The IGFA's 2010 World Record Achievement Award went to Bobby McGuinness, who set more world records last year than any other captain anywhere.
Captain Bobby McGuinness has done it again! For the second time in his illustrious 30 years as a sportfishing captain in Costa Rica, Bobby McGuinness was named the year’s (2010) top captain in the world by the prestigious International Game Fish Association (IGFA).
The IGFA also presented Bobby with its 2010 Lifetime Achievement award.
See Bobby McGuinness Video
This is the second time the IGFA has honored Bobby McGuinness, who fishes out of Golfito in Costa Rica’s South Pacific, as the world’s top captain; the first was in 2006. Over the past 8-10 years he has a long string of IGFA achievements: he made the IGFA’s Top 10 list of guides and captains from around the world in 2008, tying for 5th place that year with 13 IGFA world fishing records. He also boasts an IGFA 3rd place certificate for 2009, and a 2nd place IGFA Saltwater Captain diploma for 2004. Originally from Golfito, Bobby has also fished out of Quepos in the Central Pacific coast and Flamingo in the North Pacific coast, Panama and the United States (North Carolina). Read more... (646 words, 3 images, estimated 2:35 mins reading time)
Commercial longlining ships like this Panamanian vessel photographed off Panama will now be banned in the waters of the Central American nation, from setting hundreds of baited hooks to its lines which attract by catch species like billfish, turtles and sharks. The recent presidential decree is a huge triumph for conservation, recreational catch-and-release sportfishing efforts and for the socio-economy of the region. (Photo courtesy of Elliott Stark, The Billfish Foundation)
PANAMA CITY, Panama and FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., USA – After banning
commercial purse seining from its waters in July, the Republic of Panama has taken further steps adding restrictions on longlining for the conservation of its marine life and its socio-economic growth.
In letters to Panamanian officials, Ellen Peel, President of The Billfish Foundation and Chris Fischer founder of OCEARCH, applauded the government for becoming the first of the seven Central America nations to restrict pelagic longline gear within its waters.
The practice of commercial longlining in the region uses hundreds of baited hooks attached to short lengths of line spaced at intervals to main lines. The longliners target swordfish and tuna, but also hook bycatch species including sharks, turtles and recreational billfish like marlin and sailfish. Read more... (700 words, 1 image, estimated 2:48 mins reading time)
“The anglers were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of roosterfish danced in their heads”.
Apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, who wrote ‘Twas the Night before Christmas’ almost 200 years ago, for this bit of poetic license. Of course, had he been a fisherman — and we can’t rule that out — he would surely understand.
There was more than roosterfish on the mind of Steve Hanna and his group, whom Costa Rica Fishing hooked up with Tamarindo with Captain Manuel Leal on the 36ft Capullo out of Tamarindo in the North Pacific. Steve’s party raised three marlin, releasing a striper and a 275lb black, and also bagged three 20-40lb tuna on a very good day.
2010 fishing season ends with a bang!
A couple of days earlier, Erin Fitzsimmons and her group on the 42ft Dragin Fly out of Los Sueños Marina in the Central Pacific managed ‘just enough’ to call it a successful day, releasing two billfish and keeping a big dorado for dinner. Read more... (463 words, 2 images, estimated 1:51 mins reading time)
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Tourism is Costa Rica’s top industry and new research shows North Americans traveling there in 2008 to fish generated $599 million – or about two percent of Costa Rica’s gross domestic product.
The study, conducted in 2009 by The Billfish Foundation, Southwick Associates and the University of Costa Rica, revealed 283,790 anglers visited Costa Rica and their economic impact even overshadowed commercial fishing. It was estimated 22 percent of those tourists visited the country for the exclusive purpose of fishing.
Recreational fishing surpasses commercial fishing revenue; more CR jobs.
From that $599 million the study also showed sportfishing generated almost $78 million in tax revenues for Costa Rica and 63,000 jobs. In comparison, the effect of commercial fishing for the same species sought by anglers generated approximately $528 million to Costa Rica’s gross domestic product. Commercial fishing contributed $68.6 million in tax revenue and created 57,000 jobs.
“We have already had the opportunity to present the results of this study to the incoming vice president and minister of tourism,” said Ellen Peel, president of The Billfish Foundation. “And we will be making a formal presentation to a wider cross sector of government and business leaders this summer. The leadership in Costa Rica had no idea that their country receives more benefits from a sustainable recreational harvest than from the subsidized excessive effort in the commercial fishery.” Read more... (964 words, 2 images, estimated 3:51 mins reading time)
A happy angler's catch/release from IFGA 2006 Worlds Best Captain Bobby McGuinness @ 4costaricafishing.com
After nearly a year, Costa Rica and remaining countries of Central America have approved an agreement with The Billfish Foundation (TBF) to create a sustainable management plan for billfish and other popular game fish vital to growing sport fishing and tourism in the region. In Jan, 2009, the TBF successfully reached a ban on exporting billfish meat.
The agreement between TBF and the Organization of Fisheries and Aquaculture for the Isthmus of Central America (OSPESCA) was signed by OSPESCA President Steadman Fagoth Muller, of Nicaragua, and Nelson (scientific director for TBF). OSPESCA Executive Director Mario Gonzalez Recino presided over the ceremony and along with Nelson presented the Nicaraguan Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture with a computer and programs for use in collecting, managing, and analyzing sport fisheries data such as the migratory habits of sailfish, marlin, dorado and swordfish and to protect billfish mainly from over fishing by commercial interests, while implementing tag & release programs for sportsmen. Costa Rica sport fishing captains for years have honored the catch and release fishing. Read more... (256 words, 1 image, estimated 1:01 mins reading time)
Loading ...