Schedule of Events

Transcription

Schedule of Events

Contents
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Schedule of Events
2013 World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament
History
Of the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament
Previous Results
Past ‘World Richest’ Winners
Official Rules
2013 “World’s Richest” All Release
Tarpon Tournament
Photo by Adam Bartolotta
Adam Bartolotta
Publisher
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Danette Bartolotta
Managing Editor
Jessica Pilkins
Assistant Editor
Lynda Venditti
Art Director
Trevin Steger
Graphic Designer
Matt Mativi
Director of Sales & Marketing
Joyce Cattelane
Copy Editor
Jessica Tenbusch
Intern Writer
Lew Hastings
Executive Director
Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce
For advertising information, please
call ROI Media at (941) 257-4352
To contact the editorial department,
please e-mail info@roimedia.us
www.roimedia.us
www.worldsrichesttarpon.com
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The 2013 World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament
Magazine is published by ROI Media. The editorial
staff makes every effort to ensure the accuracy
of the information presented herein. ROI Media
is not liable for errors or interpretations. No part
of this publication may be reproduced in whole
or in part, in any form, without the prior written
consent of the publisher.
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Photo by Danette Bartolotta
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Conservation
32 Habitat Conservation
38 Back to the Future
44 Save the Tarpon
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Education
48 A Summary of the Tarpon Life Cycle
54 Keep That Tarpon Rolling
58 Study Reveals New Information
About Tarpon Movement
60 To protect, preserve and defend
Our Natural Resources.
62 Mote Science Café tackles tarpon
64 A Man on a Mission
68 Tarpon Quick Facts
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Sportsmanship
72 Tarpon Fishing in Boca Grande Pass
74 Sportsmanship at it’s Finest
76 Tarpon Documentary
79 Save it for the Kids
Photo by Jason Arnold
www.jasonarnoldphoto.com
We would like
to thank
the following contributors
for making this
publication a success.
ROI Media
Boca Grande
Area Chamber of Commerce
Caroline Clark, Cavana Classic Charters
Boca Grande Historical Society
Florida Fish & Wildlife
Conservation Commission
Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust
Boca Grande Journal
Mote Marine Laboratory
WaterLine Weekly Magazine
Sean and Brooks Paxton
Colton James
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Dr. Aaron Adams
Save the Tarpon
Jason Arnold Photography
A special
thanks to
Guy Harvey
for providing
the cover art
Cover art © Copyright Guy Harvey Inc.
The power to help save trees
is in your hands - literally.
Our publications are made from recycled paper
and are printed with soy based inks, even our aluminum printing plates are recycled. No hazardous
wastes were sent to a landfill in the creation of
this publication. Help us keep it that way. Please
recycle this when you’re done enjoying it.
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Letter from the
Executive Director
Welcome to the 31st Anniversary 2013 “World’s Richest” Tarpon
Tournament & Festival and SW Florida’s most famous fishing
competition.
First off I would like to thank our Presenting sponsors - Guy Harvey Ocean
Foundation, Peace River Distributing, Budweiser and Kix Country 92.9FM for
helping us put together this event and all of our tireless volunteers who put in
over a thousand hours to make this weekend a success.
Lew Hastings
Executive Director
Boca Grande Area
Chamber of Commerce
As the Executive Director of the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce I
can tell you that bringing back the “World’s Richest” Tarpon Tournament last
year was important for the positive economic impact it had on our local and
regional economy. But more than that it was an event that harkened back to the
days of family, community and friendship. Something the island of Gasparilla
and her surrounding area were and still are famous for.
You see it’s easy to exploit the natural beauty and wildlife habitats that we have
at our disposal strictly for financial gain. The hard part is creating an alternative
sporting model that not only takes advantage of these natural resources but
conserves and protects their sustainability through best practices of proper
stewardship based on science. We believe our mission of CONSERVATION
EDUCATION and SPORTSMANSHIP does just that.
Education and conservation of the fishery combined with sport fishing is our
primary focus. Safe boating, sportsmanship and responsible angling are the
values we are promoting in order to encourage a safe, successful family friendly
event that will ensure the protection of our coastal marine environment so it
may be enjoyed for generations to come.
The urgency towards conservation has become increasingly apparent over
the last several years and the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce is
continually committed to taking the lead in creating opportunities to rehabilitate
a habitat that has flourished in SW Florida for thousands of years.
The significant economic and environmental impact recreational fishing has on
our communities cannot be ignored and makes conservation for a sustainable
fishery not only preferable but necessary.
Our All-Release, No-Weigh, No-Kill tournaments are an alternative whose time
has come. Bringing families together in sport and education strengthens not
only our estuaries and fisheries but enriches our community as a whole.
We hope you will come away from this event with a new appreciation of how
important a role we all play in combining conservation with recreation and
what it means for the economic health and well being of the unique business
community that calls SW Florida home.
Thank you for participating in this historic tournament and supporting
conservation.
Lew Hastings
Executive Director
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Photo by Michiala Mativi
Schedule of Events
Wednesday May 22th
Captain’s Party:
6:00pm – 9:30pm at the Coral Creek Airport
(Captains & Team Leaders)
Thursday May 23th
1st Day of “World’s Richest”
Tarpon Tournament Competition
3:00pm to 7:00pm
Friday May 24th
2nd Day of “World’s Richest”
Tarpon Tournament Competition
3:00pm to 7:00pm
Awards Party: 8:30pm Downtown Boca Grande
Friday May 24th
Downtown Tarpon Festival
Carroll Swayze‘s Boca Grande Invitational Art Festival
At the Boca Grande Community Center
Mote Marine Mobile Aquarium & Exhibit
Boca Grande Community Center
Auditorium Movies & Lectures
“Rich History… Priceless Future - The
Tarpon of Boca Grande Pass”
A One Hour Documentary Special
Special Appearance by
Sean & Brooks Paxton “The Shark Brothers”
Boca Grande Community Center – Kid’s Carnival
12:00pm – 4:00pm
Downtown Tarpon Festival 10:00am to 6:00pm
The Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce Presents
3rd Annual Gasparilla Island Kid’s Classic
4:30pm to 7:30pm
Carroll Swayze’s Boca Grande
Invitational Art Festival
Awards Party
8:30pm Downtown Boca Grande
Mote Marine Mobile Aquarium & Exhibit
Kids Games at the Community Center
Meet Ladies Day artist Kelly Reark
and have your tournament art personalized
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Saturday May 25th
Trinity River Band
Friday, May 24th
The Boca Band
Saturday, May 25th
Alyssa Gregory
Friday, May 24th &
Saturday, May 25th
Colton James
With Special Guest Kim Tribble
Friday, May 24th
Grayson Rogers Band
Saturday, May 25th
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History
of the World’s Richest
Tarpon Tournament
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The urgency towards
conservation has become
increasingly apparent
over the last few years and
the Boca Grande Area
Chamber of Commerce
is committed to taking
the lead in creating
opportunities to help
rehabilitate a habitat
that has flourished in
southwest Florida for
thousands of years.
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In 1983, the “World’s Richest” Tarpon Tournament
was originally called the Boca Grande Club Invitational, sponsored and run by the private Boca
Grande Club located on the north end of Gasparilla
Island, and traditionally run during the summer.
In 1991, the Boca Grande Club decided to discontinue their sponsorship of the tournament, and the
Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce took it
over renaming it the “World’s Richest” Tarpon Tournament and opening entries to the general public.
At its height, the total purse of the “World’s Richest” exceeded $175,000, and anglers from all over
the world traveled to Boca Grande to enter for a
chance to win it.
The impressive “World’s Richest” perpetual trophy
is on display at the Boca Grande Area Chamber of
Commerce office, and features the names of the
winning team leaders for each year the tournament
has been in existence.
In 2005, the Chamber of Commerce decided to take
a hiatus from sponsoring the tournament to focus
more on economic development for its growing
membership base.
The Boca Grande Fishing Guides Association took
over the tournament and renamed it the Boca
Grande Fishing Guides Association Tarpon Tournament which ran until 2011.
Now in 2013, on the 31st anniversary of its inception, the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce
will once again sponsor and direct the storied
“World’s Richest” Tarpon Tournament in its triumphant return.
This year, as promoted in 2012, education and conservation of the fishery combined with sport fishing
will be the primary focus. Safe boating, sportsmanship and responsible angling will be promoted in
order to encourage a safe, successful family friendly
weekend-long event that will ensure the protection
and proper stewardship of our natural resources so
that they may be enjoyed for generations to come.
The urgency towards conservation has become increasingly apparent over the last few years and the
Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce is committed to taking the lead in creating opportunities
to help rehabilitate a habitat that has flourished in
southwest Florida for thousands of years.
Our all-release,
no-weigh, no-kill
tournaments are an
alternative whose
time has come.
Bringing families
together in sport
and education
enriches not only
our estuaries
and fisheries, but
our community
as a whole.
Our all-release, no-weigh, no-kill tournaments
are an alternative whose time has come.
Bringing families together in sport and
education enriches not only our estuaries and fisheries, but our community
as a whole.
The 2013 “World’s Richest” Tarpon
Tournament scheduled for May
23rd & 24th is combined with the
3nd Annual Gasparilla Island Kids
Classic will be held on May 25th
hosted by Gasparilla Outfitters.
The weekend-long events will be
combined with a downtown festival that will include music, food and
games for the kids.
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Previous Results
Past World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament Winners
1983
1st Place – Brad Baldwin/Capt.
Tater Spinks – Miss Baldwin
2nd Place – Charlie Broome/
Capt. Mahlon Teachout – Jo
3rd Place – Capt. Raymond Rodriguez Jr – Mary Bee
1984
1st Place – Bob Stetler/Capt.
Timmy Smith – Sundown
2nd Place – Jeff Wooley/Capt.
Bobby Buswell – L’il Tiger
3rd Place – Capt. Babe Darna – Sea Hawk
Capt. Rip Hollins – Chris Rip
1985
1st Place – Ed Wovas/Capt. Raymond Rodriguez – Secoli
2nd Place – Dave Minger/Capt.
Dave Minger – Miss Lisa D
3rd Place – Capt. Jackie Bylaska – Little Car Man
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1986
1st Place – Linda Foster/Capt. Lamar Joiner – Searene
2nd Place – Bob Stetler/Capt. Timmy Smith – Sundown
3rd Place – Capt. Lamar Joiner – Searene
1987
1st Place – Roger Broderick/Capt.
Babe Darna – Sea Hawk
2nd Place – John Goodman/
Capt. James Todd – Mrs. R
3rd Place – Capt. Bo Smith - Timbo
1988
1st Place – John Goodman/Capt.
Charlie Downing – Bances
2nd Place – Dan Doyle/Capt. Nat Italiano – Spook
3rd Place – Capt. Rip Hollins – Chris Rip
1989
1st Place – John Hrebenyar/
Capt. Tom Lowe – Cowboys
2nd Place – Joe Jura/Capt. Thomas Knight – Moonraker
3rd Place – Capt. Jackie Bylaksa – Little Car Man
1990
1st Place – Ann Watkins/
Capt. Jay Joiner – Sabalo
2nd Place – Al Tiseo/Capt.
Cappy Joiner – Sally J
3rd Place – Capt. Buster Herzog – Little Car Man
1991
1st Place – Buzz Watkins/
Capt. Jay Joiner – Sabalo
2nd Place – Larry Jiminez/Capt.
Ron Bamfield – Top Gun
3rd Place – (3) Capt. Mike
Riggs – Lucky Day V
Capt. Dickie Coleman – Faithful II
Capt. David Harper – Trio
1992
1st Place – Howard Frankland/
Capt. Nat Italiano – Spook
2nd Place – Gary Market/
Capt. Phil Woods – Slick II
3rd Place – (2) Capt. Jackie Bylaska – Little Car Man
Capt. Mark Futch – Sitarah
1993
1st Place – Ann Hollins/Capt.
Ray Rodriguez Jr. – Chris Rip
2nd Place – Mark Nagle/Capt.
Buster Herzog – Had ‘Em
3rd Place – Capt. George Melissas – Trio
1994
1st Place – David Hodgins/
Capt. Frank Davis – Native
2nd Place – Buddy Foster/Capt.
Jackie Bylaska – Little Car Man
3rd Place – Capt. Marty Scott – Fast Lane
1995
1st Place – Gene White, Capt.
Mark Futch aboard Sidewinder
2nd Place – Philip Heasley, Capt.
Jerry Smith aboard Dolphin
3rd Place – (2) Todd Smith, Capt. Ned
Van Deree aboard Triple Trouble
Corey Steadman, Capt. Johns
Knight Jr. aboard Moonraker II
1996
1st Place – Tom Minkoff, Capt.
Ed Smith aboard Reel Estate
2nd Place – Mark Nagle, Capt.
Buster Herzog aboard Had ‘Em
3rd Place – Don Hibbeln, Capt.
Tommy Locke aboard Kelly Ann
1997
1st Place – Sid Samuels, Capt. Jeff
Totten aboard Reel Dreamer
2nd Place – Thomas Wallingford, Capt.
Chris Klingel III aboard Silver King
3rd Place – Thomas Wallingford, Capt.
Chris Klingel III aboard Silver King
1998
1st Place – Scott Tomlinson, Capt.
Ed Walker aboard Poonwalker
2nd Place – Scott Tomlinson, Capt.
3rd Place – (4) Scott Tomlinson, Capt.
George Kanzler, Capt. Mike Bailey aboard Ms B’Haven
Peggy Denby, Capt. Dumplin Wheeler aboard Chico
Buddy Foster, Capt. Marty
Scott aboard Fast Lane
2004
1st Place – Sundown – Timmy Smith
2nd Place – None
3rd Place – None
2005
1st Place – Spook – Nat Italiano
2nd Place – Sudden Impact – Lamar Joiner, Sr.
3rd Place – Sundown – Timmy Smith (Buckle)
2006
1st Place – Searene – Lamar Joiner, Jr.
2nd Place – Boca Blue – Sandy Melvin
3rd Place – Searene – Lamar Joiner, Jr. (Buckle)
1999
1st Place – Linda Foster, Capt. Lamar Joiner Sr. aboard Miss Sarah
2nd Place – Mark Nagle, Capt.
3rd Place – (6) Scott Adams, Capt.
Waylon Mills aboard Jewel
Bruch Strayhorn, Capt. Johnny Bylaska aboard Tievoli
Mike Furen, Capt. Jimmy Robertson aboard Julie Jean
Jim Christensen, Capt. Wayne
Joiner aboard Hey, Moma!
John Haviland, Capt. Cappy Joiner aboard Sally J
Bob Melvin, Capt. Sandy Melvin aboard Boca Blue
2007
1st Place – Sally J – Cappy Joiner
2nd Place – Miss Sarah – Lamar Joiner, Sr.
3rd Place – Searene – Lamar Joiner Jr. (Buckle)
2008
1st Place – Miss Sarah – Lamar Joiner, Sr.
2nd Place – Momma Leslie – Matthew Coleman
3rd Place – Anejo – Tater
Spinks – (Buckle)
2009
1st Place – Savannah – Steve Futch
2nd Place – Blaze – Waylon Mills
3rd Place – Boca Blue Sandy Melvin (Buckle) 8 Releases
2000
1st Place – Brad Kelley, Capt.
Mark Futch aboard Sitarah
3rd Place – Mark Nagle, Capt.
2010
1st Place – Blaze – Waylon
Mills (Buckle) – 9 Releases
2nd Place – Spook – Nat Italiano – 7 Releases
3rd Place – Boca Blue – Sandy
Melvin – Last Fish Caught
2001
1st Place – Dave “Smitty” Smith, Capt.
Wayne Joiner aboard Hey Moma
2nd Place – Linda Foster, Capt. Lamar Joiner Jr. aboard Miss Sarah
3rd Place – John Haviland, Capt.
Cappy Joiner aboard Sally J
2011
1st Place – Boca Blue – Sandy
Melvin (Buckle) 9 Releases
2nd Place – Casuarina – Charlie Coleman – 8 Releases
3rd Place – Chris Rip – Lamar
Joiner, Jr. – Last Fish Caught
2002
1 Release, Michael Hamilton; Capt.
Jon Zorian aboard Runaway
2002
1st Place – None
2nd Place – None
3rd Place – Runaway – Jon
Zorian (Buckle)
2003
1st Place – Spooked Again – Steve Ahlers
2nd Place – None
3rd Place – Native – Frank David (Buckle)
2012
1st Place – Tracy Lynn - Capt. Wilie
Mills (Buckle) - Bruce Aikens
2nd Place – Hey Moma - Capt.
Wayne Joiner - Alex Shouppe
3rd Place – Faithful II - Capt.
Matt Coleman - Don Cayo
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2013
“World’s Richest”
All Release
Tarpon
Tournament
Official Rules
Our goals are to support and promote
the local business community and
host a world class sporting event
with a focus on Conservation,
Education and Sportsmanship.
TOURNAMENT BOUNDARIES: The following
boundaries are explicit for all tournament fishing
and tarpon hooked outside of these boundaries will
not be allowed to count in any way as a tournament
fish. However, once a tarpon is hooked (within
boundaries) the fight of the fish can take it and the
tournament boat outside the boundaries (a boundary map will be provided to all teams along with
tournament rules and regulations):
East Boundary – A straight line from the Entrance to Bull Bay to the northwest tip of Bokeelia
West Boundary – 3rd red bell buoy (R8)
South Boundary – The mouth of the Cayo
Costa Lagoon (Point Cayo Costa)
North Boundary – Coast Guard Range Light
BOCA GRANDE PASS ZONE: (BLUE)
East Boundary– A straight line, from the phosphate dock to the north west tip of Cayo Costa Island.
West Boundary – The first red marker buoy
(R12) to the north end of the seawall and the first
red buoy (R 12) to the south west corner of Cayo
Costa Island (Marked by an Orange Flag).
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ENTRY FEE: $2000 per team
ENTRY DEADLINE: Full entry payment due May 1st, 2013. Deposit to secure entry: $250 (non-refundable after April 1st, 2013).
Late registration accepted until May 10th, 2013 (late fee $250)
REGISTRATION: Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce
Office Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
ENTRY FORFEITURE POLICY: Any entrant that drops out of
the tournament after the May 1st entry deadline will forfeit all
monies deposited towards the tournament.
LIMIT OF ENTRANTS: 50 boats
CAPTAIN’S PARTY: Coral Creek Airport
AWARDS PARTY: Downtown Boca Grande
PRIZE MONEY: $80,000 (80% payback based on 50 boats). Additional prizes awarded.
PRIZE MONEY DISBURSAL: Prize monies will be disbursed to
winning teams as designated by the posted percentages for first,
second and third place finish. Prize money will be paid ONLY to
the designated team leader and whose social security number is
supplied. No prize money will be paid to any participant refusing
to supply a social security number. Any prize money not awarded
will be added to the following year’s event.
HEAD JUDGE: Chad Lach Co-Judge: Alison Henderson
OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT VHF CHANNEL: #71
FIRST PLACE: $40,000 (50% of payback based on 50 boats).
Most Releases. Includes the prestigious Jay Joiner Memorial
Award for the winner of first place, presented by Boca Grande
Fishing Guides Association. IMPORTANT NOTE: Winning captain must be at awards party to receive the buckle.
SECOND PLACE: $24,000 (30% of payback based on 50 boats).
Second Most Releases.
THIRD PLACE: $16,000 (20% of payback based on 50 boats).
Last fish hooked in the tournament followed by an official release
by a team that is not in first or second. In the event of 2 tarpon being hooked up in the same minute, the fish released first wins 3rd
place. If both fish are released on the same minute the 3rd place
prize will go to the team that registered their team first.
OVERTIME:
• One hour overtime on the first day if at least one fish hasn’t been
released
• NO OVERTIME on second day of fishing; tournament will end
at 7:00 pm
• If first day is completely lost due to weather, etc., the second day
of fishing will be 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm
TOURNAMENT FLAG: The authorized tournament flag presented to each team must be displayed on the boat at all times
during the tournament.
BOAT OPERATION: Tournament contestants may not be on
plane within 500 ft of another contestant. Only safe boat operation will be allowed and the head judge will have the authority to
warn, penalize or disqualify from the tournament any team that
exhibits unsafe boating conduct. If a team is dismissed from the
tournament, any releases achieved by that team will become invalid towards the receipt of any posted awards or winnings.
RODS FISHED AT ONE TIME: Two (2) rod maximum fished
at a time.
THOSE ALLOWED TO FISH: Anyone aboard a valid tournament entry boat can fish except the captain. Limited number of
people aboard any tournament entry boat is six (6), not counting
the captain or mate. The captain or mate can help the person fishing at time of hookup of a fish regarding placement of the rod butt
in the chair gimbal and slight equipment adjustments. If during the
fight, the person in the chair with the rod becomes overwhelmed
or tired, a substitute team member can replace that person and
finish the fight or aid that person during the remainder of the fight.
STATE/FEDERAL LAWS: Any violation of state or federal fishing
and boating regulations may be cause for penalty or disqualification.
CHUMMING: Chumming is not allowed.
BAIT: This is a live bait only event.
FISHING LINE: Line must have a 50 pound minimum test rating, per the manufacturer. A test of fishing line strength may be
performed by the head judge or other designated judge and tested
to verify a minimum strength rating of 50 pounds.
LEADER LENGTH: Six (6) foot minimum, 15 foot maximum
outside of the Boca Grande Pass Zone. Within the Boca Grande
Pass Zone, leaders must be a minimum of 10 feet, and a maximum
of 15 feet from swivel or knot to the hook. (See map)
WEIGHTS: There will be no weights, lead, split shot or sinkers
placed closer than 6 feet from the hook outside the Boca Grande
Pass Zone, or within 10 feet of the hook within the Boca Grande
Pass Zone. (See map)
TACKLE: All tackle and anglers must use best management practices to ensure the sustainability of the tarpon.
HEAD JUDGE: The Head Judge Boat will be located in the Boca
Grande Pass Zone.
JUDGE BOATS: A Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce
certified judge will be in the water with competing boats to insure
adherence to all rules and to verify releases. A judge’s release/
non-release decision is final. Any attempt at intimidation from
captain or anglers of a judge may be grounds for disqualification.
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OFFICIAL RELEASE: Participants are encouraged to catch and release their tarpon as quickly as possible to promote healthy recovery
of the fish. The head judge’s official scorecard for each team will have a
category for time of hook up and time of release. Official time will be
the judge’s cell phone time. The judge will note the time on the scorecard immediately after it is called in over the radio that a tarpon is
hooked up. An official release will occur when the leader is in the hand
of the captain or acting mate and a verified tarpon is separated from
the hook. At that time the judge will immediately mark on the scorecard the time of release.
If the captain or mate does not release the tarpon with leader in hand,
it is not a legitimate release even if the captain or mate had the leader in
hand earlier in the fight and did not release the tarpon at that time.
After an official release has been verified, the judge will contact the
tournament head judge on radio channel #71 or by cell phone, giving
the team name and time of release.
It will only be an official release if a JUDGE has seen the fish and its
release.
TIES: Tiebreakers will be decided by times of tarpon released.
Third place will be decided by the last hook up time and tarpon release.
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In the event that the last fish hooked up occurs within the same
minute, the team that releases their tarpon first will be awarded
third place.
SPORTSMANSHIP: All participants are expected to maintain
the highest level of sportsmanship at all times. Any action considered detrimental to the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce and the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament, including
but not limited to, foul or abusive language on the radio, may be
grounds for disqualification.
Due to the congested nature of anglers fishing in the Boca Grande
Pass Zone, captains are encouraged and expected to make every
possible effort to maneuver the fighting of their tarpon outside the
fleet of boats so that other anglers can continue fishing. Failure
to make the effort may be grounds for penalty or disqualification.
PROTEST: A protest must be made by boat captain within five
(5) minutes of the witnessed infraction and called in to the head
judge via cell phone. No one other than the designated captain
will be allowed to make a protest. A Protest Committee will consist of the Head Judge, Tournament Chairman and one Chamber
Board Member. All tournament Judge Decisions will be FINAL.
The Head Judge may choose to involve the Protest Committee on
any controversial decision.
POSSESSION: This is an all release tournament and taking possession of a tarpon will disqualify the Team.
If a tarpon jumps into a boat, the tarpon will not be ruled a validated release.
At no time will a tarpon be dragged or held until a judge boat is
present for verification!
SHARK RULE: If it’s a confirmed tarpon, a release is counted
ONLY if the tarpon is whole and alive. If the tarpon has been hit
by a shark, but is still whole and not missing part of its body, the
release is valid. If the tarpon has been mutilated and a portion of
the body is missing or if the tarpon is no longer able to swim, the
tarpon will not be not validated as a release.
OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT TIME: Thursday, May 23rd, 2013
from 3:00PM to 7:00PM and Friday, May 24th, 2013 from 3:00PM
to 7:00PM
The head judge will be in charge of official tournament time and will
communicate such via VHF radio on channel #71. No one will be allowed to fish prior to the official beginning of the tournament via announcement over the radio. All fishing will cease at the time the head
judge communicates such over the radio. Any tarpon hooked immediately prior to the judge’s announcement to cease fishing will be allowed
to be fought and released. It is important for all tarpon hooked to be
immediately called in on the VHF radio so as to be recognized as soon
as possible.
DISABLED BOAT: In case of breakdown of a tournament entry boat,
the team and captain will be allowed to use a substitute boat that complies with the rules of this tournament and the same captain will be required to operate the second boat. Any such change must be called in on
the radio to the head judge and the head judge must authorize the change.
CHANGE OF CAPTAIN: A change of captain must be called in on
the radio to the head judge and the head judge must authorize and so
note the change.
ANCHORING: No anchoring by any tournament boats unless the
boat is dead in the water with no power.
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Habitat Conservation
By Bonefish & Tarpon Trust
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A Cause for Concern
Any fisherman who’s spent much time on the water
knows that healthy habitats are essential to having
quality fisheries. Unfortunately, too few anglers truly
understand how habitat loss has negatively impacted the fisheries, and even fewer are doing anything
about it. If anglers want to ensure there are recreational fisheries in the years to come, they need to
become involved in protecting the habitats that make
up the factory that produces our coastal fisheries.
Let’s look at this as if we are newly hired managers
at an assembly-line factory that has been successfully churning out product. Our job is to make sure
the assembly line continues to function efficiently.
Wanting to use some factory resources for other
ventures, we remove a few stations from the assembly line to put into use elsewhere. For a while,
this is fine – the production process can handle a
few kinks in the chain. But eventually our meddling
causes whole-scale changes in the way the assembly
line operates, and factory production becomes inefficient and total output falls, putting the company
stock into a tailspin. In a sense, this is what we’ve
done with our coastal fish stocks – our loss and degradation of coastal habitats (the assembly line) has
resulted in a drop in the quantity and quality of the
product (the fisheries). As both the managers of the
factory and consumers of the product, anglers have
the most responsibility and the most to benefit by
getting the factory back on track. In a sense, it’s like
we’re the employees who own the company stock,
but we’re not protecting our investment.
Most gamefish species have at
least one life stage that is especially vulnerable to habitat loss
and degradation. For most coastal
species the juveniles are most at
risk. Tarpon is a good example.
Most gamefish species have at least one life stage
that is especially vulnerable to habitat loss and degradation. For most coastal species the juveniles are
most at risk. Tarpon is a good example. Adults use
most coastal and coastal ocean habitats, and are
able, to some extent, to adapt to changes in coastal
habitats. But even these changes can be troublesome – changes in freshwater flow into estuaries,
for example, changes patterns in baitfish abundance, which in turn impacts tarpon migrations and
feeding. Most troublesome is that juveniles are the
most at risk from habitat loss – they are dependent
upon shallow mangrove and marsh backwaters for
the first year or two of their lives. These habitats are
already a mere shadow of the past, and loss and degradation continues. Without these habitats, few juvenile tarpon survive, and the future fishery suffers.
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Habitats Under Seige
Diversion of fresh water from mangrove and marsh areas, filling
in mangrove wetlands and salt marshes for development, cutting
mangroves for wood products and pollution are all immediate
threats to these habitats and to the communities that depend on
them. Without these fragile habitats, many species will not be able
to survive, and we will lose a fantastic habitat for fishing. To fragment these important fish habitats into ever smaller, low-quality
parcels is to invite disaster for coastal gamefish, and is an outcome
we should try our best to prevent. Indirect impacts are tougher to
see, and generally don’t become items of concern until long after
the damage has been done. Alteration of freshwater flow into estuaries, for example, is a major indirect impact that has been af34
fecting the world’s fisheries for many years, but only
relatively recently has this become a major public
issue. Alterations of freshwater flows into estuaries
change the types of species and the numbers of organisms that are present, and this has far-reaching
impacts. Most species of seagrass, for example, can’t
tolerate salinities less than 15 parts per thousand
(ppt) for more than a couple weeks. (Normal ocean
salinity is 30 – 35ppt, freshwater salinity is 0ppt.)
So if too much freshwater is released into estuaries
for long enough, the seagrasses will die, and the organisms that rely on seagrass habitats will also die
or leave the area. This, of course, will result in fewer
gamefish because there is less for them to eat, and no
places to hide if larger predators come into the area.
The same goes for mangroves and saltmarsh grasses
– they can handle total freshwater for a while, but
will be outcompeted by other plant species if the system changes to freshwater. And even if the plants are
able to remain, many of the organisms that provide
habitat and food for fish and their prey will die – the
oysters that grow on mangrove prop-roots or line
saltmarsh shorelines will die if exposed to salinities
less than 15ppt for more than a week or two.
Without these
fragile habitats,
many species will
not be able to
survive, and we
will lose a fantastic
habitat for fishing.
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What it comes
down to is this:
without healthy
habitats we can’t
have healthy
fisheries…
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Let’s Put it in Context
Crunch Time
I have had some anglers tell me there are plenty of
gamefish in our coastal waters, and just as many
now as there used to be. I argue both points. Part of
the problem is that most anglers don’t have a long
enough historical view to really make this statement.
In Florida, for example, I have met only a few anglers with a fishing history that goes back 60 or more
years, and the outlook of these oldtimers is different
– there are fewer fish than there used to be. In fact,
old time guides in the Florida Keys estimate that the
bonefish population is only 20 to 25% of what it used
to be. This is an example of what has been termed a
‘sliding historical baseline’ – each new angler’s timeline of history is shorter than the last, and the view
of what is ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fishing differs accordingly.
When thinking about how we want our fisheries
to be, we should lean toward the longer historical
baseline, and use that as a target. This same lack of
historical context is true in most locations, though
usually not to the extreme seen in Florida. When living in Massachusetts, I heard commercial fishermen
claim that the Georges Bank cod fish populations
had rebounded, so the restrictions should be eased.
Compared to 10 years ago there might be more cod,
but the populations are still extremely low compared
to, say, 50 years ago. Similarly for striped bass – the
fishery is undoubtedly much better than it was in the
1980s, but read the historical accounts of the fishery from the 1800s, and even allowing for the usual
fisherman’s exaggeration, there were a lot more and
larger striped bass back then.
Just like in human medicine, proactive care is most
effective. The top priority should be with protecting
what habitats are left. Although it’s not always feasible,
the next best thing is restoring what has been damaged – emergency medical care – and this is a lot more
expensive. There are plenty of opportunities to fix past
wrongs. But none of this will happen without anglers
at the front. Coastal habitats can be impacted in two
ways – direct and indirect. Direct impacts are easy to
see – things like filling in wetlands or dredging shallow
creeks, actions that directly destroy or significantly alter the original habitats. Florida, for example, has lost
approximately 50% of mangroves already due to direct
habitat impacts. In a worst case scenario, since we
have lost so many mangroves and wetlands, we may
have already lost some of our ability to manage these
fisheries – if juvenile habitat is a limiting factor in adult
abundance, then loss of juvenile habitat may have put
a cap on the total number of adults even under the
best management strategy. Unfortunately, research
data are not yet sufficient to determine exactly how
much habitat loss contributes to how many fewer fish.
What it comes down to is this: without healthy habitats we can’t have healthy fisheries, regardless of management actions that might be taken. Fish hatcheries
may be a useful tool, if used correctly, to get fish populations back on track to recovery, but if the fish don’t
have healthy habitats to live in the stocking won’t be
effective in the long term. If for nothing other than
selfish reasons, fishermen should be the most concerned about habitat loss and the most ardent supporters of habitat protections – continued loss of habitats will result in continued declines in our fisheries.
BACK to the Future
Written by Aaron J. Adams • Photos by Adam Bartolotta
We’ll never be able to restore all of the habitat that’s been lost,
but habitat restoration can be effective. Lemon Creek is a great
place to start because juvenile tarpon are still trying to use it.
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The tarpon with the oldest confirmed
age was one that reached at least 63 years
before it met an untimely death. It had
resided in the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago for that long. And research on tarpon
age using their otoliths (earbones) indicates that tarpon might live to 80 years
of age. It’s not clear how many reach that
ripe old age given the constant threat of
shark attack and other challenges of the
wild oceans, but some of those big fish
that make an angler’s jaw drop surely
must have been around for decades.
As I watched a monster tarpon swim by the boat
this past summer, cruising by without a worry after refusing the most perfect fly presentation ever,
I couldn’t help but think about how many changes
that old timer must have seen. I was staked out on
the beach near Boca Grande Pass. The water was
clear, winds were blowing lightly offshore, and there
were inexplicably few boats on the water. It probably
looked a lot like it did 40 years ago, when that fish
might have been swimming that same course, not an
angler in sight. On this day, that fish had no reason
to be wary; it’s unlikely it had seen other anglers that
morning. Perhaps it was a lifetime of experience that
caused the refusal.
As I watched the fish swim slowly away along the
sandbar, I imagined what it must have been like
when, as a new larva, it entered a mangrove creek
and transformed into a juvenile. Could it have been
60 years ago, or more? There must have seemed
endless choices to reside, wetlands and creeks covered the coastline. It’s quite a different story today –
much coastal habitat has been lost, and the offspring
of this big fish have fewer choices of nursery habitat.
The thought made me worried about the future of
the fishery.
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Lemon Creek once connected Lemon Bay to a network of shallow,
backcountry creeks, ponds and seasonal wetlands. This was perfect
habitat for juvenile tarpon and snook. Like much of the coastline, bit
by bit the area was developed and the habitat was lost. But remnants
of the creek remained and larval tarpon kept arriving. Even now,
juvenile tarpon can be seen rolling most mornings in what remains
of the creek.
We’ll never be able to restore all of the habitat that’s been lost, but
habitat restoration can be effective. Lemon Creek is a great place
to start because juvenile tarpon are still trying to use it. That’s why
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust is working with the Lemon Bay Conser40
vancy to restore 80 acres of a defunct golf course that is now called
Wildflower Preserve, located just a few miles north of Florida’s
world-famous Boca Grande Pass. The goal is to monitor the juvenile
tarpon population before the restoration begins in 2013, to determine how many juvenile tarpon live there and how many survive
long enough to leave the creek and enter the estuary. We’ll then continue to monitor the juvenile tarpon after the restoration to determine the true benefits of the restoration.
As JoEllen King (University of Florida graduate student conducting the study) and her crew of volunteers pulled the seine net
down the long, narrow pond, they strained to gain a foothold in
Working quickly, they measured each juvenile tarpon,
and took small clips of fin
tissue from tarpon smaller
than eight inches long. The
DNA will be extracted from
the tissue and saved in a
database. If that tarpon is
caught again and a tissue sample taken, it can
be identified, providing
information on movement,
growth and survival.
the soft, mucky bottom that reached thigh depth.
The weighted bottom line of the net dug into the
muck, making progress painfully slow. Swirls at the
surface of the murky water turned into jumping juvenile tarpon, many jumping over the top of the net
to freedom. After five minutes of slow progress, the
crew finally got to solid ground at the end of the
pond and pulled the net in hand over hand. Juvenile tarpon continued to swirl and jump, but many
were caught in the billowing end of the net. Quickly
transferred into a cooler full of clean water, the crew
counted 30 juvenile tarpon for this haul.
Working quickly, they measured each juvenile tarpon, and took small clips of fin tissue from tarpon
smaller than eight inches long. The DNA will be
extracted from the tissue and saved in a database.
If that tarpon is caught again and a tissue sample
taken, it can be identified, providing information
on movement, growth and survival. Tarpon longer
than eight inches were implanted with a computer
chip, similar to what is implanted into pets for identification. Each chip has a 10-digit identification
number that can be read by handheld detectors that
look like metal detection wands you see at airports,
or by an underwater antenna that detects the chip if
a tarpon swims past.
The data from the monthly sampling will allow us
to estimate survival based on whether tarpon are
recaptured, and growth rates for tarpon that are recaptured and measured each month. And if tarpon
are able to survive and grow large enough and leave
the Preserve by swimming into Lemon Creek, they
will be detected by the underwater antenna. Combined, this information will tell us how suitable this
habitat really is.
41
With the year’s worth of pre-restoration data as a baseline, the post-restoration
sampling will tell us how successful the restoration was (more tarpon that grow faster and
survive = success), and help us design and conduct more restoration projects in the future.
Sampling at Wildflower Preserve started in September 2012, and
will continue monthly for a year before the restoration occurs.
After the bulldozers re-create the contours for wetland and volunteers replant mangroves and other wetland plants, the sampling
will resume and will continue monthly for two years. With the
year’s worth of pre-restoration data as a baseline, the post-restoration sampling will tell us how successful the restoration was
(more tarpon that grow faster and survive = success), and help us
design and conduct more restoration projects in the future.
Habitat restoration is a costly venture. For Wildflower Preserve,
costs include the price of the land, purchased by Lemon Bay Conservancy; funds for planning the restoration, the bulldozer work,
the restoration project (approximately $450,000) and the sampling to evaluate the success of the restoration for juvenile tarpon
(approximately $110,000). We are extremely appreciative of the
generous donations from project sponsors: True Flies, Robertson
Foundation, Mick and Kathy Aslin, Vanderbilt Family Foundation, The Orvis Company, Sanibel Fly Fishers – and the numerous individuals who have donated to the project. The project
would also not be possible without the help of volunteers who
are willing to get dirty to help the tarpon.
If you want to help by making a donation or helping with sampling, please contact us at info@tarbone.org.
Aaron J. Adams is director of operations for Bonefish & Tarpon Trust
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To Preserve & Protect
Written by Save the Tarpon
Save The Tarpon and its 20,000+ supporters commend the Boca
Grande Area Chamber of Commerce’s World’s Richest Tarpon
Tournament, its sponsors and participants for their commitment
to preserving, protecting and growing our iconic island fishery.
The first tarpon was caught on rod and reel in these waters 128
years ago by W.H. Wood using methods that are mirrored in the
traditional style of fishing local guides and anglers have employed
here in Boca Grande Pass for generations. In the years that followed, Boca Grande tarpon fishing would grow to become much
more than a sport limited to the Henry Fords, the Ernest Hemmingways and the Thomas Edisons.
It would become a tradition, a way of life handed down from father to son. The early April cry of “tarpon in the Pass” would come
to signal the beginning of a season that now generates more than
$300 million in annual economic impact. Recreational anglers have
long been drawn to Boca Grande by the lure of this legendary and
ancient sport fish, prized by generations of sportsmen for their
size, their fight, their power, their pure orneriness and their matchless beauty. The Pass was a place where “red on the tip” marked
a leisurely drift through Lighthouse Hole and Coast Guard Hole
where tarpon were stacked deep as they feasted on a tidal buffet of
crabs and squirrel fish.
Traditional tarpon fishing, as spotlighted by the WRTT, meant just
that. Tradition. A set of orderly protocols that had evolved over the
years, bred from necessity and need for some good old fashioned
civility. Fishing the Pass meant a series of “drifts” with one boat following another through the feeding pods of tarpon. No luck? Reel
up, circle back, rejoin the fleet and begin the process again.
Bait was live and home-grown, not assembled in a factory with
heavy weights attached to oversized hooks and undersized line.
Presentation was everything. Guides knew the Pass and they
knew the fish. Their fathers and their fathers’ fathers had taught
them well. Tarpon were bountiful. It was often said you could
walk from one side of the Pass to the other without getting your
sneakers wet. But by the end of the 20th century, so-called “new
methods” of fishing were emerging. The future of Boca Grande
Pass was in doubt.
Save The Tarpon was founded in the summer of 2012. It has grown
from a handful of members and supporters to more than 20,000
worldwide. The group’s message of conservation, respect
for the Pass and respect for
the fish is being heard far
beyond Boca Grande. While
much has been accomplished,
much remains to be done.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission is
poised to take the long-overdue step of making tarpon a
catch and release species. The
FWC, after years of turning a
blind eye to the problem, is also moving forward on rules that, if
adopted, would put needed restrictions on gear and methods designed to foul hook tarpon. Both policies, endorsed by Save The
Tarpon and other conservation groups, will help us guarantee the
survival of Boca Grande Pass and our historic tarpon fishery for
generations to come.
You can learn more about Save The Tarpon online at SaveTheTarpon.
com. We encourage you to become a member and join us in the fight
to preserve and protect this vital public resource.
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A Summary of the
Tarpon Life Cycle
Provided by Bonefish & Tarpon Trust
The Silver King is one of the most sought after gamefish because of
its combination of massive size, strength, high flying antics and elusive nature. This is a humbling fight where we have all been forced to
“bow” to the tarpon’s might. Sure, you know to flock to the passes in
the summer for the mammoths and tread the insect-infested backwater creeks for the juveniles, but have you ever been curious why?
Our angling behaviors are often ingrained into our brains – sometimes from birth – but there is always a scientific explanation for a
tarpon’s habitat use. Unfortunately, we are still not able to explain
many aspects of tarpon biology – yet. Part of Bonefish & Tarpon
Trust’s mission is to learn and tell the tarpon’s story. As we learn more
about tarpon, we take on the responsibility of conservation. Education
and science for conservation is Bonefish & Tarpon Trust’s primary
goal, and one that all anglers should align themselves with to sustain
a healthy tarpon fishery for generations. This article summarizes the
life cycle of tarpon, and highlights research and conservation needs so
anglers can be as involved in keeping the fishery healthy as they are in
their enjoyment in dueling with the Silver King.
Spawning is where it all begins. This remains the most unknown variable of the equation, and one of the most important. Protection of
spawning sites is vital to maintaining the tarpon fishery, because without the future generations that result from spawning there would be
no tarpon fishery at all. We know that spawning occurs in late spring
through summer, and the limited information available suggests that
tarpon spawn over 100 miles offshore, where they presently receive
no protections. Limited data also indicate that spawning occurs in association with the full and new moons, but we don’t think that every
tarpon spawns every month. Anecdotal evidence from anglers also
supports this theory – descriptions of schools of tarpon heading offshore prior to the full and new moons, and back into coastal waters in
the days following during spawning season. Some of the satellite tag
data show that tarpon undergo deep dives, to 400’ depth, during the
days just prior to full and new moons, and we think this may be associated with spawning. The theory is that pressure difference between
depth and the surface aids males and females in the release of their
sperm and eggs into the open water, a spawning strategy known as
broadcast spawning. The eggs are fertilized in open water, and hatch
as small leptocephalus larvae.
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Tarpon start out looking
like a miniscule eel with the
transparency of a jellyfish
(called a leptocaphalus)
Once inside the estuary, the
journey is far from over. The
leptocephali must traverse
varying habitats including
seagrass beds, oyster reefs
and shoals full of predators
until they reach their final
destination where they can safely
continue their transformation
into juvenile tarpon.
50
Once the eggs hatch, the month-long larval stage begins. Tarpon start
out looking like a miniscule eel with the transparency of a jellyfish
(called a leptocaphalus). How do we know that tarpon leptocephali are
in the open ocean as plankton for a month or more? They have small
otoliths (aka earbones) that gain a new layer each day. When leptocephali are captured, and their microscopic otoliths examined, their
age (in days) can be determined simply by counting the layers. This is
also how spawning times have been determined – just count backwards
from the day of capture, and the
date of spawning can be determined. A leptocephalus grows
to approximately 3-4 inches long
and has quite exceptional mobility for its size. Their capacity to
use their limited swimming ability to navigate currents from over
100 miles offshore into estuarine
conditions is a remarkable feat.
On the east coast of Florida, near
the Indian River Lagoon, larval
tarpon enter the estuary at night,
using the cover of darkness as
protection from predators. They
appear to prefer entering the estuary through the shallowest cuts
possible. Once inside the estuary,
the journey is far from over. The
leptocephali must traverse varying habitats including seagrass
beds, oyster reefs and shoals full
of predators until they reach
their final destination where they
can safely continue their transformation into juvenile tarpon.
During the juvenile stage, a tarpon looks like a miniature version of its adult counterpart. Juvenile tarpon tend to thrive in backbay
creeks and protected estuarine environments where there are very
few predators. Why are there fewer predators there than in the open
waters of the estuary? The backwater areas usually have stagnant water, which causes low dissolved oxygen conditions. Juvenile tarpon can
deal with the hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions with help from their
swim bladder. Although most fishes possess a swim bladder that helps
with buoyancy control, tarpon have the ability to control the contents
of their swim bladders by obtaining and releasing the ambient air and
can use that air for respiratory functions. This allows the juveniles to
obtain much of their oxygen from the air rather than the water. Since
most fish need oxygenated water to survive, juvenile tarpon predators
are unable to access these backwater habitats.
The fact that juvenile tarpon require such specific habitats, and that
these mangrove and wetland habitats continue to be lost, underscore
the need for protecting these important habitats. And since juvenile
tarpon aren’t found in equal abundances in all wetlands, research is
necessary to identify which locations are most important so their protection can be prioritized.
Many think that tarpon are obligated to gulp air, but research has
shown this is not true. Anglers often see adult tarpon rolling in
well oxygenated habitats, such as passes and in harbors. Studies
link this behavior to the learned habit that was initially a juvenile
survival necessity. Rolling for adult tarpon seems to be a preference more than a survival strategy which was confirmed by one
research study. Adult tarpon were placed in an artificial habitat
that was well oxygenated and their ambient air supply was cut off
by placing a lid over the tank. Although the tarpon attempted to
roll at the surface (a behavioral response), their respiratory functions were not hindered by the lid.
As they are throughout their lives, juveniles are opportunistic feeders.
They eat small crustaceans (copepods, mysid shrimp) and worms,
for example, and expand their diet to include fish as they grow.
The sub-adult stage of the tarpon life cycle, from 2 years old to
maturity, is similar to that of a teenager: they’re still experimenting
with their bodies; they look like adults but still act like children;
they eat and eat but never leave home. Sub-adult tarpon expand
their diet, including crabs, fish, shrimp and worms. They also expand their use of habitats and the ranges that they travel, although
we don’t think that the younger sub-adults move great distances.
The adult phase of the tarpon life cycle is what makes anglers lose
sleep and quit their jobs. Many have conquered the Silver King,
but more often than not it is the angler who has been conquered
by an adult tarpon. The longevity of a tarpon is upward of 80
years, and as we all know, with age comes wisdom. Decades of
experience with anglers may explain why large tarpon so often
get the upper hand. Tarpon take quite a while to reach maturity.
Female tarpon reach reproductive maturation around age 10 in
Florida and age 12 in Costa Rica. One study by Roy Crabtree in
1997 found that female tarpon are approximately four and a half
feet long at maturity and males at just fewer than four feet. The
slow growing, late to mature characteristic of tarpon make them
especially vulnerable to habitat loss and overfishing. Such slow
growing fish typically take a long time to recover from any population declines. This is but one reason that BTT is pushing for
increased diligence in tarpon fisheries management.
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Why do some tarpon migrate long distances and others stick close
to home? Through tagging we have discovered that adult tarpon
have the ability to travel long distances, at times reaching 1200
miles. But many of the tagged adult tarpon stayed within a hundred miles of the initial tag site. The reasons behind and the frequency of tarpon migrations are not yet fully understood.
Central America, a spot along tarpon migration routes, harvests
tarpon for meat and roe. If we are all experiencing the same tarpon populations, then a decline in one area due to harvesting
would affect all other angler hot spots that share the same fish.
This is definitely a cause for concern, and a reason for you to help
BTT fund satellite tagging research.
One of the most powerful ways for recreational anglers to take part
in conservation on a daily basis is by practicing the best methods for
catch and release fishing. If anglers know the proper technique to
release a tarpon without causing damage to the fish, the chances of
the tarpon’s survival after release will be high, and we will be able to
have a sustainable tarpon fishery long into the future. The first goal
is to match the tackle to the fish. If a fly angler is casting to a school
of 130 pound tarpon using an 8 weight rod, for example, if the rod
holds up the fight time will be prolonged and the fish will be exhausted. Exhausted fish are more susceptible to predation because
they tend to lose their equilibrium and roll over. And research on
bonefish showed that a fish that loses equilibrium is six times more
likely to be attacked by a predator. If you are fishing for tarpon in a
spot where predators are abundant, you may want to consider relocating to another location until the predators disperse.
Often anglers attempt to revive tarpon by quickly moving the fish
back-and-forth alongside the boat. A fish’s gills are designed to
uptake oxygen only when the fish is moving forward through the
water. If your boat has a slow idle, you can hold the fish alongside
the boat while idling forward. If not, try idling your vessel for a
short length, then put the boat in neutral or shut it off to create a
forward gliding motion for the fish. You don’t want to pull the fish
through the water too fast since this is also not good for the fish.
While you are handling the fish after capture, it is best to use tackle pliers to remove the hook from the lip with minimal contact to
the fish. If your fish is hooked in the gullet, clip the line as close
as you can to the hook. If you must handle the fish, do so using
wet, bare hands and keep air exposure brief (research on bonefish
showed that 15 seconds is the max) – including snapshots.
It is best not to hold a tarpon vertically by the jaw above the water.
Tarpon and other fish are built for low gravity conditions where
their body weight is supported by the water and the buoyancy of
their swim bladder. If held vertically out of the water, the tarpon’s
muscles, bones and inner organs are subjected to forces they are
not used to. If the fish is removed from the water, you should hold
the fish horizontally, supporting it at its head and midsection. If
you need to weigh the fish, place it in a damp sling and briefly
suspend the sling from the scale.
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust is a non-profit organization that strives
to conserve the tarpon fisheries – not preserve. There is a common misconception that scientific “meddling” leads to a complete
termination of recreational and commercial fishing, or at the least
more harsh regulations. This is the opposite of BTT’s mission. Our
premise is to sustain a healthy fishery for everyone to enjoy for
generations. We find that anglers are often unaware of threats to
the fisheries and once they have been educated from a scientific
standpoint, they frequently agree with our recommendation of
best practices. We aim to join forces with everyone who loves tarpon fishing as much as we do and pursue this sacred sportfish for
decades to come. Remember, conservation starts with conversation and word of mouth is the best way to express the necessity
for knowledge of this species. Bonefish & Tarpon Trust is working
to drive this change in the direction that is most beneficial to the
species we target – the coveted Silver King.
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keep that tarpon rolling
Ever wonder why tarpon roll? A tarpon rolling at the surface is often
the primary thing anglers are looking for when they are out for a
day of tarpon fishing, whether on the flats, beach, bay, backwater or
offshore. For the last decade, FWC researchers have been fortunate
to be able to study and observe these fish. Here they share a little of
the science behind this behavior.
One reason tarpon roll is to breathe atmospheric air and fill their swim bladders, thus obtaining more oxygen to
supplement their gill breathing capabilities. A tarpon’s swim bladder has a direct
opening to its esophagus, or throat, so
it fills quickly and efficiently. Inside the
swim bladder are four rows of spongy
tissue very similar to a human lung. This
tissue is what extracts oxygen from the
air to fuel the tarpon’s muscles, which is
needed for endurance during bouts of
exercise. Examples of tarpon “exercise”
could be battling an angler on hook and
line, performing long distance swimming
migrations or outswimming a shark.
Australian research showed that ox-eye
tarpon permitted to breathe air at the
surface after angling recovered back to
“normal” in one hour, relative to tarpon
that took several hours to recover if prevented from doing so. Tarpon will also
roll more frequently for breathing when
inhabiting water with low dissolved oxygen concentrations.
There is also a social aspect to tarpon rising to the surface together. A study conducted in 1940 placed small tarpon (2.5
inches) in tanks for observation. One fish
rising to the surface induced others to do
the same. The rolling in this study was
a social and respiratory movement triggered by the visual cue.
Further experiments in 1941 used artificial objects to test if biologists could induce tarpon to rise together in a more so-
cial nature. A wooden model of a tarpon,
painted silver, yielded the best results.
Statistics showed the induced movement
was significant and it was not by chance
that the fish rose together. A small school
of tarpon in one aquarium even induced
the movement of another group of tarpon held in an adjacent aquarium. When
researchers blinded some tarpon and
placed them in an aquarium with sighted
tarpon, no imitative rises occurred by the
blind fish when other tarpon rose to the
surface. Blind fish still rose to the surface
at the same rate as other tarpon, but for
breathing purposes.
In 1942, these experiments were repeated in an outside canal with five tarpon four to five feet in length. Scientists
found comparable results to that of the
small tarpon with one note: the large fish
did not rise as frequently as the small tarpon, but when they did, the movements
may have been a social response. In larger bodies of water, the authors suggested
there may be less mimicking of behavior
because such fish can be separated more
easily than fish in a river or canal.
It appears that tarpon do have a social
nature to rise and roll together. Maybe
they are not so different from us, since
many of us go fishing as a way to socialize
with friends. Perhaps some of the DNA
samples returned to the Tarpon Genetic
Recapture Study were even courtesy of a
tarpon revealing his location by a roll. So
let’s keep those tarpon rolling!
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DNA
Sampling Kit
Watch an educational video to learn about the Tarpon Genetic Recapture Study. The video includes
instructions on how to participate, so you’ll get
a step-by-step look at how to take a tarpon DNA
sample and submit it to the FWC. You may also review the following steps.
1. Though this task might be easier as a two-person
operation, a freshly captured tarpon is often easily
controlled by one person grasping the jaw with one
hand, leaving the other hand free to obtain the sample.
Kit Contains:
Three abrasive scrub
pads for single use
Pencil
Instruction sheet
Waterproof data sheet
Three labeled vials with
storage solution
Instructions for use
2. When the captured tarpon is under control beside the boat, use the sampling sponge to rub the
fish’s outer jaw until the sponge is white or silver. A
$50 permit (jaw tag) is not required to take a DNA
jaw scrape from a tarpon.
3. After the tarpon is released, rinse your hands in
seawater to remove all slime.
4. Place the sponge into a vial containing storage solution and close the lid tightly. Try not to let slime,
excess water, or other things get into the vial.
Elbow grease required
Scrape means
SCRAPE!
It only takes a few seconds to collect a tarpon sample,
but one must use enough pressure to get silver onto the
sponge. Silver or white indicates that adequate DNA
has been removed and scientists will be able to uniquely identify your tarpon. With a good scrape, the odds
for obtaining a good genotype increases tremendously!
Without a good scrape, we will not be able to determine
if you have captured a previously sampled fish. Don’t
waste your opportunity to genetically “tag” your tarpon
by rushing through the scraping process.
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before
after
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From bays to beaches
Follow
the
moon
After testing a tarpon DNA sample provided from a fish caught inside Tampa
Bay near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge
on the quarter moon in May, researchers
determined it was from a recaptured fish!
Six days later, only two days before the
full moon of June, another angler caught
and genetically sampled the same fish off
Longboat Key in Sarasota County, approximately 20 miles south. The tarpon
made its way from inside the bay to the
Gulf beaches during the peak of spawning season. Biologists expect the lunar
phases to drive adult tarpon movements
during spawning seasons. Fish aggregate in passes and along beaches prior
to moving offshore to spawn near the
full and new moons. This fish provides
an example of what biologists refer to as
system-wide movement. Sarasota to the
Keys in less than a month
The first DNA sample from this tarpon
was provided by an angler fishing off the
beaches of Sarasota County near Nokomis on the morning of June 18, 2009. The
adult tarpon measured approximately
65 inches and was swimming along the
central Florida Gulf Coast during peak
spawning season. Only 25 days later it
was sampled again at 2:02 p.m. on July
13 in Islamorada. FWC staff sampled the
fish a third time at 3:03 p.m. on August 11
at Robbie’s Marina (Islamorada), 29 days
later. The distance between DNA sampling locations was more than 190 miles
from where it was initially sampled and
released. The southward movement during the known spawning season (April
to July) was an unexpected event, which
biologists refer to as regional movement.
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Study reveals new information about
tarpon movement
By Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Seven years into the Tarpon Genetic Recapture Study, biologists with the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Mote Marine Laboratory
are gaining new insights into tarpon movement and seasonal habitat preferences.
With the help of anglers participating in
the study, researchers have confirmed that
some tarpon move long distances, and others stay close to home. Biologists have also
found evidence of a connection between
tarpon habitats in southwest Florida and
those of the Florida Keys.
Anglers sampled two tarpon in Charlotte
Harbor during August 2010. Both fish were
caught the following spring in the Florida
Keys – more than 150 miles away. These
tarpon were initially sampled inshore at the
end of a spawning season, in close proximity to offshore areas in the Gulf where
spawning is presumed to occur.
Sampling of another tarpon showed
the fish can travel a similar distance in
a shorter time. That tarpon was caught
near Islamorada in July 2011, about one
month after an angler reeled it in during
peak spawning season near Sarasota.
Researchers can track these tarpon thanks
to volunteer anglers who submit tarpon
DNA samples to the FWC. When an an-
gler catches and samples a tarpon that
was previously sampled, a recapture occurs. Through recaptures, biologists can
compare catch times and locations to determine movement.
In the study, the farthest distance recorded between an initial catch and a recapture is approximately 280 miles. That
tarpon was reeled in near Apalachicola
in July 2007 before it was recaptured near
Captiva in May 2009.
Anglers have submitted over 13,000 tarpon DNA samples to the FWC, including more than 4,000 in 2011. Among the
samples, researchers have documented
about 100 recaptured tarpon.
Anglers who would like to assist the
study can obtain a free, easy-to-use
tarpon DNA sampling kit by emailing
TarponGenetics@MyFWC.com or by
calling (800) 367-4461.
A new video provides a step-by-step
look at how an angler takes a tarpon
DNA sample for the study. The video,
produced by Florida Sea Grant and the
University of Florida Institute of Food
and Agricultural Sciences Communications, can be viewed at www.YouTube.
com/user/MyFWCsocial.
Samples returned
by county in Florida
*does not include 31 samples returned with no county specified
Florida Coastal Regions
2012 Study Results
We received 4,387 samples from the
United States... and 222 samples
from other countries!
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To protect, preserve and
defend our natural resources.
By Lew Hastings, Executive Director
Boca Grande has a unique and storied history when
it comes to tarpon fishing—indeed, this is the tarpon fishing capital of the world. There is nothing we
won’t do to ensure that we retain that moniker.
Most importantly, the way in which we can do that
is to educate residents, visitors and vacationers alike
as to how we can work together to create and maintain a sustainable fishery.
First off, we have to acknowledge and respect our
blessings that we have been placed in this unique
environment—that we have the specific ingredients
in this region the tarpon can migrate to, pre-spawn,
create a nursery, and grow to maturity in. I have been
lucky enough to get involved in current scientific
studies that are the only type of their kind anywhere
in the world to ultimately try and understand why
tarpon are attracted to this place—our backyard, to
grow and perpetuate their species in. We would be irresponsible and ignorant to minimize the importance
of our place in their life cycle and the importance of
our actions on their behavior in their habitat and in
their home. So make no mistake—this is not about
a fish. There are millions of fish and species that deserve their day in the sun, that deserve attention, that
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deserve respect. This is about an ecosystem: our ecosystem, their ecosystem, and what is unique to our
area and the role we play in the entirety of the tarpon life cycle and its effect around the world. This is
not about any one man, woman, or group. There are
plenty of people who think they know what is best
for the environment, but some are really only concerned for themselves—they like to hear themselves
talk, they talk a big game but when it comes to actually doing something, they really don’t deliver. This is
not about an organization or a club, because both or
either can become myopic and focus on the things
that benefit only their concerns and goals and promote only their views and beliefs. When that happens
people see through it as false concern—background
noise, self-serving tactics, and no one is taken seriously and nothing in the end gets done. Community…community is what matters. Community working
together. Grassroots up is powerful, impactful. When
the community says like ours has, “Enough is enough,
we will no longer tolerate the abuse of our natural
resources and the misrepresentation of our community,” someone, everyone has to listen, and that is
what is happening today. The citizens and friends of
the Boca Grande community have come together to
say unequivocally, “Everyone is invited to come and
The Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation
Commission:
A proposal review
This is about an ecosystem: our ecosystem, their
ecosystem, and what is unique to our area and
the role we play in the entirety of the tarpon life
cycle and it’s effect around the world.
enjoy the beautiful God-given natural resource we have to offer
to the world, but you will respect it and you will help preserve
it not just for us but for generations to come.” The Boca Grande
Area Chamber has been dedicated to that end as long as I have
been executive director for the last two years and I hope it will
be long after I am gone. We didn’t have to revive the World’s
Richest Tarpon Tournament (as far as the Boca Grande Chamber and everyone else was concerned it was on extended hiatus
for the last seven years), but on its 30th anniversary there was a
reason to bring it back more than just for the historical significance of the heritage of Boca Grande—but for the new mission:
conservation, education, sportsmanship. These three words define what the area residents of Boca Grande have been promoting and encouraging for years upon years—generations, in fact.
Employing conservation tactics and recommendations to ensure a healthy fishery, education of the public, both residential
and visitors on the importance of our role and location in the
life cycle of tarpon and other marine species, and the adherence
and maintenance to the tenets of sportsmanship. Somewhere
along the way, some of us have forgotten the meaning of the
word sportsman and the responsibilities and expectations that
go along with being a sportsman. We need to make sure we not
only bring this teaching back, but make sure that it is not forgotten—not now or in the future generations. So what is next?
What do we expect from our visitors, our residents, and ourselves? Put simply—respect. Respect the fish, respect the Pass.
Written by Jessica Tenbusch
On April 17th, the FWC, short for Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission, unanimously
moved forward with a proposal to make tarpon and
bonefish catch-and-release-only fisheries. The tarpon and bonefish catch-and-release-only proposal
includes potential changes for management in state
and federal waters off Florida. One of these potential changes includes eliminating all harvest of tarpon with the exception of the harvest or possession
of a single tarpon when in pursuit of an IGFA record
while in conjunction with a tarpon tag. Another
change would focus on keeping the tarpon tag price
at $50 per tag, while limiting fishers to one tag per
person, per year. In conjunction with the tag pricing, a modification of the tarpon tag program would
also be altered. New laws would include reporting
requirements and shifting the start and end date
for when the tarpon tag is valid. Where bonefish
are concerned, the permit would be discontinuing
the bonefish tournament exemption permit which
allows tournament anglers to temporarily possess
bonefish for transport to a tournament scale.
Along with this proposal, the Commission also discussed how directed staff should re-examine the
definition of snagging and redefine what gear should
be used in the Pass. This issue will likely be brought
up during the next meeting as a draft proposal that
will take place during June in Lakeland during the
final decision of the proposal at hand.
For more information please visit MyFWC.com/
Commission
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Mote Science Café
tackles tarpon
By Lee Anderson
Editor, WaterLine Weekly Magazine
Ever wonder how long tarpon live? Or why they
seem to “roll” on the surface of the water? Or if
they make good fish tacos?
These answers and plenty more were addressed at Mote Marine’s Science Café,
“The Culture of the Silver King,” March 14 at River City Grill in Punta Gorda.
The Science Café series is the latest effort by Punta Gorda’s Mote Marine office
to educate and inform the public about issues relating to Charlotte Harbor.
The event was organized by Mote science educator Rachel Kraemer and education coordinator Grant Fischer. The discussion was led by Dr. Aaron Adams,
senior scientist with Mote’s Fisheries Habitat Ecology Program.
Adams used a PowerPoint presentation to tackle tarpon topics relating to the
past, present and future of Charlotte Harbor’s tarpon fishery. One of the first
questions asked: How does tarpon taste?
“First off, you can’t even handle a tarpon without a tag,” Adams said. “Other than
that, we don’t eat tarpon in the U.S. But in other countries they do. The best I can
describe it is like eating wet cardboard.”
With comedy relief aside, the discussion turned to the serious issues affecting
the future of the silver king — primarily its habitat. According to Adams, the
Harbor’s mangroves are the key to tarpon survival, and are threatened each day
by development, pollution and other key factors.
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“The tarpon spawn hundreds of miles offshore,” Adams said. “But
they swim into the Harbor and into the stinky and mucky mangroves
as larvae. They look like tapeworms at this point, and it’s in the mangroves where they grow into juveniles. Without the mangroves, there
would be no tarpon. They learn how to survive in the mangroves.
They learn to hunt there. They even learn to roll there. They have
an air bladder and gulp air in the low-oxygen mangrove swamps. It
is a neat survival trait. They also may communicate with each other,
triggering other fish to roll. There is still a lot to learn about tarpon.”
Joining Adams in leading the discussion were Sean and Brooks
Paxton, the “Shark Brothers” of Think Out Loud Productions, and
Lew Hastings, executive director of the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce. The Paxtons and Hasting are collaborating with
Mote in hopes of protecting the tarpon population in the Harbor.
In addition to Adams’ presentation, the Paxtons showed the audience a clip of their one-hour educational documentary, “Rich History — Priceless Future: The Tarpon of Boca Grande Pass.” The clip
also highlighted the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament, a catchand-release fishing tournament held May 23-24 in Boca Grande,
backed by the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce.
“When you think about Charlotte Harbor, especially Boca Grande
Pass, you think about the tarpon,” Sean said. “We’re just trying to
get the message out that tarpon need our help.”
Adams hopes to learn more about the spawning and migration of
tarpon through a Mote study that tracks the fish via an acoustic
tag in the belly. Receivers would be strategically placed around the
Harbor to track the tarpon. However, there is the matter of expense. Adams estimates the study will cost $750,000.
“Mote is always looking for funding,” Adams said. “We’ll take it any
way we can. This is too important of a study. We want to prevent
something like the tragedy that happened in Texas.”
The tragedy Adams was referring to happened in Port Aransas,
Texas, during the 1950s. Like Boca Grande, Port Aransas once
claimed to be the tarpon fishing capital of the world. Fishermen
and their families congregated to Port Aransas, staying in hotels,
eating at restaurants and pumping money into the local economy.
Then the fish stopped coming, and it all was gone.
“I don’t think it was one factor that wiped out the tarpon at Port
Aransas,” Adams said. “I think it was a combination of factors. We
just don’t know specifically what those factors were. That’s why it is
so important to get a scientific understanding of our Harbor. Nobody
wants what happened at Port Aransas to happen here. Nobody.”
More than 70 people showed up for the discussion, including
Punta Gorda resident and self-described fisherman Mike Gilger.
“Over the years I have personally seen the fishery here go down
in numbers,” Gilger said. “To me that is scary. I just hope more
people get educated about the importance of the Harbor — not
just tarpon, but everything in the Harbor.”
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Lew Hastings on stage with
Jennifer Reeves, Meterorologist at NBC Miami, at the Rock
the Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival in Ft. Lauderdale. Collaboration efforts between organizations such as The Guy Harvey
Ocean Foundation will ensure
that future generations will enjoy and benefit from a naturally balanced ocean ecosystem.
Lew spoke about the mission
of the World’s Richest Tarpon
Tournament:
Conservation,
Education and Sportsmanship.
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A Man on a Mission
Lew Hastings: Educational Outreach
Executive director of the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce - Lew Hastings
- has been busy over the past year participating in numerous education outreach
efforts. His work is helping to bring awareness about tarpon populations, habitat use
and the importance of our coastal marine environment. He was also just named the
executive director of the Florida non-profit group, Save The Tarpon Inc. Some of his
recent speaking engagements and outreach efforts include the following:
“I’m looking
forward to doing
more speaking
engagements. We
want to take this
message to high
schools and colleges,
boating clubs…
whoever might
be affected or be
a stakeholder in
the health of their
coastal marine
environment.
Without it there’s
no understanding.”
Lew Hastings,
executive director of
the Boca Grande Area
Chamber of Commerce
The Think Out Loud Productions team on location at the Guy Harvey Head Quarters in Davie Florida.
left-right: Joe Bamford, Lew Hastings, Sean Paxton, Dr. Guy Harvey, Brooks Paxton II, Fred Schuh
• Lew was a featured speaker at the premiere of the
Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce’s trailer for
their tarpon documentary special “Rich History…
Priceless Future - The Tarpon of Boca Grande Pass”
at Mote Marine Laboratory’s Immersion Theater
in Sarasota as part of a Youth Conservation Summit. The trailer included respected tarpon experts,
a representative from Guy Harvey Enterprises and
Nashville Recording Artist Colton James
• He also spoke with Purdue University students on
Palm Island. The students from Indiana are part of
a hospitality management course at Palm Island
Resort to learn about sustainability as it pertains to
natural resources and tourism
• Speaking on behalf of the Save The Tarpon organization, he spoke to the Placida Rotary Club. “We
explained who we are, where we were last year
when we were just beginning, where we are now
and what the future looks like for Save the Tarpon
and what it meant for those people at the Rotary
Club because they’re all business owners or business professionals and it does directly affect them
as it pertains to tourism and economic impact,”
said Lew.
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Speaking at the Island School on Boca Grande
• He spoke at the Island School on Boca Grande
to elementary students in kindergarten – 5th
grade about the importance of the natural resources in their own backyards. He emphasized
that they are going to be the next stewards of
this very special and unique environment.
• In April, Lew along with a team of other representatives and supporters of Save the Tarpon
members flew to Havana, Florida to attend a
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meeting in Tallahassee. Taking
two planes, they dubbed themselves the ‘Save
The Tarpon Air Force.’ The FWC meeting was
to discuss the language that would be used in a
draft for new rules for tarpon and bonefish as
a catch and release only fishery and clear definitions of Boca Grande Pass tarpon gear. Along
with Lew, the other members of the ‘Save the
Tarpon Air Force’ included Captain Mark Futch,
Captain Tom McLaughlin, Bill Bishop, Captain
Chris Frohlich, Captain Van Hubbard, Captain
Tom Healy, Captain William Wheeler, Captain
Phillip O’Bannon, and Captain Cappy Joiner.
Save The Tarpon Air Force
67
Tarpon
Quick Facts
Facts Provided by the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission
Tarpon facts
Tackle That
Tarpon-Record
Information
• Florida currently holds 29 world records for tarpon.
Of these records, all of the major fly fishing records
have been caught off of Florida’s central west coast in
the Homosassa area.
• In 1982, Billy Pate set a fly fishing record on 16-pound
tippet with a 188-pound tarpon caught off of Homosassa. For the next 19 years, some of the world’s best
fly fishermen and guides attempted to break Pate’s record and become the first angler to land a tarpon on
fly fishing tackle that was over 200 pounds.
• On May 11, 2001, that feat finally happened. Jim Holland Jr., guided by Captain Steve Kirkpatrick, caught the
first tarpon with fly fishing equipment over 200 pounds:
a 202-pound, 8-ounce tarpon on 20-pound tippet.
• Pate’s 16-pound tippet record was broken on May 13,
2003 with a 190-pound, 9-ounce tarpon caught by Tom
Evans Jr. Evans was guided by Captain Al Doparik.
• The Florida state record for tarpon caught with conventional tackle is 243 pounds, caught by Gus Bell in Key
West in 1975 on just 20-pound test line. The guide was
Captain Bob West who also guided two other anglers to
Florida records that have since been broken.
• The all-tackle world record (additionally certified
as the 80-pound class record) for a giant tarpon is
286-pounds, 9-ounces caught by Max Domecq in
Rubane, Guinea-Bissau, Africa on March 20, 2003.
Records are subject to change at a moment’s notice so, for up-to-date
world record information for tarpon and a variety of other species, visit
www.igfa.org/Records/World-Records-Fish-List.aspx?LC=ATR
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Tips for a successful catchandrelease
When handled with care and respect, a tarpon can
typically recover. Research-based suggestions
to maximize survival when you release a tarpon after fishing include:
• Take the time to revive your tarpon. A tarpon
should be able to swim on its own after release. Doing so allows it to escape predators and breathe at
the surface, if needed, to help speed its recovery
from the fight.
• Try not to foul hook your tarpon. This can decrease survival.
• If a tarpon swallows the hook, cut the line and
leave the hook in the fish.
• Avoid releasing tarpon in shark infested waters.
Research showed shark attack was the No. 1 cause
Fascination
with the silver
of tarpon mortality after
release.
king
stretches
back at least five centu• Avoid handling a tarpon
by the gills.
ries to Michelangelo’s painting of
Jonah and the Great Fish on the
Sistine Chapel. It turns out that the
“great fish” was an Atlantic tarpon.
Tarpon facts
paining tidbit
Fossil records show
that tarpon have been
swimming in our oceans
since prehistoric times.
Tarpon is the only fully
marine species that
can breathe air using
their swimbladder as
an auxiliary breathing
organ. This allows
them to survive in
harsh environments.
Tarpon over 100 lbs. are
common, and a few lucky
anglers catch tarpon weighing
more than 200 lbs.
Juvenile tarpon spend their
first year in marshes and
mangrove swamps, a very
important nursery habitat.
Wild tarpon have been aged
as old as 55 years. New
technology supports that they
may live up to 78 years.
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Photo by Jason Arnold
www.jasonarnoldphoto.com
70
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Photo by Matt Mativi
Tarpon Fishing
in Boca Grande Pass
Boca Grande Pass is a world-famous fishing location for tarpon, one of Florida’s premier sport fish. The future of the Pass and its
tarpon fishery depends on conservation and ethical angling. This brochure will provide anglers with information about tarpon
biology, boating etiquette and current tarpon fishing regulations specific to Boca Grande Pass. Practicing these techniques will
promote an enjoyable fishing experience for present and future anglers. Please do your part to adhere to fishing and boating
regulations. Help make Boca Grande Pass an enjoyable experience for all who fish there!
Regulations - Boca Grande
Pass Seasonal Regulations
Beginning April 2005, the following regulations apply each year during the months
of April, May and June:
• A maximum of three fishing lines may
be deployed from a vessel at any one
time while fishing for all species.
• No person shall use, fish with, or place
in the water any breakaway gear.
Breakaway gear means any bob, float,
weight, lure or spoon that is affixed
to a fishing line or hook with wire, line,
rubber bands, plastic ties or other
fasteners designed to break off when
a fish is caught.
Statewide Regulations
• There is a two-fish possession limit for
tarpon. You must purchase a tarpon tag
from the FWC to lawfully possess
a tarpon.
• Tarpon tags can be purchased from
your local county tax collector.
• Dragging tarpon to weigh stations is
considered possession.
• The intentional snagging or snatchhooking of tarpon is prohibited.
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For questions concerning tarpon regulations contact the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission’s
Division of Marine Fisheries Management at (800) 488-6058 or online at
MyFWC.com.
Safe Boating and Pass Etiquette:
Here are some tips and tactics that will help make your tarpon fishing
experience safe and enjoyable.
• All boat operators should realize that during tarpon season
Boca Grande Pass is an extremely congested area.
• Never turn the boat’s engine off or leave the wheel unattended.
• Do not anchor in the Pass.
• Operate your boat at a rate of speed that does not create a wake.
• When approaching the fleet make note of the direction of drift,
and begin your drift at the head of the pack (up-current side).
• When finishing a drift, move to the head of the fleet by going
around, not through the fleet.
• Do not rush over or chase a school of tarpon you see rolling
at the surface.
• Do not run through a school of tarpon. Go around them and
start your fishing in front of the school.
• Never approach other boats that are playing a tarpon in
shallow water.
• Once hooked-up, move your tarpon out of the school and move
away from other boats as quickly as possible before you finish the
fight and release the fish.
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Sportsmanship at its Finest
By Lew Hastings - Executive Director, Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce
Sportsmanship can be conceptualized as an enduring and relatively stable characteristic or disposition such that individuals differ in the way they are generally expected to behave in sport situations. In general, sportsmanship refers to virtues such as fairness,
self-control, courage and persistence, and has been associated with
interpersonal concepts of treating others and being treated fairly,
maintaining self-control in dealing with others, and respect for both
authority and opponents.
Sportsmanship typically is regarded as a component of morality in
sport, composed of three related and perhaps overlapping concepts:
fair play, sportsmanship and character. Fair play refers to all participants having an equitable chance to pursue victory and acting
toward others in an honest, straightforward and firm and dignified
manner even when others do not play fairly. It includes respect for
others, including team members, opponents and officials. Character
refers to dispositions, values and habits that determine the way that
person normally responds to desires, fears, challenges, opportunities, failures and successes, and is typically seen in polite behaviors
toward others, such as helping an opponent up or shaking hands
after a match. An individual is believed to have a “good character”
when those dispositions and habits reflect core ethical values.
Definition of SPORTSMANSHIP according to the dictionary: conduct (as fairness, respect for one’s opponent, and graciousness in
winning or losing) becoming to one participating in a sport.
• Play fair, take loss or defeat without complaint, or victory
without gloating
• Treat others as you wish to be treated
• Respect others and one’s self
• Impose self-control, be courteous and gracefully accept
results of one’s actions
• Display ethical behavior by being good (character) and
doing right (action)
• Be a good citizen.
The values and conduct promoted through this event allows us to
set an example to our young people on how we expect them to act
when engaged in competition at any level. The hope is that these
values and actions will be carried into one’s daily life in school, work
and family and friend settings.
Another very important point to illustrate is that sportsmanship is
critical in events dealing with natural resources because competitors need to exhibit these same behaviors of fair play and ethics and
integrity to the game of their chosen sport.
What is sportsmanship?
Best practices in sport and recreation helps to preserve and establish a healthy environment and in our case a sustainable fishery and
coastal marine environment so that they can be enjoyed for generations to come.
Good sportsmanship is viewed by the National Federation of State
High School Associations as a commitment to fair play, ethical behavior and integrity. In perception and practice, sportsmanship is
defined as those qualities which are characterized by generosity and
genuine concern for others:
The “World’s Richest” Tarpon Tournament and the Boca Grande
Area Chamber of Commerce strives to uphold the highest standard
of sportsmanship throughout its events and encourages all participants, attendees and competitors to do the same. It not only benefits
our environment but enriches our community as well.
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While the brothers are well known for their innovative productions and conservation work with sharks and the marine
environment, they maintain a non-stop schedule driven by a
host of other projects highlighting a number of exploration,
history, archeology, wildlife and habitat topics, in addition
to live appearances and speaking engagements. Their work
has been seen internationally on: Discovery Channel, Shark
Week, PBS, National Geographic, the Weather Channel, Fox,
and the NBC Nightly News, to name a few.
Meet the Shark Brothers:
“We’ve been fortunate in finding creative ways to pursue our passions for
nature, exploration and history, while involving the public and supporting science and education in the process. Looking back, it was our childhood fascination with adventure and wildlife that never went away and
the years spent traveling the world with our show business family that led
us to where we are today.” - Sean Paxton
At the helm of Think Out Loud Productions, they fill multiple
roles including cameramen, producers, writers, expedition
and science team members. As a result, they find themselves
directly involved in the stories and experiences they share;
a hands-on approach to engage children and adults alike in
the history, wildlife, and exploration topics they document
and produce. Their collaborative efforts with distinguished
individuals and organizations on historically significant
documentaries, science and research expeditions and innovative live events include: the Mote Marine Laboratory and
Center for Shark Research, Dr. Bob Hueter, Guy Harvey, the
Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, South Eastern Archeological Services, ADM Exploration Team, the Florida Aquarium,
and the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce.
Why They Do... What They Do:
We’re driven by our curiosity about the natural world,
history’s mysteries and the adventure that comes with
exploring that curiosity, but there’s a deeper purpose
behind it all. We’re compelled by a heightened sense of
urgency to do our part in taking on challenges that face
some of the world’s natural, historical and cultural resources.
That’s why our underlying mission is to explore, but not
just in the traditional sense. We also explore wild ideas
about how to engage, involve and motivate the public,
and at times, even direct the actions and decisions of policy-makers. In some cases, we’re responding to the need
for vital funding to support important scientific research,
an educational initiative or the recovery and curation of
cultural and historical artifacts.
Fortunately, we’re not the only ones that feel this way,
and through strategic alliances and with the generous
support of sponsors over the years, we’ve turned more
than a few wild ideas into effective solutions. We’d like
to thank them all for their critical support because none
of our shared successes would be possible without their
involvement.
76
The expedition to explore and dive the mysterious Deep Hole in the Myakka River State
Park gave us a great reason to throw a perfectly good shark cage into a gator-infested
sinkhole.”
L-R: Sean Paxton, Brooks Paxton, Lisa Bramlage, Steve Koski, Curt Bowen, Jim Culter, Jon
S. Perry, Rene A. Jannerman, Diana Donaghy , John Ryan, Joe Bamford
Tarpon Fisheries Documentary:
Rich History, Priceless Future - the Tarpon of Boca Grande Pass, presented by
the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce, is an engaging and educational
documentary that explores the history of a modern day tarpon fishery worth billions of dollars annually, that originated over a century ago in the waters around
Florida’s Boca Grande Pass, also known as the “Tarpon capital of the world”. It
was imperative to us, from the start, that we take a high-ground look at the larger
issue of sustainability through the lens of the Charlotte Harbor and Boca Grande Pass
fishery. We stayed focused on making sure that, whether you’re from Kansas City or
Key West, the mission of conservation, education and sportsmanship put forth by
Lew Hastings and the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce was well understood. It’s been an amazing experience and there’s a long list of people to thank in
making this documentary possible. We encourage everyone to get a copy and share
it with your family and friends and make sure you watch the credits! For now, a special thanks to Lew Hastings and the Chamber of Commerce, the community of Boca
Grande and all our sponsors for their participation and support of this project.
This film explores the answers to those questions and takes an in-depth look at how
the local community in and around Boca Grande, renowned scientists, educators and
conservationists have joined forces in a forward-thinking strategy designed to protect
this priceless fishery for future generations.
You can purchase the DVD at the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce or by
calling (941) 964-0568.
Filming a segment for the documentary with Dr. Guy Harvey at
his world headquarters in Davie, FL.
The Shark Brothers will also develop some unique educational outreach and distance learning programs with the Guy Harvey Ocean
Foundation, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium and the Florida
Aquarium, and are excited about the prospects of an expedition and
film project in Africa to explore the topics of elephant and rhino poaching, the illegal animal trade, and some of the uniquely effective conservation efforts taking place there.
Upcoming Projects:
Our work with the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge also continues with a modified format this year designed to support ongoing
Mote Center for Shark Research studies that are part of the Mote-Boca
Grande Partnership. They’re also supporting the efforts of a new allrelease shark tournament in their old stomping grounds of Montauk,
Long Island, which is the birthplace of recreational fishing for sharks.
Within days after the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament this year, Sean and Brooks will be heading to
Beaufort North Carolina, to film and produce an educational series and live streaming event focused on the
final phase of operations to recover artifacts from the
Queen Anne’s Revenge – Blackbeard’s flagship which
was sunk in June of 1718. The series and live event
will also recount the final days of this infamous North
Caroline pirate. This is an innovative educational project with the State of North Carolina Department of
Cultural Resources Underwater Archaeology Branch
and Friends of the Queen Anne’s Revenge.
For more information on Sean and
Brooks Paxton or their education
programs please visit their site
www.thinkoutloudproductions.com
77
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2012
The song, Save It For The Kids, is available on iTunes. A portion of the
proceedes goes to the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. Be sure to look
out for the hot new single, 101 Proof Country, coming out this summer.
Photo provided by Colton James & Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation
“I do it for the love of my family, for the love of my
friends, for the love of my country, but mostly for
the love of God. Without God, I wouldn’t be here.”
If this doesn’t sum up the roots of a down-to-earth
country boy like Colton James, nothing will.
Colton’s country roots run deep, and were developed at a young age. What started as a truck ride to
the fishing hole became a lifestyle. In the front seat
of his father’s truck, Colton was treated to legends
like George Jones, Keith Whitley, George Strait, and
Merle Haggard. Both of his grandmothers played
piano and organ, and his singing pipes come from
his mother. “She has a beautiful voice and always
sang with happiness, heart, and sincerity in church,”
Colton recalls.
Over the years, Colton has perfected his songwriting and guitar playing skills resulting in opening for
Toby Keith, Mark Chestnut, Chris Cagle, Joe Nichols, the Dixie Chicks, Lonestar, Keith Anderson, and
Trick Pony. His most memorable performance was
when he opened for Jason Aldean at Little Creek
Amphibious Base, because it was here that 16,000
fans heard him play “Brave Men,” a powerful tribute
to American troops. Colton’s moving lyrics earned
him a standing ovation that night. “These men and
women do something incredible for us. They deserve being recognized for the sacrifice they make
and this is my small way of letting them know how
much we appreciate them.”
Colton’s passion to help his country and community doesn’t stop with the military. He also shows
his support for families, and victims battling cancer. Colton was given a flyer for a benefit put on by
Kelly McCann, the manager of Towne Bank, for a
local resident named Diane Stokle who was battling
breast cancer. After hearing her story Colton put
himself in her family’s shoes and imagined what he
would do if it was his wife, mother, grandmother,
or children battling the disease. Being the family
man and husband he is, Colton, “felt compelled to
do something about it.” Colton sat down with renowned songwriter and founder of NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) and
within an hour wrote “What Keeps Her Strong.”
Colton says, “It was a gift from God that I awakened that night with the idea of ‘What Keeps Her
Strong.’” Colton had the opportunity to sing the
song to Diane before she passed away in May 2009.
He remembers her smiling and not letting her battle keep her from living life to the fullest. Colton has
been blessed with the opportunity to sing “What
Keeps Her Strong” during The Race for the Cure,
and for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Colton is currently working with producer Steve
Sturm (best known for working with Travis Tritt
for 12 years) on his new album that will feature
“Brave Men” and “What Keeps Her Strong.” His
motto of “101 Proof Country,” is reflected in his
country roots, strong sense of family, and his infectious ability to make everyone around him have
a good time.
I grew up on the
water and have loved
every second of each
experience it has given
to me and my family.
I have fished in many
tournaments and
have a great deal of
respect for our seas
and all the marine
life that live there.
“ Save It For The Kids”
is the Guy Harvey
Ocean Foundation
Theme Song, we wrote
this song to help bring
awareness about
our oceans and to
help save our seas.
– Colton James
2012
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