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The African Billfish Foundation
(A.B.F.) is a
non-profit charity organization dealing with the conservation and
research of the billfish species. Billfish is a collective term for
black, blue, and
striped marlin, sailfish,
broadbill swordfish, and
short- billed spearfish {resident in the Indian
Ocean}. The long-billed spearfish,
white marlin, Atlantic
sailfish and Atlantic blue marlin are the remaining billfish we do not
have in our waters. All these fish are of a highly migratory nature,
possess incredible beauty, and remain one of the most voracious
predators of the tropical and sub-tropical oceans.
If managed properly, they are a valuable, sustainable resource
and it is for these reasons that their survival is of paramount
importance.
Billfish stocks are declining at
an alarming rate, in the Atlantic
alone, where some controls are in place, more than 500,000 billfish are
killed each year. Globally the threat to their survival is even greater.
In the last five years the presence of more and more foreign long-line
and purse-seining fleets operating in East African waters has become
apparent. With no coast guard, or marine fisheries management programs,
there is no control over their harvests. Commercial long-lines and
gillnets are now the greatest threat to the survival of the billfish.
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 Company
Number:
4502290
UK Charity Number:
1096850 |
WHERE WE
STAND
The African Billfish Foundation at
present is primarily concerned with the running of a tagging program
targeting these species (25,090 fish tagged to date). This is conducted by sport- fishing boats, both
charter and private, operating throughout the coastal East African
region. The sport-fishing industry depends on the survival of billfish,
and the survival of billfish rests in the hands of sport anglers.
Through its tagging program the Foundation hopes to learn more about
migration patterns, growth rates, and breeding stocks of these species.
The sport-fishing community has
financed the project to date along with private donations and the
support of visiting anglers.
In recent years the popularity of tag and release has become such
that we now require a minimum of about 5000 tags per season.
The financial burden on this small group of people has become
such that the program is in danger of collapse unless we can gain some
outside support.
The tags we use are manufactured
in America, sporting our own address here in Kenya, at a cost
of $1.8 each. The
hydroscopic nylon tag heads are the
 most up-to-date, compatible tags
worldwide. The purchase of tags represents our main expense at the
present time. There are
also certificates sent out to all anglers
who release marlin throughout
the season, and rewards of $5 per recapture tag returned to us with all
the relevant information.
This provides an added incentive for artisan fishermen to get involved
in the conservation ethic, and to reap the rewards for doing so.
Through our considerable database we hope to compile a socio-economic
study of the value of sport-fishing in Kenya as a
sustainable resource.
Charlie Harris
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A description of how one goes about tagging a fish and
the process that follows. Includes diagram of the
tagging area on a billfish.
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The ABF has recovered over 740 tagged fish since 1990. From afar a field as Australia, Reunion, South Africa,
Yemen, Chagos, Seychelles and more. Maps of routes traveled by
billfish,
shark, tuna and trevally.
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Here you will find a break down of the species of
billfish that were caught of Kenya and in which area
they were caught. Seasonal catches by zone back to 2004.
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Join in the debate on the conservation, tagging and future
development of Indian Ocean billfish population. Have your
say on how we interpret the data.
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The ABF needs the help of all those with a love for the
sea and those elusive dark shapes that roam within.
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A.B.F. Tagging Figures
The ABF together with the Kenya Assoc. of Sea Anglers have
combined the entire Kenyan sport fishing catch, see
graphs of billfish migrations dating back
to 1984. Game fish catches going back to 1992 including
yellowfin tuna, dorado, wahoo, giant trevally and kingfish.
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Other Studies
Over the time the ABF have been collecting billfish data
a number of events, such as large El Nino's and La Nina's
which
appear to have influenced billfish migration patterns quite
dramatically. Then there is the constant cycle of the moon
and what role it plays.
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Contact Us -
Membership
- P.O, Box 342, Watamu, Kenya -
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