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FISHING RECORDS IGFA CLUBS TOURNAMENTS CAPTAINS & GUIDES CERTIFIED OBSERVER WEIGH STATIONS DONOR OPPORTUNITIES |
Conservation
Since its inception in 1939 when it was housed in the American Museum of Natural History, IGFA has taken an active, global role in fisheries management and conservation. Excerpts by vice president, Phillip Wylie from the 1945 IGFA ORGANIZATION and RULES manual typify this:
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The anglers and scientists who first envisaged this organization had,
however, broader purposes in view than the mere maintenance of world record
information.”“ Again, the sportsman who brings intelligence as well as a mere instinct to his endeavors universally becomes the conservationist – and the conservation of fishes is of equal importance to the scientist, the angler, the commercial fisherman, and the general public. Fish, like the waters of the sea themselves, are the common property of all the people of the earth ” IGFA continues to be a proponent and leader in fisheries conservation. Below are just some of IGFA's ongoing programs that benefit fisheries conservation. Stay tuned for future additions and efforts where you can become personally involved. Your donation to the IGFA Conservation program will provide the necessary funding to continue our legacy as the world leader in game fish conservation.
IGFA INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE
PARTICIPATION IN COOPERATIVE RESEARCH
IGFA takes an active role in partnering in cooperative research with governmental, academic, and private organizations to benefit fisheries conservation. Current projects include: • A Performance Comparison of Two Types of Circle Hooks in the South Florida Live-bait Fishery for Atlantic Sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus . This study is a partnership with scientists at NOAA Fisheries using funding from the Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament to accomplish the following objectives:
Click here to see the results of the study • ADOPT A BILLFISH
For more information including how you can become involved in the program, visit http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/PDFdocs/Adopt-A-Billfish.pdf
REPRESENTATION ON REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PANELS
COORDINATION OF FISHERIES SYMPOSIA AND CONFERENCES
BILLFISH CAMPAIGN
Until recently, no one really knew the extent of the international billfish market. To determine this, IGFA contracted Gentner Consulting Group to develop a report on the current state of international billfish markets. What we found may surprise you. The United States has the dubious distinction of being the world’s largest importer of billfish (swordfish not included). You can see this shocking statistic and others by downloading the full report or executive summary. IGFA along with several other organizations will be using this information to mount an aggressive campaign to ban the sale and importation of billfish in the United States. |
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PRIVACY POLICY
Copyright @ 2008
IGFA -- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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IGFA
has 300 representatives in nearly 90 countries that help keep us apprised
of international fisheries issues and actively influence their local authorities
to promote game fish conservation. It is this committee that makes
IGFA truly international and allows us to stay apprized of fisheries issues
worldwide. 
Compare circle hook performance for (Eagle Claw L2004) and (Owner 5178)
circle hooks relative to: catch and hook rate, hook location,
and occurrence of blood.
The
Adopt-A-Billfish tagging program is a research program
using innovative technology of pop-up satellite archival tags (PSAT) to
monitor billfish movement patterns. 
The
program is being coordinated by a team of experienced scientists who work
with the National Marine Fisheries Service's Southeast and Southwest Fisheries
Science Centers (Miami, FL., La Jolla, CA), University of Miami's Center
for Sustainable Fisheries, The Billfish Foundation, the Bermuda Department
of Environmental Protection, and the International Game Fish Association.
Tagging operations are currently underway throughout the Atlantic Ocean
and Caribbean Sea, including the waters off South Florida, the Bahamas
and Bermuda. In the Pacific, we are relying on a network of collaborators,
especially those affiliated with the Presidential Challenge tournament
series off the coast of Central America. 
IGFA
staff members, representatives and Trustees represent recreational fishing
interests on national and international fisheries advisory panels. Although
not highly publicized, we take this role seriously and feel that it is
our duty to disseminate information about fisheries to our membership
and the global recreational fishing community in general. 
IGFA
staff members, representatives and Trustees attend numerous fisheries
conferences and symposia each year. In addition, we also take an active
role in bringing together anglers, scientists, and managers to discuss
fisheries issues, and have hosted and sponsored symposia on snook, tarpon,
and bonefish. 
Many of the world’s billfish stocks are in bad shape. Nevertheless, marlin, sailfish and spearfish are harvested, exported and imported worldwide. In some areas, billfish caught by small scale artisanal fishers provide sustenance to the local populace, while in other places billfish are a niche seafood product that are marketed to high-end restaurants and grocery stores.