On February 13, 2015 The Billfish Foundation will honor conservation achievements at the 2015 Tag and Release Ceremony held at Miami’s Jungle Island Treetop Ballroom.  The Tag and Release Ceremony sponsored by Bisbee’s Black and Blue recognized the 42 winners of the 2012 Tag and Release Competition and award winners received beautiful trophies sponsored by King Sailfish Mounts. All award winners in attendance received sunglasses courtesy of Costa and overall winners each received a lure from Bonze Lures.

TBF’s Overall Tagging Angler Winner for all species (any combination of blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, white marlin, sailfish and/or spearfish) included Juan Cruz Anon (Miami, Fla., USA). Kumie Saegusa (Nishiki, Yokohama, Japan) took the honors as the Top Overall Lady Tagging Angler. Tyler Sudbrink(Greensboro, NC, USA), a multi-year winner in his last year of youth category eligibility, won the Top Overall Youth Tagging Angler and repeating as Top Overall Tagging Captain was Fin Gaddy (Manteo, N.C., USA).

In the release division, taking the honors as both Top Overall Release Angler and Top Overall Release Lady Angler was Tiffany Sisolak (Kitty Hawk, NC, USA). Jacob Pearcy (Tuscon, Arizona, USA) won the Top Overall Release Youth Angler and Brad Philipps (Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala) repeated his title as the Top Overall Release Captain.

The 2013 competition began Nov.1, 2012 and will wrap up on Oct. 31, 2013. TBF members from more than 70 countries are invited to participate and ‘Tag Data Reports’ and ‘Release Notifications’ can be submitted to TBF using either the traditional hard copies or reported online at www.billfishtag.org. Separate categories currently exist for each the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans with additional categories being considered for the 2014 competition.

To be eligible to receive an award active TBF members must have tagged and/or released five or more of a species to qualify. In addition, TBF’s Youth Program was created in 2001 and recognizes the conservation ethics and achievements of young anglers. It includes a three fish minimum in three separate age groupings for both tag and release categories.

THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION’S 2012 TAG & RELEASE AWARD WINNERS

Top Tagging Anglers – Atlantic Ocean

Mike Brauser – Lighthouse Point, FL USA – Blue Marlin

Robert DeYoung – Lyndhurst, NJ USA – Sailfish

Richard Gudoian – Key Largo, FL USA – Swordfish

Sandra MacMillan* – Fort Lauderdale, FL USA – White Marlin

Peter Cherasia* – Rumson, NJ USA – White Marlin

Top Tagging Captains – Atlantic Ocean

Zak Conde – San Vicente, Cape Verde – Blue Marlin

Fin Gaddy – Manteo, NC USA – Sailfish

Sean O’Connor – Key Largo, FL USA – Swordfish

Fin Gaddy – Manteo, NC USA – White Marlin

Top Tagging Anglers – Pacific Ocean

David Richardson – Bangalow, NSW Australia –Black Marlin

Tsumura Yasuhisa* – Sumiyoshi, Osaka Japan – Blue Marlin

Kumie Saegusa* – Nishiku, Yokohama Japan – Blue Marlin

Juan Cruz Anon – Miami, FL USA – Sailfish

John Duvall – Kemah, TX USA – Striped Marlin

Top Tagging Captains – Pacific Ocean

Tim Richardson – Bangalow, NSW AU – Black Marlin

Yanagi Takaharu – Hyogo, Japan – Blue Marlin

Chris Sheeder – Miami, FL USA – Sailfish

Chuck Wigzell – Kailua-Kona, HI USA – Spearfish

Sean Holden – Newport Beach, CA USA – Striped Marlin

Top Tagging Captains – Indian Ocean

Bernard Vale – Coral Bay, Australia – Black Marlin

Ross Newton – Broome, Australia – Blue Marlin

Ross Newton – Broome, Australia – Sailfish

Pat Hemphill – Ukunda, Kenya – Striped Marlin

Top Youth Tagging Winners

Lillian Way – Houston, TX USA – Age 11-12

Shawn MacMullin – Key Largo, FL USA – Age 11-12 – Runner Up

Tyler Sudbrink – Greensboro, NC USA – Age 16-17

Overall Tagging Winners

Fin Gaddy – Manteo, NC USA – Overall Captain

Juan Cruz Anon – Miami, FL USA – Overall Angler

Kumie Saegusa – Nishiku, Yokohama Japan – Top Lady Angler

Tyler Sudbrink – Greensboro, NC USA – Top Youth Angler

Top Release Anglers – Atlantic Ocean

William Thomasson – Molino, FL USA – Blue Marlin

Gray Ingram – Jupiter, FL USA – Sailfish

Scott Cooper – Mobile, AL USA – Swordfish

Gray Ingram – Jupiter, FL USA – White Marlin

Top Release Captains – Atlantic Ocean

Marty Bates – San Vicente, Cape Verde – Blue Marlin

Fin Gaddy – Manteo, NC USA – Sailfish

Russel Craft – Mobile, AL USA – Swordfish

Fin Gaddy – Manteo, NC USA – White Marlin

Top Release Anglers – Pacific Ocean

Barry Alty – Gold Coast, QLD Australia – Black Marlin

Barry Alty – Gold Coast, QLD Australia – Blue Marlin

Tiffany Sisolak – Kitty Hawk, NC USA – Sailfish

John Rogers – Glendale, AZ USA – Striped Marlin

John Gregory – Keri Keri, New Zealand – Swordfish

Top Release Captains – Pacific Ocean

Chris Van Leeuwen* – Iztapa, Guatemala – Blue MarlinBrett Alty* – Gold Coast, QL Australia – Blue Marlin

Brett Alty – Gold Coast, QL Australia – Black Marlin

Brad Philipps – Iztapa, Guatemala – Sailfish

Jose Nunez – Chino Hills, CA USA – Striped Marlin

John Gregory – Keri Keri, New Zealand – Swordfish

Top Release Anglers – Indian Ocean

Anders Jonsson – Ystad, Sweden – Sailfish

Top Release Anglers – Indian Ocean

Simon Hemphill – Ukunda, Kenya – Sailfish

Top Youth Release Winners

Gregory Benn – Great Falls, VA USA – Age 13-15

Wesley Davis – Malibu, CA USA – Age 13-15 – Runner Up

Jacob Pearcy – Tucson, AZ USA – Age 16-17

Tyler Sudbrink – Greensboro, NC USA – Age 16-17 – Runner Up

Overall Release Winners

Brad Philipps – Iztapa, Guatemala – Overall Captain

Tiffany Sisolak – Kitty Hawk, NC USA- Overall Angler

Tiffany Sisolak – Kitty Hawk, NC USA- Overall Lady Angler

Jacob Pearcy – Tucson, AZ USA – Top Youth Angler

* Indicates a tie occurred

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