Abstract

The conventional tagging and recapture data from The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) Cooperative Billfish Tagging Program represent an important information source for science and management. The data derived from the program has many uses, most importantly for stock-assessments and later for policy. This recapture project focuses on gathering more fisheries data by collaborating with the local government, other non-profit organizations and artisanal fishermen. The Dominican Republic is an area of importance because it is a possible spawning ground for white and blue marlin. Moreover, TBF sees a high amount of billfish tagging effort annually, but few recaptures from the region. After interviewing some local fishermen, TBF discovered they encounter tagged (recaptured) fish but were uncertain what they should do with tag. The project involves a TBF-trained volunteer and fisheries officer collecting and recording the fisheries data from each recaptured fish and sending it to TBF. In turn, the government would receive landing data and a census of the artisanal fleets and the fishing community would receive incentives to report all the recapture data to a TBF. This poster reports on the project’s beginnings and recent program advances; including domestic and international outreach efforts.

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