Costa, The Billfish Foundation Kick Off Release Report Challenge

The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and Costa have announced a challenge to teams in the Quest for the Crest tournament to return Release Report cards with information about each catch after the competition. “The information we gather together will uncover critical understanding about billfish stocks and their habitats in and around South Florida, so we can inform sound policy to protect them for generations to come,” said Peter Chaibongsai, director of science and policy for TBF.

Read more in the press release below.

Costa, The Billfish Foundation Kick Off Release Report Challenge at Quest for the Crest Series

From Costa:

“Anglers are the ones who can truly make a difference for the future of our billfish species. They’re the ones out there, every day, in all kinds of conditions and climates, catching and releasing fish, watching their patterns, noting their movements. Imagine how much data about highly migratory fish species we could study if we could gather every tournament anglers’ catch reports during the Quest for the Crest tournament series?” asked Amanda Perryman, marketing manager with Costa Sunglasses.

The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and Costa wanted to find out the answer to that question together. So they created the Release Report Challenge, asking teams competing in each Quest for the Crest tournament to return their completed Release Report cards with information about each catch to TBF for a chance to win a Costa/TBF prize pack.

The prize pack includes: Costa sunglasses and gear, a Costa-branded YETI cooler, a TBF complete tagging kit and more. Each release reported counts as one entry, with the prize pack winner announced after each tournament leg. One grand prize winner will be selected at the awards ceremony of the Final Sail Tournament in April to win an all-expense paid trip to Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala.

Teams will receive their Release Report Challenge cards when they pick up their tournament packs prior to each event. Costa and TBF representatives will be on hand at each event to hand out more cards, as needed. Qualifying fish species include sailfish, white marlin, spearfish and blue marlin. Teams only have to report information about the catch on the card – they don’t actually have to place a tag into the released fish.

“There are typically more than 50 teams competing across the Quest for the Crest series, with thousands of billfish caught during that time,” said Peter Chaibongsai, director of science and policy for TBF. “Working together with the anglers, captains and crews, we’d like to capture the data they’re finding from each catch – including weather conditions, bait used, fish size, and overall health. The information we gather together will uncover critical understanding about billfish stocks and their habitats in and around South Florida, so we can inform sound policy to protect them for generations to come.”

All fish releases reported throughout the Quest for the Crest series also qualify anglers for TBF’s SoFlo Sailfish Regional competition, as well as its annual international Tag and Release competition. For more information, visit www.billfish.org.

The Quest for the Crest tournament series includes:

• Operation Sailfish, December 10 – 14, 2014, www.bluewatermovements.com/operation_sailfish
• Sailfish 400, January 14 – 18, 2015, www.bluewatermovements.com/sailfish_400
• Sailfish Challenge, February 5 – 8, 2015, www.bluewatermovements.com/sailfish_challenge
• Final Sail, April 15 – 19, 2015, www.bluewatermovements.com/final_sail

About Costa™

As the leading manufacturer of the world’s clearest polarized performance sunglasses, Costa offers superior lens technology and unparalleled fit and durability. Still handcrafted today in Florida, Costa has created the highest quality, best performing sunglasses and prescription sunglasses (Rx) for outdoor enthusiasts since 1983.

For Costa, conservation is all about sustainable fishing. Many fisheries that should be vibrant and healthy are all but devoid of native fish because they have fallen victim to poor fishing practices, unregulated development, lack of watershed protection or all of the above. Costa works with partners around the world to help increase awareness and influence policy so that both the fish and fishermen of tomorrow will have healthy waters to enjoy. Costa encourages others to help in any way they can.