InTheBite

10-Knot Speed Restrictions: Contact Elected Officials!

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We’ve filed our comments to NOAA (the deadline was October 31), but this campaign is far from over. Please continue to help us oppose the looming 10-knot restriction along the Eastern Seaboard being proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). “It’ll take NOAA a minimum of two months to review the comments—use this time to inform your elected officials about the devastating impact the proposed rule would have on the boating and fishing community,” says Viking Director of Governmental Affairs and Sustainability John DePersenaire, shown above speaking at the Viking press conference on the issue at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. “We must make a strong political pivot and take our message to our elected officials.”

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10 Knot Speed Restrictions Threaten Marine Industry

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Federal government’s slow-speed zones would have severe negative impacts on East Coast boating and fishing. Rushed revisions to the Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule are the most consequential maritime regulations the industry has ever faced. Demand that NOAA put the proposed rule on pause. 

(New Gretna, New Jersey, September 21, 2022)—A rushed proposed rule to implement 10-knot speed restrictions for boats 35 feet and larger from Massachusetts to Florida could devastate the entire marine industry and cripple America’s outdoor economy.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, an agency within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is proposing amendments to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule to reduce the likelihood of vessel strikes. The federal rule would broaden the current 10-knot speed limit to include boats 35 feet and larger (down from 65 feet); expand the zones from discrete calving areas to virtually the entire East Coast as far out as 100 nautical miles; and extend the go-slow mandate for up to seven months a year.

“The proposed rule, as written, would be the most consequential maritime regulation that we have ever seen imposed on the recreational boating and fishing sector,” says John DePersenaire, Director of Government Affairs and Sustainability for Viking Yachts. “It will affect not only boat owners but marinas, tackle shops, charter boat operators – basically all maritime-related businesses on the Atlantic Coast.” 

Adds Viking President and CEO Pat Healey: “This would be a devastating regulatory mandate. Right whale vessel strikes have just not been an issue for our industry. This is a classic example of government overreach.”

The proposed rule was published without any engagement with the recreational boating and fishing community. “We had heard talk of a proposal but were never directly contacted in any way,” says DePersenaire. “This is important because the proposed rule imposes excessive and unnecessary negative impacts on our community as a direct response of NOAA single-handedly putting forward regulations without public input. Moreover, the proposed mandate would force thousands of recreational boats to operate at a speed that compromises their maneuverability and overall safety at sea.” 

The proposal was published on Aug. 1, 2022. Viking immediately requested a 30-day extension to the public comment period. “Viking Yachts is completely sensitive to the status and outlook of the North Atlantic right whale population,” Healey wrote to NOAA. “The health of the ocean and all its life is of paramount importance to our company and boat owners. However, we believe the magnitude of the proposed rule warrants careful consideration to ensure that a practical, enforceable and realistic plan is put forward to address the right whale population.”  

A letter from a broad coalition of recreational fishing and boating organizations was also presented to NOAA, who has since extended the public comment period to October 31. “Now that we have the extension, we really need to turn up the volume and make sure our voices are heard,” said Healey. “Everyone needs to rally – yacht clubs, marinas, fishing clubs, charter boat associations. This is a huge deal that not many people know about.”

map of east coast

A map showing the existing and proposed speed zones

How to Help

The primary way to voice your concerns about the amendments to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule is via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Click here to comment. You can also provide comments through various boating and fishing groups, such as the National Marine Manufacturers Association’s Boating United group: click here, and through the International Game Fish Association: click here.

All comments will be read and considered, according to NOAA’s Office of Protected Species, which advises participants to supply specific information about how the rule would impact their boating and fishing activities or business. You can also make suggestions for changes to the rule. The purpose in crafting these amendments is to ensure that the North Atlantic right whales are protected and do not go into extinction while placing as little burden on the mariner as possible, according to NOAA.

Given the limited amount of time for the public to weigh in on these rule changes, “it’s critical that you immediately contact your member of Congress and ask that they demand NOAA to put the proposed rule on pause,” says DePersenaire. “The additional time can be used to develop measures that seek balance between the needs of the right whale and our industry. Congress also needs to know that the rule has far-reaching implications beyond our sport. It will disrupt shipping and ports and exacerbate supply-chain issues and inflation.”

The Facts

The facts do not support the sweeping changes being proposed by NOAA. Since 1998 – 24 years – there have been 24 known right whale vessel strikes across 10 states. Of those, eight were attributed to boats from 35 to 65 feet. 

“In our 58-year history, with more than 5,000 boats delivered, we have never had a report of our boats having an encounter with a right whale,” says Healey. “And we would know because it would cause significant damage that would be repairable only by us.”

The odds of a vessel from 35 to 65 feet striking a right whale are less than one in a million, according to the American Sportfishing Association (ASA).

“The bottom line is this is far too consequential of an issue for it to be developed and implemented unilaterally with no meaningful input from our industry or the public,” adds DePersenaire. “Many of these impacts could have been eliminated or significantly reduced – while still reducing risks of vessel strikes – by working with fishermen and boaters.”

For an in-depth analysis and more information about the issue, please click here for an ASA podcast featuring an interview on the subject with DePersenaire. 

 

Strange Creatures Come Out at Night

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juvenile billfish

Juvenile blue marlin caught off of Charleston by Capt. Richard Brackett

By Captain Kevin Deerman

It’s always been amazing to me to see what kind of creatures show up in the lights around the boat at night when tuna fishing off the Texas coast. Over the years, we’ve encountered many different types of fish. These nocturnal visitors are welcome entertainment for the crew on the long nights in the Gulf of Mexico. We are always on the lookout for flying fish to use for live bait.

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IGFA Announces 2022 Annual Award Winners 

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igfa

DANIA BEACH, FL (February 17, 2022)—The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) today announced the recipients of its 2022 Annual Awards, which includes the Barry M. Fitzpatrick Conservation Award, Gil Keech Heavy-Tackle Award, Bob Herder Light-Tackle Award, and the Chester H. Wolfe Sportsmanship Award.

This year’s award winners include longtime conservation leader and recreational angling advocate Todd Staley (Barry M. Fitzpatrick Conservation Award); renowned big game captain James Roberts (Gil Keech Heavy- Tackle Award); light tackle enthusiast and angling pioneer Pete Boinis (Bob Herder Light-Tackle Award); and longtime IGFA proponent, guide and fly-fishing educator Jake Jordan (Chester H. Wolfe Sportsmanship Award).

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Annual Silver Sailfish Derby to Celebrate 82nd Year

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The venerable West Palm Beach Fishing Club (WPBFC), founded in 1934, will again host the ‘World’s Oldest Sailfish Tournament’, the prestigious 82nd Silver Sailfish Derby January 9th – 12th, 2019.  The Derby attracts some of the best sailfish anglers, captains and crews in the sport to our region each season.
The tournament is limited to 50 boats who will be vying for some of sailfishing’s most coveted awards.  Part of what makes theDerby so special are the traditions and the people behind them.  Many Derby awards are sponsored by families who have been associated with the event for decades.  The Derby’s top angler award is the Mrs. Henry R. Rea trophy, a magnificent silver sailfish sculpture that dates back to the event’s origin in 1935 and is sponsored by Elizabeth Richebourg Rea of Connecticut.  The Rea Trophy remains one of the crown jewels in all of angling.  The Top Lady Angler trophy is sponsored by the Hampp Family of New Jersey in memory of Rose Hampp, who won the honor in the 1957 Derby along with many other awards throughout her accomplished angling career.  The Louis S. Boski award for Outstanding Angling Achievement honors the late Lou Boski, an active WPBFC member who set the Atlantic sailfish single day catch record of 83 releases in 1980.  Other prizes include awards for the Top Small Boat, Junior Angler, Captain, Tag Team, Daily Angler & Daily Boat awards, and Overall Boat & Angler awards.
Those who are not fishing the event can follow tournament boat standings on the Derby’s mobile friendly virtual scoreboard.  The Derby scoreboard will go live just prior to the event and can be found on the WPBFC website. Photos from the tournament are posted on Instagram & Facebook @westpalmbeachfishingclub and under #SilverSailfishDerby.  Proceeds from the event benefit the WPBFC’s many conservation and education initiatives.  For registration and additional details on theSilver Sailfish Derby contact the WPBFC at (561) 832-6780or visit:

More on Derby History & Sailfish Conservation….
According to America’s angling historian, Mike Rivkin, the Silver Sailfish Derby is the touchstone of all other billfish tournaments. Started in 1935, this patriarch played an important role by attracting people from across the country to the Palm Beaches as a way to stimulate tourism and business at a time when the region needed it most, the years following the Great Depression.  TheDerby became a significant sporting attraction and its popularity grew.  In the late 1950’s famous American author and avid big game angler Ernest Hemingway was a Derby trophy sponsor.  While plenty of celebrities have participated in the event through the years, it’s the Derby’s long standing support of billfish conservation that has been its hallmark.
 
The Derby’s contribution to the conservation of Florida’s Official State Saltwater Game Fish, the Atlantic sailfish, has been significant.In the late 1930’s Derby organizers began promoting catch and release fishing for sailfish, a very new and radical concept for the day.  This forward-thinking approach to offshore saltwater fishing set the stage for the catch and release ethic that is widely practiced by billfish anglers today. Perhaps the most notable conservation contribution attributable to the Derby is the development of the red release pennant.  The WPBFC began flying and promoting the pennants in 1938.  Today, the little red pennant is recognized around the world as a way to signify a sailfish release.  The Derby was also among the first tournaments to incorporate game fish tagging for scientific purposes into a competitive format.  Joining forces with the famous Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the 1960’s, the WPBFC helped initiate the cooperative Game Fish Tagging Program for science.  It was an important scientific partnership that included ground breaking sonic tagging of caught and released sailfish to document survival. The sonic tagging study was too expensive to have been accomplished with only state resources, so the WPBFC helped fill the void. WPBFC members and Derby participants have tagged thousands of billfish.  In 1970, the WPBFC convinced Florida’s State Marine Research Institute in St. Petersburg to establish an east coast research field laboratory initially inside its clubhouse premises, rent-free, to evaluate the biological status of this critical sport fish.  Later the WPBFC became an early advocate for the use of non-offset circle hooks when fishing for sailfish and required their use in the tournament prior to the National Marine Fisheries Service mandate.
Today the sailfish remains abundant in our western North Atlantic region, while in other areas and oceans many billfish are less abundant and overfished. The WPBFC’s long civic role, enthusiastic angling participation, experimentation and outstandingDerby catch and release ethics has made it one of the most unique institutions of its kind.  Along with its 1,400 members, allied businesses, educational, scientific and conservation organizations, and its charitable affiliate, the Palm Beach County Fishing Foundation, this entity continues to contribute especially to children’s education and Palm Beach County’s unique environmental needs. In recent years the WPBFC has been honored by the American Fisheries Society, The Billfish Foundation and the Florida Wildlife Federation for its conservation contributions.  The WPBFC, located in downtown West Palm Beach on the corner of 5th Street and North Flagler Drive, became one more of America’s significant National Historic Sites in 2016 when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Big game fishing historian and author Mike Rivkin chronicled the club’s and theSilver Sailfish Derby’s storied history in his book,The West Palm Beach Fishing Club: A 75-year History.

Bermuda Blue Marlin Wins 2017-2018 IGFA Great Marlin Race

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Blue Marlin Tagged in Bermuda Swims 5,089 Nautical Miles to Win 2017-2018 IGFA Great Marlin Race

DANIA BEACH, Fla. – July 9, 2018 – The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) today announced that a blue marlin satellite-tagged on July 21, 2017, during the Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship has won the 2017-2018 IGFA Great Marlin Race (IGMR).

The winning billfish swam an estimated 5,089 nautical miles (nm) in total or 2,658 nm point-to-point from Bermuda to about 600 nm northeast of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. This is the longest distance ever recorded by an IGMR-tagged blue marlin in Bermuda.

“Congratulations to tag sponsor Mike Verzaleno whose generosity allowed us to track the incredible journey of the winning billfish,” said IGFA President Nehl Horton. “Strong support from recreational anglers is the key to the success of this innovative, citizen-science conservation initiative.”

The IGMR is a partnership between IGFA and Stanford University that pairs recreational anglers with cutting-edge science to learn more about the basic biology of marlin and how they utilize the open ocean habitat. The goal of the program is to deploy 50 pop-up archival tags (PAT) in marlin at billfish tournaments around the world each year.

Since 2011, more than 350 satellite tags have been placed on billfish during IGMR tagging events. In the 2017-2018 race season, 58 tags were deployed on 31 blue marlin, 18 black marlin and nine striped marlin in seven countries around the world.

Marlin tagged in Bermuda during the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Triple Crown Billfish Championship tournaments swam a total of 16,464 nm and the winning fish accounts for 16 percent of this distance.

To learn more about the IGFA Great Marlin Race, visit https://igmr.igfa.org/Conserve/IGMR.aspx.

Step Towards Kicking Plastic at Casa Vieja Lodge

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July 9, 2018- MIAMI, FL- Casa Vieja Lodge is entering its third phase of the Kick Plastic Campaign pioneered by Costa del Mar. This fall, Casa Vieja Lodge will become a plastic-free campus by eliminating all single-use plastic bottles both at the lodge, and aboard their 10-boat fleet.

All anglers will receive a YETI 36oz Rambler Bottle upon arrival at Casa Vieja Lodge, their lifeline to water consumption. Two Elkay Water Fountain and Bottle Filling Stations were installed at the lodge, where clients can refill their YETI Ramblers during their stay. This water goes through a 4-stage filtration system, including a UV purification process and the solution to pure, clean drinking water at Casa Vieja Lodge.

“The largest consumption of single-use plastic water bottles is on our fleet. We average about

6 bottles a day/person. That equates to 60,000 a season just on the boats, add the consumption at the lodge and we are at 80,000 plastic bottles. That’s just wrong for the environment we rely so heavily on.” said Captain David Salazar.

Aboard the boats clients can refill their same Ramblers from the YETI Silo, a 6-gallon water cooler that keeps water cold for hours. Tried and true, anglers are able to keep their Rambler in direct Guatemalan sunlight while they are fighting billfish and return to their same ice-cold beverage.

Last season bamboo straws replaced the normal plastic straws in all beverages, which have proven deadly to many marine animal life. “Our fishery here in Guatemala is so amazing and so unique in itself that it’s our responsibility here at Casa Vieja Lodge to kick plastic even where the odds are completely against us. We really don’t see why you can’t do this in your own backyard.” said Kristen Salazar.

To get more information and inspiration on how you can make a difference visit the Casa Vieja Lodge Team at the 2018 ICAST Show in Orlando, FL July 11-13th at Booth #1611.

Renewed FishSmart Program Aims to Strengthen Conservation

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Industry Reinforces Commitment to Conservation Through Renewed FishSmart Program

Program aims to increase red snapper, red drum and other South Atlantic species survival rate

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – June 25, 2018 – The American Sportfishing Association – the sportfishing industry’s trade association – announced the launch of a new project to improve the survival of caught-and-released fish in the South Atlantic, as part of the FishSmart program.

The new FishSmart Red Snapper and Red Drum Conservation Project seeks to promote best practices for releasing fish and encourage greater awareness and use of tools proven to improve fish survival. Working in partnership with state fish and wildlife agencies, industry and other organizations, descending devices for deep water fish and short leader rigs for red drum will be distributed to anglers throughout the region, along with best practices for handling and releasing fish. Through participant surveys, valuable information will be gathered on the use of these tools and techniques that can help form better management decisions in the future.

In the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic, many reef fish such as red snapper are being released due to short seasons and high rates of encounter. Without proper handling techniques a significant percentage of released fish die, to the detriment of fisheries conservation and future fishing opportunities.

“We’re always working on ways to help increase fish survival rates and showcase the work anglers and industry do as conservationists,” said Mike Leonard, ASA’s Conservation Director. “The aim of FishSmart is to further bolster the recreational fishing community’s stewardship of the fisheries we enjoy. Through education and awareness, we expect to make a positive impact on fish populations and keep these fisheries robust for years to come.”

This South Atlantic project builds upon the success of a similar FishSmart project recently conducted in the Gulf of Mexico. From 2015 to 2017, the program – coordinated through ASA’s FishAmerica Foundation – recruited more than 1,100 anglers to use best practices for saltwater catch and release, which included the use of descending devices, such as the SeaQualizer – a tool that rapidly returns fish to the depth in which they were caught, allowing them to reacclimate for a successful release.

It’s estimated that 3,000 to 9,000 red snapper lowered to their original depth survived because of the descending device. The survival rate of the approximately 22,000 reef fish, or other species that anglers reported releasing, was also improved.

“We learned a great deal about anglers and their habits, techniques and overall viewpoints during FishSmart’s initial launch,” said Martin Peters, senior manager of Communications and Government Relations at Yamaha Marine Group – one of the program’s chief supporters. “By showing how increased use of best practices for releasing fish can lead to healthier fisheries, we are not only promoting fisheries conservation but also allowing for greater fishing opportunities. With healthy fisheries, everybody wins.”

Nearly 75 percent of participants in the Gulf of Mexico project had no prior knowledge of descending devices and shared that they are now likely to use the devices to release most or all fish, when needed. This finding suggests that with education and the proper gear, anglers are empowered to make a positive impact on marine fisheries.

The renewed FishSmart program will begin with 1,500 to 2,000 project participants in the South Atlantic region. These anglers will report their catches and best practice release techniques using distributed descending devices and short leader rigs via survey.

This program is possible in part through partnerships with: FishAmerica Foundation; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Grey’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary; NOAA Marine Fisheries; North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality; Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation; South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; South Carolina Department of Natural Resources; and Yamaha Marine Group.

To learn more about the FishSmart Red Snapper and Red Drum Conservation Project, visit www.TakeMeFishing.org/FishSmart.