The Billfish Foundation Awards 46 International Tag and Release Winners
OutdoorHub 02.15.12
Every time they fish on three oceans, anglers, captains and mates worldwide — the heart-and-soul of The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) eminent conservation program committed to billfish tag and release — are supplying valuable data, critical to science.
Globally since 1990 these anglers have helped marine researchers in learning the migratory habits and more of the world’s billfish species.
On Feb. 16, 46 winners of TBF’s 22nd year-long competition will be presented their 2011 International Tag & Release Awards at Miami’s Jungle Island Treetop Ballroom. Sponsored by Bisbee’s Black & Blue the awards are presented by King Sailfish Mounts, and include TBF partners American Custom Yachts, Costa and Dockwise Yacht Transport.
TBF’s Overall Tagging Winners for all species (blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, white marlin, sailfish and spearfish) included Gray Ingram, Jupiter, Fla., USA, repeating his title as TBF’s Overall Male Angler; as did Betsy Crudele, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., USA, as the Overall Lady Angler. Stephen Gegenheimer, Corsicana, Texas, USA, won the Overall Youth Angler and Fin Gaddy, Manteo, N.C., USA, won the Overall Captain.
Ingram also received double honors repeating in the release category of the competition as the Overall Male Angler for all species. Lisa Everett, Nags Head, N.C., USA was the Overall Lady Angler; Tyler Sudbrink, Greensboro, N.C., USA, Overall Youth Angler and Brad Philipps, Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, repeated his title as the Overall Captain.
TBF’s Dir. of Science and Policy Peter Chaibongsai, said each year TBF members from more than 70 countries are invited to participate. The latest annual competition ran from Nov. 1, 2010 to Oct. 31, 2011 with “tagging data reports” and “release notification cards” generated from the temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, where a majority of the world’s billfish inhabit.
To be eligible to receive an award active TBF members must have tagged and/or released five or more of a species to qualify. In addition, TBF’s Youth Program created in 2001, recognizes the conservation ethics and achievements of young anglers. It includes a three fish minimum in three age groupings for both tag and release categories.
