60th Annual Buccaneer Cup

Celebrating 60 Years!

The

60th Anniversary of

the Buccaneer Cup is here. It’ s hard to imagine a tournament that was started way back in 1963, before many of us were even born, is still going strong. What an accomplishment! What an incredible legacy! We welcome you to join us in the festivities and to add another chapter in the Buccaneer Cup playbook.

As it has in the past, the tournament will donate a major portion of the proceeds its generates to organizations that represent our shared interests in conservation and that voice our concerns on fairness in fisheries management. They help assure we are well represented. Our two recipients this year are the Fisheries Conservation Trust and The Billfish Foundation.

As a participant, you are not only competing in one of the oldest and longest running billfish tournaments in the world, your helping to support these fine organiza-

tions. The Buccaneer Cup is underwritten by The Fisheries Conservation Trust, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Both the FCT and TBF work tirelessly to ensure the future of this sport and the industry we love and the Buc Cup hopes to be able to continue to provide support for them and like-minded organizations for another 60 years.

I am excited to have you join us for this milestone and assure you that the tournament committee and I will work tirelessly to put on a tournament you will enjoy and be proud to be a part of this year, and every year going forward. If you have questions or suggestions, my direct contact number is listed below. Please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you for your support. And, good luck!

Courtney Bowden

Courtney Bowden,

Director

Buccaneer Cup Tournament

561-909-7868

A Short History of the Buccaneer Cup

ThisJanuary the Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Release Tournament will reach another milestone that places it firmly into an elite category of billfish tournaments. This will be the 60th consecutive year it has been run since it was launched by members of the Buccaneer Yacht Club (BYC) in 1963!

The BYC was chartered in 1960 by three friends who shared a passion for boating and fishing; Elmer E. White, Dr. D.L. Patterson and Howard Moffit, all accomplished yachtsmen and ardent anglers. Moffit was the owner of both Sailfish Marina and the Buccaneer Yacht Club and Marina in Palm Beach Shores. To this day the two marinas sit side-by-side on the Interacoastal just a stone’s throw north of Lake Worth Inlet on Singer Island. The BYC was a family organization, and it was the wives who were often the backbone of many of the club’s annual events. Many of the club members children grew up to become active members in their own right. Membership grew quickly and it wasn’t long before the BYC started developing fishing tournaments. After all, the Gulf

Stream was just a short run from the inlet and at various times during the year it was teaming gamefish including Florida’s favorite, the Atlantic sailfish. It was the winter migration of sailfish through the area that was the impetus for the Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament, first held in 1963. It was quickly followed by the Buccaneer Blue Marlin Tournament in 1964, but it was the sailfish tournament that would stand the test of time and become synonymous with Florida sport fishing.

This area of the Sunshine State was a hotbed of sportfishing activity dating back to the early 1900s. The Sailfish Club of Florida, where we have held the awards dinner for the Buccaneer Cup for the past two decades, is headquartered in nearby Palm Beach and was founded back in 1914. The West Palm Beach Fishing Club was chartered in 1934. The Rybovich Boat Company, credited with designing and building the first of the “modern era” sportfishing yachts and for numerous advances in fish gear used aboard game boats had its yard right across the Intracoastal from the BYC. There is so much sportfishing history in this area of Florida that it is almost hard to fathom and by some standards the BYC was almost

a latecomer to the party in 1960.

From the beginning the Buccaneer Cup pitted many of the top boats, captains and anglers against each other in an all-release format aimed at the conservation of sailfish, something that remains at the heart of the tournament to this day. Interestingly, while the male members of the BYC might have come up with the idea of putting on competitive fishing events it was the wives, and later the daughters, who did much, if not most of the work. Marge White, the wife of founding member Elmer, was a driving force in the development and annual running of the tournament. In later years the ladies reigned supreme as Margret Leonard, Dorothy Hironimous and Helen Hironimous took the lead. Helen was tournament chairperson in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and was still on the tournament committee in 2005 when the BYC was struggling to survive due to a dwindling membership and the sale of the Buccaneer Marina to developers. They would turn most of the facility into a small condominium and privatize the marina effectively shutting down the popular restaurant and bar for dayto-day operations.

In 2005 David Doyle, the last commodore of the BYC, with the approv-

al of the remaining board of directors, approached Gary Caputi in an effort to save the tournament. They wanted its legacy to live on and for the proceeds from the tournament to benefit a worthwhile cause. Since 2006 we have strived to do both by putting on a world class tournament and by making it non-profit. Today, tournament director Courtney Bowden carries on the tradition with the tournament underwritten by the Fisheries Conservation Trust with proceeds split between the FCT and The Billfish Foundation.

The Buccaneer Cup is a part of the history of sport fishing and is still going strong. More specifically it’s a part of the culture of big game fishing, much of which was spawned along the East Coast of Florida and among the islands in the Stream. Many of the legends of our sport cut their teeth right here and a long list of them competed in the Buc Cup over the years.

This year the Buccaneer Cup will be just that much more special because of the historical significance of turning 60 years young. Will this be the year you and your team have your names placed among the long list of winners of the Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Release Tournament?

60th Anniversary

Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Release ournament

2023 Tournament Schedule, Rules & Scoring

GENERAL INFORMATION

Captain’s Meeting: January 17, 2023 Viking Service Center, Riviera Beach, FL 33404 (Registration/Calcutta/Entry 6 to 9 PM)

Awards Dinner: January 21, 2023 at The Sailfish Club, 1338 N. Lake Way, Palm Beach Island, FL 33480 (NOT Sailfish Marina). Teams are required to RSVP for the awards dinner no later than Friday (lines out) with the exception of winning teams.

1. Fishing Days: January 19, 20, 21, 2023. Teams choose 2 out of the 3 days to fish. Fishing days must be announced prior to lines in or the day will be considered a lay day. Teams must fish a total of 2 days to qualify, lines in to lines out.

2. Fishing Hours: Lines in 8:00 AM. Lines out 3:30 PM

3. Boundaries: From 27.40.00 latitude (North) to 26.02.00 latitude (South · Ft. Lauderdale Inlet area) and no further offshore than 079.45 longitude.

4. BOATS MAY LEAVE OR ENTER THROUGH

ANY INLET. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC DEPARTURE TIME.

5. Fishing Days: All teams are required to notify the Radio Committee that they intend to fish on a given fishing day and which type of bait they intend to use prior to setting lines.

6. Boats must fish 2 full days for tournament to be official.

FISHING REGULATIONS

7. I.G.F.A. Rules apply except as follows: 8. Only non-offset circle hooks and maximum manufacturer stated 20-lb. test line may be used.

9. The length of the leader may not exceed 15 feet. The combined length of the double line and the leader may not exceed 20 feet.

10. Live or dead baits may be used, but only one type of bait is permitted in the water at any one time. Teams are required to declare which type of bait they will use on each fishing day. If a team decides to

change from live to dead baits or dead to live baits while fishing, the team must notify the Radio Committee. All lines must be out of the water prior to a bait change. A bait change cannot take place during a hook-up. Following a team giving notification to the Radio Committee of a bait type change, no fish may be recorded for a period of 5 minutes for that team.

11. Chumming of any kind, including with live bait, is prohibited.

12. No more than six rods are permitted in the water at any time. This includes rods being used to catch bait.

13. Live Bait: No more than two kites maybe used and artificial or dead bait dredges or teasers are permitted. Dead Bait: No more than two dredges maybe used and artificial or dead bait surface teasers and daisy chains are permitted.

14. Live bait teasers are prohibited.

15. Passing the rod after hookup (hook and hand) is permitted to a registered angler only once per fish. The pass must occur as close to immediately after hookup as possible and as soon as the line is tight.

CATCH VALIDATION

16. The Buccaneer Cup will utilize video catch verification on all participating boats. Each team will be prompted to show a phone or GPS with date and time as well as repeating the verification “word of the day” which will be announced each morning prior to lines in.

17. Buc Cup Tournament committee will utilize video catch/ release verification for all participating boats. Every boat must supply their release footage at the end of each fishing day upon check in. Release videos are required to be uploaded to the Buc Cup (Reel Time App) no later than 7pm. Or SD cards dropped at the Buccaneer Marina weigh station by 6pm at latest. NO VIDEO = NO FISH. The video must match the date / time stamp on the correlating catch card for that day. Catch

release cards must be submitted by text photo to Tournament Director, Courtney Bowden 561-909-7868 cell by 7pm as well.

18. Video must clearly capture the species of fish during the fight and the release of each fish. Angler fighting the fish must also be identified on video. Failure to qualify species and release of fish will result in disqualification of fish.

19. Any question or concern regarding fish verification will be determined by the Video/Rules Committee alone. Polygraph will be administered to the winning team in the event there is a discrepancy with protest.

20. To qualify for points each release must be called in to the Tournament Committee including the boat name/number, type of bait and angler's full name immediately by VHF radio (channel 79) or cell phone and it is acknowledged with an assigned catch number and official time of release. The time, catch number and angler’s full name must be entered for each release on the boat’s catch log. Hookups 15 minutes prior to the end of fishing must be called in for a release after lines out to qualify.

21. A release is official when the leader is touched by the mate, the leader is wound inside the rod tip or the cork on a live bait rod touches the rod tip.

22. Your entry into the Buccaneer Cup implies expressed approval that you and all anglers and crew members will submit to a polygraph test if requested by the rules committee. Failure to do will result in disqualification. A certified polygraph examiner will be on site should such services be required.

23. Meat Fish Validation: Weigh station will be held at The Buccaneer Marina each day from 3:30p-5:30pm – The T Head will be available for teams to pull in and weigh. No mutilated fish will be weighed. Species include, Kingfish, Dolphin, Wahoo, Cobia, Tuna. Heaviest overall will qualify for the "Walter Johnson" Meat Fish Trophy.

POINT STRUCTURE & SCORING

24. Release points will be awarded as follows:

* 200 points for sailfish on live bait.

* 300 points for sailfish on dead bait.

* 400 points for marlin on either bait.

25. In case of a tie the winner will be determined by which boat/angler reaches the number of points that resulted in the tie first by time.

26. Tagging award: The team with the most successfully deployed billfish tags via TBF will be awarded a Buccaneer Cup. Teams must follow guidelines outlined by TBF while tagging and must mark the “Tagged” box on each release catch sheet to qualify. Tags will be verified via video validation outlined above.

27. Protests must be submitted to the Rules Committee in writing accompanied by a nonrefundable $500 filing fee no later than 5:00 PM on the fishing day in question. In all cases the decision of the Rules Committee is final.

28. Prizes: Prizes are awarded to Top Overall Boat · Top Live Bait Boat · Top Dead Bait Boat · Top Captain · Top Angler · Top Lady Angler · Top Junior Angler · Heaviest Meat Fish · First and Last Fish of the Tournament · Top Tagging Team · (+additional Calcutta awards).

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

29. Boats and anglers must comply with all state and federal fishing regulations and licensing requirements. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. All boats must carry appropriate liability insurance.

30. All boats must be a minimum of 27 feet LOA. The final determination of a boat’s eligibility will be at the discretion of the Rules Committee.

31. Refunds: No refunds for entry fees will be given for any reason including, but not

limited to acts of nature, war, national security, Covid-19, vessel malfunctions or travel restrictions. Calcutta fees will be returned (minus the % for cc service fee) given a team is unable to compete.

32. Hold Harmless – By entering the tournament all registered anglers and non-registered occupants of their boats enter and participate in this tournament voluntarily at their own risk. In consideration for the tournament’s acceptance of his or her entry, each angler, for his or her heirs, executors, and administrators, agrees to release, hold harmless and indemnify the Tournament (Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament / Contact Courtney Consulting, LLC / Fisheries Conservation Trust.), its officers, managers, directors, agents, sponsors, donors, the city and county where the event is held, and all other persons connected directly or indirectly with the operation of the tournament, from and against any and all liabilities, claims, actions, damages, costs, fees or expenses which he or she may have against any above-described party, or which his or her captains, crew members, family members, companions or nonregistered occupants of their boat may have, arising out of or in any way connected with his or her participation in this tournament, including any injury or death suffered by any registered angler, boat captains, crew members, family members, companions or other occupants of any boat, and including any damage to vessels and equipment, which occurs during or in conjunction with the event. Each Angler understands and agrees that this release specifically includes and waives any claims based on libel, slander, negligence, action or inaction of any abovenamed party.

Calcutta: Will be available the week of the Tournament until close of the Captains Meeting, Jan. 17. Cash, Check, CC are accepted. For wire instructions please email: Director@BuccaneerCup.com (please note, all Calcutta entries and payment must be submitted in writing and signed for by the team member paying).

60th Anniversary

Buccaneer Cup Featured Artist

It takes the eye of a fisherman to capture the essence of our sport and that we asked renowned marine artist Steve Goione to return to create the eye-popping art and logo for the 60th versary edition of the Buccaneer Cup.

Steve eats, sleeps and breathes bluewater fishing and the boats that make it possible. His heart lies on the edge where great gamefish roam. Where the beat of powerful diesel engines vibrate up through your feet into your very soul. He fishes as a team member with of some of the best tournament crews in the business where he is a keen observer of the environment around him. His many years of experience in that realm gives him the perspective that only comes when you walk the walk.

Steve knows the tension that comes with the preparation for another day on the grounds and the optimistic expectations of the team. The intense concentration that accompanies the first glimpse of a billfish showing its brightest hunting colors as it makes its ap-

proach into the spread. The emotions that accompany the drop-back, hook up and carefully choreographed fight where each team member has responsibilities and must perform flawlessly. He has felt the exhilaration that flows between team members when the challenge has been met and another billfish is successfully released. It is ingrained in the images he puts on paper and canvas. His forty-plus years at the easel has honed his skill as an artist, but it is his passion that makes his renditions a celebration of great gamefish, game boats and people who make up tournament fishing’s brother and sisterhood.

Over the years Steve has done special works for this event including the striking 50th Anniversary artwork. It is amazing how fast the last ten years has gone by but it is only a drop in the bait bucket when compared to the long history of this special event. So raise a glass of Steve’s signature Gamefish Vodka as we celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the legendary Buccaneer Cup and salute one of sportfishing’s great artists Steve Goione.

Battle at the Buc

Cup

The 59th Annual Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament was held January 19-22, 2022, and it was a tough one for most of the teams. The fishing was a grind from start to finish with spurts of activity popping up here and there. While action in general was slow the meat fish category was hopping with dolphin, a brace of hefty king mackerel caught by team Chop It Up aboard their sharp looking Sea Vee center console, and a hefty 56-pound tuna weighed in by Team Release Boatworks on their gorgeous walkaround.

With 39 of the top tournament teams in Florida competing for a respectable purse of $380,000 only 109 sailfish were caught and released. The fishing, while generally slow for most teams started to heat up on Day Two as two boats broke away from the pack, one fishing live bait the other trolling rigged ballyhoo. Throughout Day Two and Three this singular competition would continue with the lead changing hands back and forth regularly. The surprizing action became the show to watch as all ears were glued to the tournament channel listening to hear who would call in the next release and all eyes were on smartphone screens streaming the Buc Cup Reel Time App to confirm what they heard and watch the top of the leader board swing back and forth throughout the Day Three.

The two teams creating all the commotion were the new to the Buc Cup, Team Seraphim on the live-bait side of the ledger and perennial tournament contender and past Buc Cup champions Team Lo Que Sea doing what they do best, trolling dink ballyhoo. Here’s how it played out.

Both teams opted to stay dockside on Day One, a good decision and one that was followed by the majority of the fleet. Then on Day Two Seraphim struck first with a release at 9:33, another at 11:55 and one more at 12:45 for three unanswered releases. But Tony Huerta’s crew on the Lo Que Sea got the ball rolling after lunch with dead bait releases at 1:13 and two more just after 2:00 to put them in the lead on points. Remember, the longstanding Buc Cup points rules give dead bait releases a 100 point advantage over those caught on live bait. The rules read releases with dead bait are credited 300 points while live bait releases receive 200. Winners are computed not on the number of releases, but by totaling up the points. By late afternoon things quieted down just a bit and then Seraphim struck again releasing their last fish of the day at 2:56, but that was quickly followed by a release by Lo Que Sea at 3:06. Lines out at 3:30 put an end to round one of the match between the two teams but it would resume bright and early on Day Three

A Recap of the action at the 59th Buccaneer

For a tournament that saw slow fishing it was one of the most thrilling finishes in Buccaneer Cup history!

Not long after lines in, Team Seraphim started the competition off on a tear releasing four sails between 9:22 and 9:45, but Huerta and crew were not to be denied. They released two at 9:00 and another at 10:30, which were countered by Seraphim with releases at 10:35 and 10:59. Lo Que Sea struck again at 1:30 which put them in the lead on points. At 12:30 Team Seraphim release a double to put their points total at 2400 tying it all up. It would be a race to the finish to see who would walk away with the coveted Buccaneer Cup 1st Place Boat title. The afternoon action proceeded to slow to a crawl with neither boat able to add to their totals until Huerta’s team saw another sail come to the dredge with only minutes left before lines out. Taylor Beckwith executed a perfect drop-back to hook the fish. Taylor has won Top Angler honors in the Buc before and he is one of the sports surest hands at baiting and fighting sailfish so the outcome was never

in question. At 2:45 they radioed in the release that put them over the top in points at 2700 and neither team scored again before lines out was called by the tournament team in the radio room. Seraphim did a remarkable job releasing 8 sails on Day Three falling just short of the win with 2400 points in the head-to-head competition. They still won the top live bait division and a good bit of Calcutta money as a reward while the rest of the field breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. For a tournament that saw generally slow fishing it was one of the most thrilling finishes in Buccaneer Cup history!

Later that same day, the invited teams gathered at The Sailfish Club of Florida to share stories at the open bar and feast on the sumptuous seafood buffet dinner that has become a hallmark of the tournament. The dinner and awards presentation was hosted by tournament director Courtney Bowden and bluewater fishing

Team Lo Que Sea walked away with a hard-fought win, taking home a brace of trophies and a check for $157,645.

Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament

Presenting Sponsor Buccaneer Cup

Corporate Sponsors

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Annual

60th Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament

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60th Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament

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A Proud Sponsor of the 60th Anniversary Buccaneer Cup

Pushing Back on Extreme Vessel Speed Reductions

by Ellen Peel, President

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to protect North Atlantic Right Whales, whose populations are estimated to be approximately 366 individuals.

The proposal would implement an 11.5 mile per hour speed limit on any vessel 35 feet or longer, but would also encourage smaller vessels to abide by the same restrictions. A previous attempt to initiate a speed limit was implemented

force such an act has now led to the current regulatory measures.

If approved, this speed reduction would apply when motoring through Seasonal Management Areas and in Dynamic Management Areas (DMA) along most of the East Coast, which can extend nearly 90 miles offshore in certain areas. If NMFS had trouble regulating boats over 65’ in the past, what is the likeli-

hood of enforcing all the additional boats created by reducing the vessel size to 35’ and up? What has changed?

For those familiar with vessel operations, 11.5 miles per hour is roughly one bump above idle. As a result, the time now needed to reach fishing grounds, ferry passengers, or deliver cargo will increase dramatically resulting in dramatic economic losses. It’s important to note that TBF supports the conservation of right whales, and wants to ensure our actions do not result in the extinction of a species. That being said, the government’s failure to act sooner has now resulted in a difficult predicament of whale conservation versus commerce. By not implementing more realistic solutions in a more timely manner, the marine industry has now been forced to voice their concerns in a “no-win scenario.”

An analysis by Industrial Economics, Incorporated (IEI) estimated “the direct cost impact in transit times will range between $28.3 to $39.4 million a year with the “commercial shipping industry bearing between 74 to 87 percent of these costs.” One could then assume that these increased restrictions would not only prevent a recovery from our current economic inflation, but could further complicate our supply chain issues and lead to even more inflationary pressure. But all industries will be affected, especially those such as the recreational boating and angling industries that are so often overlooked. The recreational boating industry alone is currently valued at $170 billion, supporting 69,149 jobs and 35,277 businesses. The recreational fishing industry generates $48 billion in retail sales, contributes $15 billion in states and federal taxes, makes a $115 billion impact, and supports 828,000 jobs.

While there may not be a definitive answer to this difficult question, TBF is once again advocating for better communication from the government and the powers that be, and to consider all entities of the marine industry when implementing such regulations.

Perhaps a technological solution is the answer? Or something associated with the Navy’s Marine Mammal Monitoring Program or those at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution? In theory, if their present technical monitoring capabilities can be integrated into a vessel alert system, perhaps vessels could be notified of a whale within a programmed range, thus triggering speed reductions? TBF is not an expert in this field, but the only way to truly answer such a difficult question is to consider all entities, possibilities, and include as many expert opinions as possible. Currently, the campaign to find different solutions on Capitol Hill is being led by Pat Healey, president and CEO of the Viking Yacht Company.

More recently, it has been reported similar restrictions are coming to the northeastern Gulf of Mexico to protect Rice’s Whales, whose population has been estimated to be less than 100.

From our end, one cannot help but notice the parallels between these issues mentioned above, and the number of other issues we’ve brought to the attention of the government. It’s just so unfortunate that those in the marine sportfishing and boating industry are being forced to choose between economics and conservation. The answer should never be binary. The goal should be to promote the industry, advocate for sustainability, and utilize science throughout the process. The reality, unfortunately, seems to be far from that idea.

The Buccaneer Cup provides FREE Reel Time Scoring Apps to contestants and anyone else who wants to keep up with the action as it happens.

For desktop web coverage or to learn more about how the phone apps work go to www.reeltimeapps.com