58th Annual Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Release Tournament

58th Annual

Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Release Tournament

Presented by

January 20 - 23, 2021 January 2021

58th Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament

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A Proud Sponsor of the

58th Annual Buccaneer Cup

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A Welcome Message from

Courtney Bowden, Director Director@Buccaneercup.com - 561-909-7868

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he past year has been full of challenge and uncertainty. It has forced us all to rethink and redesign the way we operate in the world, with one another and especially how we operate events that bring groups of people into close proximity. The 58th running of the Buccaneer Cup will be no exception. After much consideration, we feel we are up to the challenge and we cannot wait for the festivities to get underway. The tournament committee has been working hard to craft an event that is safe, fun and beneficial for everyone who would like to participate, and we hope to welcome back teams that have fished with us in the past, and welcome some that are first timers.

As other tournaments have been navigating this “new normal� they have paved the way for us to learn from their events throughout 2020 as mandates and guidelines relating to COVID-19 have evolved. Taking all these things into consideration, we will do our best to create a fun and safe environment for our teams and sponsors. There will be some changes to the in-person portions of the event due to capacity and distancing regulations required by our venues, however, we are striving to increase the value and fun the Buccaneer Cup is known for.

Throughout the pandemic, it has become abundantly clear that we need fishing, and many of us thrive on competition! We need the fresh air, saltwater, and the camaraderie associated with fishing and events like the Buccaneer Cup. It is also clear that to sustain our ever-changing sport and industry, we need to continue to support the non-profits that support us.

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As a participant in the 58th Buccaneer Cup you will not only be competing in one of the longest running and most prestigious billfish tournaments in the world, but you will also be supporting two such non-profits that have proven their commitment to ensuring the future of the sport of competitive billfishing through their work to protect and expand billfish stocks and our access to them in U.S. waters and around the world. The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) and The Billfish Foundation (TBF) do just that, one through legislative and regulatory work that has impacted Federal and International management of pelagic species, and the other through its work in research and education that has expanded our knowledge of billfish and helped to spark a greater emphasis on conservation of these majestic animals.

I am excited to have the opportunity to carry on the legacy of this great tournament and to welcome the exceptional teams that will be fishing with us in 2021. The Buccaneer Cup is a hands-on event, and our goal is to see our teams have a great time while competing against one another. If you have any questions regardless of the nature of your concerns, or if we can provide assistance of any kind, please contact me directly by calling my cell number at the top of this page.

The tournament committee hopes to see you soon for the 58th Buccaneer Cup.

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Our Featured Artist for Buc 58

Chessy Ricca

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worked offshore tournaRicca is a ments such as Palm the Silver SailBeach County fish Derby and native who is numerous presently workKDWs. Working on her Masing as a first ter's degree in mate in the inFlorida Studies dustry for alfrom the Unimost 10 years, versity of South Chessy has Florida, St. Pelearned the ins tersburg. With and outs of live a Bachelor's de-baiting for sailgree in Fine Art fish. Currently, and a Masters in Florida History, Chessy brings a Chessy is an instructor for Marlin University and will be teaching at unique and colorful flair to the east coast. Her experience on the the Ladies Only Sailfishing Clinic in Costa Rica. When Chessy is not fowater ranges from working on drift boats to mating on a handful cused on her Florida studies, you of center consoles, along with the will probably find her painting historical Florida scenery in oils or fly occasional freelance position on fishing her local beaches. sport fishing vessels. She has hessy

In addition to Chessy's fine art sailfish painting on canvas donated for tournament use, she also painted the spectacular rendition of the historic Buccaneer Yacht Club burgee featured on the cover of this program and in its pages.

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58th Annual

Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Release Tournament

2020 Schedule - Rules - Awards GENERAL INFORMATION

5. Boundaries: From 27.30.00 latitude (Ft. Pierce Inlet area) to 26.02.00 latitude (Ft. 1.Captain’s Meeting: January 20, 2021 Viking Lauderdale Inlet area) and no further offshore Service Center, 1550 Avenue C, Riviera than 072.50 longitude.

Beach, FL 33404 (Registration/Calcutta/Entry 6 to 9 PM) 6. Boats may leave or enter through any inlet.

There is no specific departure time.

2. Awards Dinner: January 23, 2021 The Sailfish Club, 1338 N. Lake Way, Palm Beach, FL 7. All teams are required to notify the Radio 33480 (Due to Covid-19 restrictions for 2021 Committee that they intend to fish on a given we will be hosting the winning teams and fishing day and what type of bait they intend sponsors only at the Club. There will be a food to use prior to setting lines. truck at the Buccaneer Marina for teams and 8. Boats must fish two full days for tournacrew to pick up dinner courtesy of the Buc ment to be official.

Cup.) 3. Fishing Days - January 21, 22 & 23, 2021. FISHING REGULATIONS Teams choose two out of the three days to 9. I.G.F.A. Rules apply except as follows. fish. Fishing days must be announced prior to lines in or the day will be considered a lay day. 10. Only non-offset circle hooks and maxiTeams must fish a total of two days to qualify, mum manufacturer stated 20-lb. test line may lines in to lines out. be used.

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

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11. The length of the leader may not exceed 15 feet. The combined length of the double line

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and the leader may not exceed 20 feet.

lize video catch/release verification for all participating boats. Every boat must supply 12. Live or dead baits may be used, but only their release footage at the end of each fishing one type of bait is permitted in the water at day upon check in. Release videos are reany one time. Teams are required to declare quired to be uploaded to the Buc Cup Reel which type of bait they will use on each fish- Time App no later than 7 PM, or by SD cards ing day. If a team decides to change from live dropped at the Buccaneer Marina weigh stato dead baits or dead to live baits while fish- tion no later than 6 PM. NO VIDEO = NO ing, the team must notify the Radio Commit- FISH. The video must match the date/time tee. All lines must be out of the water prior to stamp on the correlating catch card for that a bait change. A bait change cannot take place day. Catch/release cards must be submitted by during a hook-up. Following a team giving text photo to the Tournament Director's cell notification to the Radio Committee of a bait phone (Courtney Bowden 561-909-7868) no type change, no fish may be recorded for a later than7 PM as well. period of 5 minutes for that team.

23. Video must clearly capture the species of 13. Chumming of any kind, including with fish during the fight and the release of each live bait, is prohibited. fish. Angler fighting the fish must also be 14. No more than six rods are permitted in the identified on video. Failure to qualify species and release of fish will result in disqualificawater at any time. This includes rods being tion of the fish. used to catch bait.

15. Live Bait: No more than two kites may be 24. Any question or concern regarding fish verification will be determined by the Video/ used and artificial or dead bait dredges or Rules Committee alone. Polygraph will be adteasers are permitted. Dead Bait: No more than two dredges may be used and artificial or ministered to the winning team in the event dead bait surface teasers and daisy chains are there is a discrepancy with protest. permitted.

25. To qualify for points each release must be called in to the Tournament Committee in16. Live bait teasers are prohibited. cluding the boat name and number, type of bait and angler's full name immediately by 17. Passing the rod after hookup (hook and hand) is permitted by a non-registered angler VHF radio or cell phone and it is acknowlto a registered angler only once per fish. The edged with an assigned catch number and ofpass must occur as close to immediately after ficial time of release. The time, catch number hookup as possible and as soon as the line is and angler’s full name must be entered for each release on the boat’s catch log. Hookups tight.

15 minutes prior to the end of fishing must be CATCH VALIDATION called in for a release after lines out to qualify.

18. The Buccaneer Cup will utilize video catch verification on all participating boats.

26. A release is official when the leader is Each team will be prompted to show a phone touched by the mate, the leader is wound inor GPS with date and time as well as repeat- side the rod tip or the cork on a live bait rod ing the verification “word of the day” which touches the rod tip. will be announced each morning prior to lines 27. Your entry into the Buccaneer Cup imin. The word is not required to be said with plies expressed approval that you and all aneach release. glers and crew members will submit to a pol19. Buc Cup Tournament committee will uti-

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ygraph test if requested by the rules committee. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. A certified polygraph examiner will be on site should such services be required.

34. 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.

28. Meat-Fish Validation: Weigh station will be at The Buccaneer Marina daily from 3:30 to 5:30 PM. The T-head dock 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 in each category will qualify.

35. Refunds: No refunds for entry fees will be given for any reason including, but not limited to acts of nature, war, national security, Covid19, vessel malfunctions or travel restrictions.

Calcutta fees will be returned (minus the % for service fee) given a team is unable to compete.

POINT STRUCTURE & SCORING 29. Release points will be awarded as follows: 200 points for sailfish on live bait.

300 point for sailfish on dead bait.

400 points for marlin on either bait.

30. 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.

31. TBF 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.

32. 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.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 33. 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.

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36. 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/ Recreational Fishing Alliance.), 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.

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Putting the Fun Back in Tournament Fishing

A Recap of the 57th Annual Buccaneer Cup

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he 57th Annual Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament was held January 22-25, 2020 . A total of 160 sailfish were released. The prize, a purse in excess of $250,000, the prestigious and beautiful Buccaneer Cup trophies for the top three boats, top three anglers, and bragging rights for placing in one of the oldest and most enduring billfish tournaments in the world. Add to that the knowledge that the tournament proceeds benefits the Recreational Fishing Alliance and The Billfish Foundation made the event all that more important. Teams fished a format giving them the choice to fish any two out of three possible days.

With a cold front pushing through just before the first day, teams were rewarded with steady fishing. Although rainy conditions put a damper on

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day two a northwest wind kept the bite consistent from lines in to lines out on the last day.

Courtney Bowden, currently in her seventh year as director of the Buc Cup, did a spectacular job running one of the best-organized and classiest billfish tournaments on the East Coast. Along with her team of volunteers and committee members, including staff from the RFA and TBF, she has made the Buc one of the most exciting and talked about tournaments of the season. The comradery displayed by the teams in attendance proved to everyone that the Buc Cup is most definitely back! Having team after team noting this was the most fun tournament they had fished in a while.

The tournament opened with the Captains meet-

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each day was a wild card. And we never knew who would pull into the lead at any point. The Wicked Wahine slayed day one with consistent releases and 2400 points on dead bait. Team Two Cats was not far behind having consistent days on one and two. But Sandman was the team that came out on top with a total of 2800 points on live bait taking the lead in the last hour of the tournament and taking home over $131,900! In addition to the top three teams, Team Good Call, took home the first ever sailfish tagging Seas or no seas, our tournament teams always award with a total of 7 tags dekeep their eyes on the prize - the Buccaneer Cup. ployed safely and in accordance with TBF guidelines. History was aling on Wednesday, January 22 held outdoors at so made by Jill Yates, of The Eight Eights who bethe recently completed private Tiki Bar at the Ry- came not only our top female angler but also the bovich Marine Center (North). The meeting was TOP OVERALL ANGLER of the tournament, maksponsored by Yamaha, the Viking Yacht Compa- ing her the first female to win the top angler trony and HMY Yacht Sales. Robert “Fly” Navarro phy cup the history of the tournament. emceed the event with his signature electric en“We had a phenomenal group of competitors ergy. Although it was cold and damp, particiand teams this year! History was made, fishing pants raved about the pig roast dinner, texting was consistent and you certainly won’t find any Bowden, “it was the best food they have ever other tournament having this much fun on the had at a Captains meeting”. A few changes were radio” said Bowden. made for 2020 including adding an all-new TBF tagging category and a junior angler award. The To add to the excitement, Sportfish Outfitters promeeting included raffle items provided by the vided a chase boat for one day and the Buccalong list of tournament sponsors, featuring Engel neer Marina generously donated the use of their Coolers filled with goodies, Costa del Mar sun- helicopter and pilot for the official photographer, glasses, Maxel Reels, lures, AFTCO, Hi-Liner Off- Steve Momot of @ah360views to take aerial phoshore Tackle, Grand Slam Sport Fishing, Avid tos of the fleet on the final fishing day! And what sportswear, Outrigger Yacht Products, Kohler, an exceptionally beautiful day it was!

Kraft Power and Mustad to name a few.

The winning teams flooded The Sailfish Club of Time for competition! The majority of the fleet decided to fish on Day One, and lay on Friday.

Leaving Saturday which, based on the forecast, held the best conditions of the three available fishing days.

Tournament Director (Bowden) wrote; “This year

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Florida on Palm Beach Island, Saturday Jan. 25 to receive their awards and celebrate with a full surf and turf buffet that the historic club is known for, seating over 250 guests for the awards dinners with some taking home some very large checks and the coveted Buccaneer Cup trophies!

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And the Winners Were...

Who Took Home the Trophies & Cash at the 57th Buccaneer Cup Before we start the rundown of winners from the 57th Annual Buccaneer Cup, we'd like to pass along some of the comments we heard after the event concluded. We take all of our team's opinions seriously whether it be compliments, constructive criticisms or suggestions on how we can improve the event going forward, but when we hear words like these we take great pride in what we have accomplished.

“Thanks for putting on a great tournament! It’s come a long way in the past few years

thanks to your dedication. Well done!” – Richard Robinson (Southern Run)

“Just wanted to congratulate you on an amazing job coordinating the Buc Cup. It was my first time competing and in comparison to other sailfish tournaments you do a topnotch job. Bravo to you and your volunteer staff”. – Juan Ruiz (Team Gypsea)

“What a fantastic event this was! We were so incredibly happy to be a part of a very prestigious venue with great fishermen! The Buccaneer Cup is a high-class event and we loved being a part of it. Thank you, Courtney for a spectacular event – we will see you next year!” – Frank Fini & Gerrard Weigold (Double Diamond/Outnumbered) “Thank you for putting on an awesome weekend for us, we all had a blast. And, the best food I’ve ever had at a captains meeting too. This will surely be one of our regular yearly tournaments now.” – Taylor Sanford 20

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The Buccaneer Cup Tournament cash award for the Most Points on Live Bait ($10,000), the Top Boat trophy and a pile of Calcutta cash went to team Sandman, which pocketed $131,950 total winnings. The InTheBite Top Captain cup was awarded to their captain, John Dudas, who led the team to victory.

The Top Angler and Top Lady Angler trophies went to Jill Yates on the Eight Eights during their run to winning the 3rd Place Boat Buc Cup trophy.

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Two Cats won the 2nd Place Boat Cup racking up two most points overall and most points on dead bait Calcuttas along the way to net $31,500 total winnings,

Most Points on Dead Bait ($10,000), 2nd Place Boat and 2nd Place Angler cups went to Wicked Wahine for their great performance. The team also received a Calcutta check for $24,580 .

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The new for 2020 TBF Top Tagging Team trophy was awarded to Good Call with seven tags successfully and safely deployed with video validation.

The awards dinner was emceed by Robert “Fly� fitters, Christi/Travelers Insurance, Atlantic Marine Electronics, American Fishing Wire/Hi-Seas, ReNavarro and Courtney Bowden. lease Marine, Reel Time Apps, Rybovich Marina, Pat Healey, President of Viking Yachts and memand Outrigger Marine Products. ber of the RFA Board of Directors, welcomed participants and spoke on the importance of the support we as an industry receive from the RFA. Pat presented Ellen Peel of the Billfish Foundation with a check to aid the organization in its ongoing efforts to advance the science used for billfish management and assessment. Great strides are being made by both organizations to ensure the longevity of our fisheries and industry. The awards banquet was sponsored by MTU Marine Power, Florida Detroit Diesel Allison, and Johnson and Towers.

This event would not be possible without the generous support of its sponsors including YAMAHA OUTBOARDS, MTU, Florida Detroit Diesel Allison, Johnson & Towers, Viking Yachts, Viking Service Center, HMY Yacht Sales, The Buccaneer Marina, C. Nicklaus Starling, Jupiter Beach Spa & Resort, Downey Yachts, Contender Boats, American Custom Yachts, Akzo Nobel-Interlux Paint, Seakeeper, Garmin, Kohler, Electrosea, Sportfish Out-

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Pat Healey presents Ellen Peel with a check for TBF.

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Feb. 16 - 20, 2021

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241 West Parkway Pompton Plains NJ 07470 800-221 3284 26

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Corporate Presenting Sponsor

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e Sponsors

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Images from the 58th

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A Brief History of the Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament

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his January will mark the 58th consecutive year the Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament will be held in Palm Beach. It came into being just three years after the fledgling Buccaneer Yacht Club (BYC) was formed in 1960, and while the vagaries of the economy and the march of time has caused some ups and downs, we are proud to continue what has become a Florida tradition. It’s an interesting story that starts with a conversation between friends.

The BYC was a family organization from the beginning. It included wives who formed a lady’s auxiliary of sorts and were christened the Buccanettes, and they proved to be the backbone of many of the club’s annual events. Many of the member’s kids grew up on the docks and their parent’s boats later became active members.

Membership grew quickly and in just two years the BYC started developing its own fishing tournaments. After all, the yacht club was in all reality a fishing club, the Gulf Stream was just a short The Buccaneer Yacht Club was chartered by run from the inlet, and at various times during three friends who shared a passion for boating the year it was teaming with a wide variety of and fishing; Elmer E. White, Dr. D.L. Patterson gamefish. But it was the winter migration of Atand Howard Moffit, all accomplished yachtsmen lantic sailfish through the area that was the impeand ardent anglers. Moffit was the owner of Sail- tus for the Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament, fish Marina and the Buccaneer Yacht Club and first held in 1963. It was quickly followed by the Marina. The facilities were located next to each Buccaneer Blue Marlin Tournament in 1964, but other on the intracoastal waterway on Singer Is- it was the sailfish tournament that would stand land in the town of Palm Beach Shores, just a the test of time and become synonymous with short run at idle speed from Fort Worth Inlet.

Florida sport fishing.

Both marinas are still in operation today, although under different management and having This area of the Sunshine State was a hotbed of undergone a lot of changes over the years. sportfishing activity dating back to the early

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1900s. The Sailfish Club of Florida, headquartered in nearby Palm Beach and present day host of the Cup’s awards dinner, 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 “modern era” sportfishing yachts, and for numerous advances in fish gear used aboard tournament boats like outriggers and fighting chairs, had its yard right across the Intracoastal from the Buccaneer Marina. 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 a latecomer to the tournament party in 1963, but its sailfish tournament caught on in a very big way.

From the beginning the Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament pitted the top boats, captains and anglers of the era against each other in an allrelease format, as it does today. Conservation of billfish literally started right here in Palm Beach, and it 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 one of the organizational geniuses who helped mightily in the development and annual running of the tourna-

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ment. In later years the ladies reigned supreme as Margret Leonard, Dorothy Hironimous and later her daughter Helen, took the lead. Helen was tournament chairman 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.

We recently tracked down Ralph White, son of club originators Elmer and Marge White, and head of the tournament committee on numerous occasions in the 1980’s. He told us the driving force behind the Buccaneer Cup was initially his father and mother, Margret, but it was Dotti Hironimus, who went on to become the matron of the event. Just as her daughter Helen followed in her mom’s footsteps Ralph followed in his father’s. He went on to become the BYC commodore on five separate occasions.

“It was remarkable how the tournament grew so quickly those first few years.” Ralph said. “It started as a modest club event with modest prizes and trophies and became one of the largest billfish tournaments on the East Coast and probably the largest in Florida in the first ten years. It was a highlight of the winter fishing season, the Calcutta’s, all backroom deals, exploded as wealthy yacht owners and anglers flocked to the event

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2006 sailfish season.

The club wanted its legacy to live on and for any proceeds from the tournament to benefit a worthwhile cause and in took ownership of the event in time for the 44th Buccaneer Cup with buy-ins of $10,000 per angler even back in 2007. Since then the RFA has strived to put on then. The format was fish three out of four days, a world class tournament with all the proceeds the Buccanettes put on cocktail parties every going to an organization that fights tirelessly to night, Buccaneer Bob Reddy became the radio protect the rights of recreational saltwater fishervoice of the tournament, and people would trav- men and to promote conservation. Caputi was el from miles around just to buy tournament tee- tournament director for twelve years and along shirts. We were all proud of the tournament and the way was joined by Courtney Bowden, initially the popularity of the club and the marina. The as the event coordinator. Courtney did a fantastic bar and restaurant was always crowded, you job of uplifting the event to the point that I am needed reservations most every night, it was the sure even Dotti Hironimous would be proud. Cahangout for the serious fishermen and the club puti stepped aside in 2018 and Bowden took gained national prominence.” over as tournament director and ushered in major increases in participation and expanded the As the club entered the new millennium all was popularity of the event. Her enthusiasm for the not well. Membership was dwindling as the mem- sport and the event is contagious and bodes well bership aged and new blood was slow to trickle for the future. in. Then the Buccaneer Marina was sold, and the ever-popular bar and restaurant once owned by Two years ago, RFA executive director Jim the affable Ed Murray of the Murray Brothers, Donofrio invited his friend Ellen Peel, president of and that was the hangout of so many legends of The Billfish Foundation, to bring her knowledge the sport, closed. The remaining members strug- and organization into the Buccaneer Cup family gled to keep the tournament going, but participa- and have TBF share in the proceeds, and here we tion had become more than they could handle are today looking down the bar of the 57th Bucon limited resources and without the marina as a caneer Cup sailfish Tournament. base of operations. In 2005 David Doyle, the last commodore of the BYC, with the approval of the The Buccaneer Cup is a part of the culture of big remaining board of directors and a nod from ma- game fishing, much of which was spawned triarch Helen Hironimous, started looking for a along the East Coast of Florida. Many of the legway to have the tournament continue even as ends of our sport cut their teeth right here and a the club faded away. Board members Ken Kauflong list of them competed in this very venue. man of Canyon Gear International, and Laurel The Buccaneer Cup isn’t just another tournament Salmon, another of the Buccaneer babies who in a long list of tournaments held each winter, it’s grew up with the tournament, approached sport- a legendary event steeped in the history of big fishing writer Gary Caputi and the Recreational game fishing that attracts new generations of anFishing Alliance to discuss the situation and they glers to compete in the footsteps of the giants of stepped in to help reorganize the event for the the sport.

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KNOW YOUR PLACE with the Buccaneer Cup Reel Time App Download the free live scoring app to your smart phone, tablet or computer and stay in the running!

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app. Whether you are on the go or at your desk, there are 3 ways to watch the tournament: iPhone, Android and Web apps.

he Buccaneer Cup is again providing FREE Reel Time Scoring Apps to contestants and anyone else who wants to keep up with the action as it happens.

Reel Time Apps are easy to use with an intuitive design that allows every user to easily navigate the available information and options.

To download the REEL TIME Scoring App for the Buccaneer Cup go to the App Store on your phone and enter Buccaneer Cup 2016 in the search window.

When it comes up download and install the app.

App users can favorite a boat to receive push notifications in real time when a boat releases a fish.

Participants and fans can view and send pictures from the app. If you or someone on the boat takes great photos you may send them to the tournament director to be included in the

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The download is free.

The service is live and listing boats and anglers as they enter. Real time scoring is in effect on all three fishing days, January 23.

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

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RFA Initiative:

Use Recreationally Derived Data for Pelagic Stock Assessments

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n the late 1990’s, the National Marine Fisheries Service worked to identify areas off the Atlantic Coast where the deployment of pelagic drift longline gear (PPL) was resulting in high levels of bycatch of blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, bluefin tuna and juvenile swordfish. This work was being done because many of these species were overfished and federal and international fisheries laws required NMFS to take regulatory action that would reduce bycatch in the longline fishery and spur rebuilding. In 2001, NMFS implemented the East Florida Coast (EFC) and Charleston Bump Closed Areas which prohibited the use of pelagic longline gear within their boundaries. Since their inception, the closed areas have been credited with the rapid rebuilding of billfish and swordfish stocks while spurring the growth of the recreational

marlin, sailfish and swordfish fisheries along the entire Atlantic coast.

While it goes without saying that PLL gear was having a detrimental impact on these recreationally important species, and that the need for the closed areas were and continue to be warranted, there was one negative impact that came about from the closures—a reduction in landings data needed for stock assessment purposes. NMFS is the federal agency responsible for assessing the stock status of federally managed species, including marlin, sailfish and swordfish. Given the nature and scale of the pelagic drift longline gear, NMFS was able to estimate stock size trends by developing indices of abundance which took into account the number of hooks set by a longliner, how long the hooks

Catch and harvest data provided by longliners in critically important closed areas can be replaced with data provided by recreational anglers.

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their gear would provide an opportunity to evaluate electronic monitoring and the feasibility of electronic logbooks to facilitate real-time reporting. These are legitimate concerns from the perspective of assessment scientists at NMFS, but the RFA, TBF and other recreational organizations simply don’t see how this scientific work outweighs the potential negative impacts to fragile pelagic fish stocks, or to the recreational fishing industry and to anglers who pursue these fish. For this reason, the recreational sector has been united in opposition to NMFS efforts and yet, the threats continue to emerge on a near annual basis.

Photo Courtesy Ms. Britt Sportfishing

soaked and what the reported catch was on those hooks. This approach was a reliable and fairly accurate assessment tool despite the gear resulting in significant directed and bycatch mortality. When longline gear was prohibited from the closed areas, that data timeline was halted and key information used to assess highly migratory species was lost.

Now that blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish and swordfish stocks are being rebuilt or at the least experiencing the end of overfishing, NMFS has been pushing to allow longliners back into the closed areas through the use of exempting fishing permits. NMFS has cited the need to collect scientific data related to catch and bycatch rates from these areas. In addition, NMFS has indicated that allowing longliners into the closed areas to deploy

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The RFA suggests that NMFS should demonstrate some scientific creativity and embrace the recreational sector to develop methods of gathering catch data from anglers that can be used in leu of the data no longer available from commercial longline boats. RFA has long advocated that recreational anglers, particularly in the marlin, sailfish and swordfish fisheries, can provide comparable data to that once provided by commercial fishermen.

Once calibrated, this data can be used to run the same assessment models that traditionally used longline catch and discard reporting. NMFS should accept the fact that allowing pelagic drift longline vessels back into the closed areas even through the use of scientific exempted fishing permits is bad public policy that would disrupt a thriving recreational fishing industry and have detrimental impacts to fish stock and endangered species.

NMFS also needs to find ways to work with the recreational fishing industry to develop projects and programs that will capture the desired catch information from recreational fishermen. The closed areas must remain closed and NMFS must develop recreational based data collection programs to ensure the long term sustainability and economic output of the marline, sailfish and swordfish fisheries.

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'Tis the season!

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The Importance of Tagging for Sailfish Stocks in the Western Atlantic

by Ellen Peel, President The Billfish Foundation

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what a fickle creature the Western Atlantic sailfish seems to be, and perhaps those who chase them, too. Fickle in the sense that sailfish prefer to engage and entertain anglers when the weather is at its roughest, seemingly wanting to test the will and skill of competition teams like those assembled for the 58th Annual Buccaneer Cup.

before, which just so happened to be a record-breaking year. Why? The weather most likely. But fear not, the decline in hook-up rates so far this year is not reflective of a decline in stock abundance. The most recent report from the 2019 research study issued by the international regional management organization for Atlantic highly migratory fish bears this out. The data clearly indicates the Western Atlantic stock is not overI probably don’t have to tell you that fished, although the Eastern Atlantic its weather fronts blowing through stock most definitely is overfished, Florida’s sailfish alley that are what and overfishing is still occurring. attract these billfish in great numbers to fishing events like the Buc. If there Even though the stocks on our side are no strong fronts around tourna- of the Atlantic are healthy, all nations ment time, fewer sailfish tend to fishing in the Atlantic Ocean and its show up for the party. The 2021 adjacent waters have been urged Florida sailfish tournament season not to increase sailfish landings. The kicked off with the Silver Sailfish Der- western stock spawns in waters in by and the Pelican Yacht Club Invita- the Straits of Florida, and off the Ventional Sailfish Tournament this year ezuelan, Guyanese, and Surinamese and the winning boats caught and coasts. The nations reporting landing released far fewer fish than the year the most include Senegal, S. Tome January 2021

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From the latest survey data it is obvious that we must be doing something ri Principe, Spain, Portugal and Ghana.

Pelagic longline gear is the primary commercial harvesting gear responsible for the landings.

Traditional tag recapture data, generated primarily by U.S. anglers, remains an important source of statistics for scientist to use in estimating population abundance. For each of you choosing to participate in the Buc Cup’s Tag and Release Award,

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please realize that your contribution is crucial to scientific research and is greatly appreciated. Due to the participation of anglers like you, TBF is the primary contributor of tag recapture data, and while thousands of traditional tags have been deployed, many thousands more are needed to increase the recapture rate, which traditionally hovers around a paltry 1.5%, still the highest return rate of

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ight with regard to our conservation efforts for sailfish in the United States. any pelagic tagging program in the world. TBF encourages all anglers and tournament teams to not just catch-and-release, but to catch-tagand-release whenever fishing for billfish. The contribution to science and critically important stock density data generated by adding this additional step to your cockpit procedure will help further enhance our knowledge base and continue to aid in the fur-

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ther rebuilding of billfish populations in U.S. waters and internationally.

Everyone at TBF wishes all the participants in the Buc Cup great success and have put in a request with the powers that be for cold fronts, so the sailfish show up and decide to play!

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Thank you for fishing with us.

We hope to see you again next year!

Presented by

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