Page 48 - 52nd Annual White Marlin Open

“By marrying competition and conservation, we can gather data that helps ensure the

survival of these magnificent species. The winners exemplify the heart of this program:

a deep commitment to conservation and the betterment of sport fishing. ”

- Jason Schratwieser | IGFA President

The IGMR is perhaps one of the more conspicu- approaches as well as potential solutions to improve
ous conservation efforts by the IGFA but it is by no the condition and value of billfish in this region.
means the only example. Below is a sampling of oth-
er recent IGFA initiatives as they relate to billfish 6th International Billfish Symposium (2016) -
and tuna. Hosted at the IGFA’s HQ and co-chaired by then
IGFA Conservation Director Jason Schratwieser, this
Billfish Conservation Act of 2012 and Amendment symposium had 60 participants from seven coun-
in 2018 - The Take Marlin off the Menu Campaign tries. Proceedings were published in a special edi-
transitioned from a public awareness campaign to a tion of the ICES Journal of Marine Science.
legislative effort with the goal of passing a law that
would ban the importation of billfish to the conti- 7th International Billfish Symposium (2024) - The
nental United States. Signed into law by President IGFA and Wild Oceans hosted the 7th International
Obama 2012, the Billfish Conservation Act (BCA) Billfish Symposium in 2024 bringing together over
closed US mainland commercial markets to import- 100 of the world’s leading billfish scientists and
ing marlin, sailfish and spearfish and, in 2018, an managers as well as other stakeholders including
amendment to the BCA clarifying some issues was recreational fisherman. Co-chaired by IGFA Con-
signed into law by President Trump. servation Director Dr. Bruce Pohlot the proceedings
from this symposium will also be published in a spe-
Caribbean Billfish Project (2015-2018) - In 2018, cial edition of the ICES Journal of Marine Science.
the IGFA concluded three years of work on the Ca-
ribbean Billfish Project (CBP), which recaptured lost International Union for the Conservation of Nature
wealth and contributed to sustainable livelihoods in (IUCN) Red List (2011-Present) - IGFA has partici-
the Western-Central Atlantic region through invest- pated in two global assessments of tuna and billfish
ment in innovative management and conservation species since 2011 when the IGFA hosted an IUCN

48 | visit us online at www.WhiteMarlinOpen.com

WMO 52 Magazine.indd 48 7/15/25 8:02AM