There are a number of places in the world where billfish gather in large numbers for various periods of time ranging from a couple of months to 6 months then depart for destinations unknown. These places are pretty famous fishing locales and as such the local economy is heavily dependent on visiting anglers. The Billfish Research Project team is working to develop collaborative relationships with scientists and sportfishermen at these places to initiate research projects. The data obtained from these projects will be provided to fisheries management policymakers.

These are the projects that The Billfish Research Project Team is trying to line up. If you know of anyone who could help with funding, provide logistics support or has a boat and is interested in allowing us to ride along and tag a fish please contact Jamie Walker (Jamie@billfishresearch.com)

Costa Rica - click to expand

Initiated in December of 2011, the project is be based out of Quepos, Costa Rica in collaboration with Frenzy Sportfishing. During the Proof of Concept phase of this project, the team deployed pop-up satellite tags (PSATs) in two sailfish. The tags are leading edge solar powered PSATs developed by Desert Star Systems and will gather information on location, depth and water temperature to determine the migration patterns of billfish off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The team hopes to deploy up to 20 PSATs in the spring of 2012. Track the Fish >> | Photo Gallery >>

Guatemala - click to expand

Like most of the Pacific coast of Central America, billfish arrive in great numbers off the west coast of Guatemala during the months of January – March and depart in May. Are these part of the same stock as in Costa Rica? Do these fish leave and go to the same place as the Costa Rican fish? Project currently in the planning stages.

Panama - click to expand

From the time the famous angler Zane Grey tackled huge black marlin in the waters off Pinas Bay, Panama has been a big game angler's mecca. The Billfish Research Project team is anxious to deploy PSATs in this body of fish to determine their migratory patterns. If discovered to be the same body of fish that wander up into Costa Rica and Guatemala, fisheries management policymakers might treat these fish as one large biomass and the resultant improved management of the stock would have long term benefits to the fish and the economies of these Central American countries. Project currently in the planning stages.

Isla Mujeres, Mexico - click to expand

Famous for its January & February sailfish bite, Isla is a destination for many US based sportfishing boats. Despite its billfishing notoriety scientists know next to nothing about the migratory patterns of the billfish that visit the beautiful waters off this tiny Mexican island located just 10 miles off the mainland city of Cancun. The Billfish Research Project's team considers Isla to be a perfect place to conduct another migration study using PSATs. Project currently in the planning stages.

St. Thomas, USVI - click to expand

The North Drop around the full moons of June through September sees a huge number of Atlantic Blue Marlin coming through. The smaller males usually arrive first followed by the larger females. So is this a mating aggregation? Maybe so. Where are they when they are not hanging out busting the tackle of anglers? That's what The Billfish Research team hopes to learn by initiating a study there. Project currently in the planning stages.

Mauritius - click to expand

Located off Madagascar in the Indian Ocean this small country is famous for its beautiful beaches as well as huge blue and black marlin. Currently the records are 1430 for the blues and 752 for the blacks. Prime season runs November to April. Sound familiar? The Team has scientists in Mauritius very interested in studying the migratory patterns of these huge billfish. Project currently in the planning stages.

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The Billfish Research Project Mission

The mission of The Billfish Research Project is to pursue collaborative efforts between the science and sportfishing communities to enhance the billfish research knowledge base. The results of these efforts will be communicated to fisheries management policy makers, the scientific community and to the worldwide sportfishing community.