton, Jr. Luis L. Bacardi While serving as the Chairman of TBF, I assure you I will pull from my collective fishing and boating experience, my advocacy experience and my experience within the marine industry to best represent Francisco Rangel Castelazo you and the conservation of the fish we all love to catch and release. I embrace the partnerships Gary J. Chouest TBF has with other organizations in the industry. TBF’s President, Ellen Peel, has made clear in Robert DeGabrielle representing TBF that each and every person who loves to fish for billfish and other offshore species and each person employed in the industry or in a supporting or affiliated business depends, in part, Chris Fischer on successful conservation of the fish and its ocean habitat for their future. These are tough economic Edwin Hawn times in which our entire community – whether a non-profit, an artist, a manufacturer, repair, service Norm Isaacs or sales company, charter business, private service, publication, or other enterprise – is feeling the economic crunch. We must be smart, stick together and keep the faith knowing that these difficult Elaine “Lainey” Jones times will pass. Many of us are thinking, “But can we survive until some recovery?” Each person and James F. Kitchell, Ph.D. business must make smart decisions now more than ever before. Just remember, we are all in this Jay Meyer, M.D. together and we will all survive together. Mobile Big Game Fishing Club Especially during these tough times, the sportfishing community especially needs an effective TBF Mark O’Brien representing your interests and TBF needs you in whatever way you can contribute. The organization Paxson Offield operates with an extremely low overhead, focusing 84% of resources directly to conservation programs – research, education and advocacy. Please join or renew your TBF membership at a level you can Orange Beach Billfish Classic afford. If you can afford to make a donation to our Billfish Conservation Fund, a fund that has Frank "Skip" Smith the flexibility to distribute donations to projects where they are most needed at the time they are Scott Steele received, that would be awesome. We also have the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Student Conservation Fund through which our youth education work is funded. If you simply cannot make a financial Diana Udel contribution at this time, there may be a way you can volunteer to help TBF on a specific project, such Ralph “Agie” Vicente as buying tags and tagging fish, followed by timely and clear reporting of your data. Encourage each Paul Walker person you know who fishes for billfish to join TBF; it is an important step and donations as small as $25 make a difference. For more information about how to help TBF, you can call (954-938- 0150) and talk to Ellen Peel at extension 108 or Deborah Cummings at extension 106 or go online FOUNDING CHAIRMAN (www.billfish.org) to the TBF website. Winthrop P. Rockefeller I want you on the TBF team for the fish, sportfishing opportunities, related jobs and the health of our 1948-2006 oceans. Show your support by joining or renewing your TBF membership today. PRESIDENT Ellen M. Peel, J.D. LL.M. John Brownlee 4 ART EXHIBIT BENEFITS TBF Mixed media artist Harley Schmude and the St. Lawrence Gallery of supporting TBF research, education Ft. Lauderdale, Florida joined forces to benefit TBF through a special and advocacy programs. Deborah art exhibition held November 14-15, 2008. The St. Lawrence Gallery, Cummings was on hand to field questions located at 3556 N. Ocean Boulevard, features an artist each month. about TBF’s billfish conservation work and The artist chooses one of their works of art to raffle and then selects a to help sell raffle tickets to those eager to win favorite charity to be the beneficiary. Harley’s magnificent sculpture. Gallery visitors were treated to a lovely evening of wine, hors d’oeuvres and music by jazz vocalist Jen Rolnick. Harley’s choice of TBF was inspired by his long- time love affair with the ocean. After leaving a successful career in the corporate world twenty years ago, Harley worked as a professional diver, studied marine biology and honed his skills in wildlife photography and art before becoming a full-time artist. Today, Harley enjoys creating art using found objects, including wood, metal, and even old Hawaiian shirt material from his own collection of over 300 Hawaiian shirts! In recent Artist Harley Schmude, TBF Membership Director Deborah Cummings, gallery years, Harley’s work has been exhibited in Florida, the owner Randy Liebig, gallery manager Chris Kennedy. Caribbean, as well as Central and South America. Thank you, Harley, for using your wonderful talent to TBF was honored to be Harley’s choice in November. During his further TBF’s billfish conservation mission. Check out art exhibition opening, Harley’s beautiful hand-made metal sailfish Harley’s work on his website, www.seareelart.com. sculpture titled, “Silver Knight”, was raffled raising critical funds we want you! To JOIN THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION IF these captains are part of TBF, YOU should be, too! JOIN TBF TODAY! GO TO WWW.BILLFISH.ORG Captain Karl Anderson Captain Arch Bracher Captain Bobby Brown Captain John Cochrane Captain Butch Cox Captain Tony DiGiulian Captain Barky Garnsey Captain Pete Groesbeck Captain Ron Hamlin Captain Steve Lassley Captain Scott Levin Captain Brett McBride Captain Kevin Nakamura Captain Ray Rosher Captain Bouncer Smith Captain Skip Smith Captain Laurie Wright Captain Peter B. Wright VOLUNTEER PROFILES TBF’s “Frightfully” Fantastic Volunteers This year’s annual fundraiser, TBF’s Frightful into the new auction software this year as our “Great Fete, could not have been a success without our guests enjoyed their dinner and the live Balloon Pop” the help of our fantastic group of volunteers. auction. Terry Shafer of All About Travel Raffle. Their These people give their time and enthusiasm in Fort Pierce, Florida, does a great job enthusiasm and each year to make sure this event is always setting up our silent auction every year and charisma was a night to remember! We would like to also helps organize all the guest files before a great help in acknowledge this wonderful group for their arrival. Terry arranges all of our group hotel getting those continued efforts. balloons sold. As always, a Captain Tony huge thank you DiGiulian has goes out to the been a great crew from the Frank Langdon help to TBF in Ladies Annual Photo by Robin Powell many different Fish-Off. They areas, but he volunteer with is always a us every year lifesaver come and are always auction day. ready to do From hanging whatever is skeletons from asked of them. the ceiling to Carolyn Stash blowing up and Jeff Curtois hundreds of were stellar at balloons after promoting the waiting in long raffle and the Captain Tony DiGiulian lines for helium, “Heads or Tails” Photo by Robin Powell game.