Bonefish and Tarpon Trust hosted their 5th International Symposium at the IGFA Hall of Fame and Museum in Dania Beach, Florida. Hundreds of conservation minded attendees turned out for the educational …
In this Expedition Notebook, Jessica Harvey looks at everyone’s favorite marine creature – the Sea Turtle!
14 Jul 20209:52 AM
Join Guy Harvey and his daughter Jessica as they travel the world to study and document the largest predators and most exotic wildlife on land and in the sea. In this Expedition Notebook look at everyone’s favorite marine creature – the Sea Turtle!
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![](mailto:?subject=Bonefish and Tarpon Trust Hosts Their 5th International Symposium&body=<a href="http://www.bonefishtarpontrust.org/">Bonefish and Tarpon Trust</a> hosted their 5th International Symposium at the <a href="http://igfa.org">IGFA Hall of Fame and Museum</a> in Dania Beach, Florida. Hundreds of conservation minded attendees turned out for the educational and event packed weekend, all with a focus on raising awareness about the conservation of bonefish, tarpon, and permit.
Scientists from the United States, Canada, Brazil, Belize, the Bahamas, and Cuba were on hand to present their latest findings on a variety of topics concerning the three slam species. A number of fly and spin fishing clinics were held for the attendees to enjoy and there were also panel discussions with some of today’s most knowledgeable fishing guides and angling legends from around the world, sharing their insight and stories about bonefish, tarpon, and permit.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/btt-2014-flies.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-2387 size-full" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/btt-2014-flies.jpg" alt="BTT 2014 Flies" width="640" height="427" /></a>
Friday evening saw the inaugural BTT Art and Film Festival, where some of the biggest names in saltwater art and photography displayed their work and helped raise funds for BTT. The festival also featured screenings of many excellent short films, all competing for a chance to win prizes from <a href="http://www.orvis.com">Orvis</a> and <a href="http://costadelmar.com">Costa</a> and the title of Viewer’s Choice. In the end, “Knockin’ On The Door” by WorldAngling took home the win. The winner of BTT’s Best Conservation Message went to Marc Montocchio for his trailer of the film “Origins Of The Sky.”
The highlight of the film screening was the world premier of "90 Miles", in which filmmaker Will Benson of WorldAngling highlighted his recent trip to Cuba with BTT scientists and showed the world that although the US has had differences with its neighbor to the south, we also share many commonalities including a love for fishing and a passion for the conservation of our environment.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/btt-2014-bill-tom_mcguane.jpg"><img class="wp-image-2389 size-full" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/btt-2014-bill-tom_mcguane.jpg" alt="BTT 2014 Bill Tom_McGuane" width="640" height="509" /></a>Bill Klyn presents Tom McGuane with the Curt Gowdy Media Memorial Award, photo: Pat Ford
Capping off the two-day event was a Saturday evening silent auction followed by the “Passing The Torch” Banquet. The banquet celebrated some up and coming members of the saltwater fishing community in a short “Passing The Torch” film. The film highlighted Paul Puckett, Jorge Martinez, <a href="http://flatsclass.com">Captain C.A. Richardson</a>, Captain Will Benson, Meredith McCord and Oliver White for their support of BTT and their efforts to promote conservation of bonefish, tarpon, and permit.
During the banquet, BTT awarded three Conservation Stewardship awards to deserving members of the fishing community. The Flats Stewardship Award went to former <a href="http://myfwc.com">FWC</a> commissioner Ken Wright for his tireless efforts in securing the catch and release status of bonefish and tarpon in Florida, as well as the banning of the “Boca Grande Jig”. The Lefty Kreh Sportsman of the Year Award was presented to <a href="https://www.costadelmar.com">Costa Del Mar</a>’s VP of Marketing, Al Perkinson, for his immense support of BTT through Project Permit, and the Curt Gowdy Media Memorial Award went to legendary author and <a href="http://outdoorchannel.com/buccaneers-and-bones">Buccaneers and Bones</a> star Tom McGuane.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/btt-2014-al_perkinson-aaron_adams.jpg"><img class="wp-image-2390 size-full" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/btt-2014-al_perkinson-aaron_adams.jpg" alt="BTT 2014 Al_Perkinson Aaron_Adams" width="640" height="612" /></a>Al Perkinson receives the Lefty Kreh Sportsman of the year Award from Dr. Aaron Adams. Photo Pat Ford
The <a href="http://fisheries.org">American Fisheries Society</a> also presented Bonefish and Tarpon Trust with the prestigious Conservation Achievement Award for the Fisheries Management Section. This annual award recognizes an organization’s outstanding contributions to fishery conservation or fishery science. Upon receiving the award, BTT’s Director of Operations Dr. Aaron Adams noted, “BTT is extremely flattered and proud to receive this award from the American Fisheries Society. This award confirms the validity of our approach to fisheries conservation, and provides encouragement moving forward.”
The two day event saw roughly 350 registered attendees come through the doors and went on to gross nearly $117,000 for Bonefish and Tarpon Trust. Symposium Chairman Chris Peterson of <a href="http://www.hellsbayboatworks.com">Hell’s Bay Boatworks</a> commented, “The scientific presentations were astronomically enlightening, the instruction sessions legendary, and the fellowship among like minded anglers...priceless.” BTT President Matt Connolly added, "Like me, I suspect that nearly all 350 Symposium attendees left inspired by the "Legends", encouraged by the exciting scientific breakthroughs, and energized knowing their investment in BTT has delivered such dynamic returns in but three years! The many inspiring discoveries shared with us at the Symposium made it apparent that we must transform this emerging scientific knowledge into enlightened management of flats ecosystems throughout the Caribbean. It is a challenge BTT is now, more than ever, well prepared to meet!"
Photos courtesy of <a href="http://www.patfordphotos.com/home-static.cfm">Pat Ford</a>
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![](mailto:?subject=Save Billfish by Closing Loophole&body=<img class=" size-medium wp-image-3282 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/602.jpg?w=300" alt="602" width="300" height="222" />By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost staff writer
scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com
Bill Shedd-- president of AFTCO Manufacturing Co., and a principal in Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts--was asked last year by Marlin magazine what would be the single most important change we could make to current management policy in 2016 to benefit billfish stocks.
His answer: for NOAA Fisheries to get on with finalizing its promised rulemaking on the Billfish Conservation Act signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2012. The law bans importation and sale of billfish (marlin, sailfish and spearfish) into the continental U.S., but still allows traditional fisheries within the Hawaiian Islands and Pacific territories. More than three years after the law was adopted, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service has yet to propose rules to implement it.
According to Shedd: "The law intended that the Hawaiian exemption allow only for traditional harvest and consumption within the islands, and that billfish should not be allowed to be shipped from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland. A ruling from NOAA Fisheries is needed to close a possible loophole and prevent possible cheating of billfish caught in other parts of the world being shipped through Hawaii and labeled as caught in Hawaii."
"This clarification would not only protect billfish stocks in Hawaii, but in other parts of the world as well," Shedd added. "The U.S. has been the world's largest market for billfish. The Billfish Conservation Act was passed to prevent billfish importation into the U.S. by removing economic incentive in other countries to catch billfish and export them to the U.S. Allowing the Billfish Conservation Act to proceed as intended will have a huge positive impact on billfish stocks."
Some knowledgeable observers say the delay in implementation may have to do with tasking bureaucrats at NMFS to draft what may turn out to be trade regulations rather than fisheries regulations--not normally their purview even though the agency is under the Department of Commerce.
But of one thing Shedd and other fisheries conservationists are adamant: no billfish, whether from the U.S. or foreign countries, may be sold in the continental U.S.
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Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling camping, sailing and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit.
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Share your photos, videos and experiences with Guy Harvey Outpost by hash tagging #OutpostAttitude to all of your social media posts. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/save-billfish-by-closing-loophole/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Last Live Showings of "This is Your Oceans: Sharks"&body=Documentary to Show at Two Cobb Theatres in Palm Beach County
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL—FEBRUARY 30, 2012— The award-winning nature documentary, <a title="TIYO: Sharks web site" href="http://www.thisisyourocean.com/" target="_blank">This is Your Oceans: Sharks</a>, completes its national tour with a series of final live showings in Palm Beach County starting March 21st with a gala evening event at <a title="Downtown 16 Theatre web site" href="http://www.cobbtheatres.com/downtown16.aspx" target="_blank">Cobb Theatres 16</a> at <a title="Downtown at the Gardens web site" href="http://downtownatthegardens.com/" target="_blank">Downtown at the Gardens</a> in Palm Beach Gardens.
The film’s stars—celebrated marine artists and conservationists Dr. <a title="Guy Harvey Inc. web site" href="http://www.guyharvey.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey</a> and <a title="Wyland's web site" href="http://www.wyland.com" target="_blank">Wyland</a> along with shark expert and diver <a title="JASA web site" href="http://www.scuba-adventures.com/index.php" target="_blank">Jim Abernethy</a> and Emmy award winning director <a title="About George Schellenger" href="http://www.statusproductions.com/aboutus.html" target="_blank">George C. Schellenger</a>— are scheduled to attend the first showing, which will also feature a live auction of the artists’ original art. Tickets for the gala evening, which include light hors d'oeuvres and wine, are priced at $22.
All of the net proceeds from the gala opening and subsequent showings of the film at both Cobb Theatres 16 at Downtown at the Gardens and Cobb Theaters 18 in Jupiter are being donated to the <a title="BNT web site" href="http://www.bnt.bs/" target="_blank">Bahamas National Trust</a> which recently headed a campaign resulting in the <a title="Guy Harvey Comments on Bahamas Shark Ban" href="http://guyharvey.wordpress.com/2011/07/11/guy-harvey-applauds-decision-to-ban-commercial-shark-fishing-in-bahamas/" target="_blank">Government of the Bahamas prohibiting all commercial shark fishing</a> in its more than 240,000 square miles of territorial waters. The Bahamas is the fourth country to ban shark fishing after Honduras, the Maldives and Palau.
One of the premier shark-watching destinations for divers, reeling in $800 million over the past 20 years for the Bahamian national economy, sharks, according to Dr. Harvey, are worth much more alive than dead.
“Many countries have seen their populations of sharks annihilated by commercial over-exploitation,” said Dr. Harvey. “Research has shown that shark populations do not recover. Other countries will take encouragement from the Bahamas’ very bold move. They are realizing very quickly the value of the living shark in maintaining the health of reef ecosystems. In addition, the economic value of a living shark to ecotourism is now widely accepted as a sustainable and non-consumptive use of a marine resource with many additional benefits to respective island nations.”
Instrumental in bringing the shark documentary to Palm Beach is Jeffrey Berman, whose company, <a title="Berman Enterprises web site" href="http://www.bermanenterprises.com/index.html" target="_blank">Berman Enterprises LP</a>, owns and manages Downtown at the Gardens.
“This documentary certainly changed the way I looked at these magnificent animals and gave me a new understanding of why it’s so important to be caretakers for our oceans and the creatures that inhabit them,” said Berman. “I have to especially thank the folks from Cobb Theatres for donating the theaters for these showings, it was a very generous commitment.”
Joining Cobb as sponsors are <a title="WFM web site" href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/" target="_blank">Whole Foods Market</a> and the <a title="GHOF web site" href="http://www.guyharveyoceanfoundation.org" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation</a>.
This is Your Ocean: Sharks, which premiered last year at the prestigious <a title="NBFF web site" href="http://www.newportbeachfilmfest.com/2012/" target="_blank">Newport Beach Film Festival</a>, reveals up close the misconceptions and myths surrounding these misunderstood predators of the sea and promotes global shark conservation. Millions of sharks are killed each year in the shark-fin trade to stratify the global appetite for shark-fin soup.
The film’s director, George Schellenger, said following the Palm Beach County live showings the documentary will be available to home audiences via Blu Ray, DVD and downloads.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/tiyo-poster1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1129" title="TIYO Promotional Poster" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/tiyo-poster1.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="754" /></a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/last-live-showings-of-this-is-your-oceans-sharks/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Florida Bans Killing of Tiger and Hammerhead Sharks&body=<a href="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/shark.jpg"><img title="Tiger shark" src="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/shark.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="296" /></a>
Killing Some Sharks in Florida Is Now A Crime
WorldFishingNetwork.com - Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, it will be illegal for anglers to harvest tiger <a href="http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/fishing-101/species/shark-746.aspx">sharks</a> and three species of hammerheads in Florida state waters.
The motion was brought forth by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Nov. 16 in an effort to further protect these top predators that rely on Florida waters to survive.
"Sometimes the appropriate measures of conservation are the problems we avoid, not the problems we have to fix," said Commissioner Brian Yablonski.
The new measures will also prohibit possession, sale, and exchange of tiger sharks and great, scalloped and smooth hammerhead sharks. These sharks can still be caught, but only if released alive.
FWC's decision comes after more than a year of deliberation. Concerned citizens, shark researchers, and shark anglers expressed their desires to FWCto see increased protections for sharks.
Florida waters offer essential habitat for young sharks, which is important for species such as the slow-to-reproduce tiger shark, which takes about 15 years to reach maturity.
Sharks have been strictly regulated in Florida since 1992, with a one-shark-per-person, two-sharks-per-vessel daily bag limit for all recreational and commercial harvesters and a ban on shark finning. Roughly two-dozen overfished, vulnerable or rare shark species are catch-and-release only in Florida waters.
In addition to the new measures, FWC is also working on an educational campaign highlighting fishing and handling techniques that increase the survival rate of sharks that are caught and released while ensuring the safety of the anglers targeting them.
https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/florida-bans-killing-of-tiger-and-hammerhead-sharks/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Guy Harvey’s "Panama Paradise: Edge of Conservation" Documentary Scheduled for Release in Spring 2012&body=<a href="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pf-guygeorge1.jpg"><img title="On location filing "Panama Paradise: Edge of Conservation"" src="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pf-guygeorge1.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="300" /></a>
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL—JANUARY 9, 2012— Internationally known wildlife artist and conservationist <a title="Guy Harvey Inc. web site" href="http://www.guyharvey.com" target="_blank">Dr. Guy Harvey</a>, who took audiences across the planet in the award-winning Portraits from the Deep documentary series, is launching several new film projects in 2012, starting with <a title="Watch the trailer for "Panama Paradise: Edge of Conservation" " href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQRksWAxdoI&list=UUK-ol6-5sVk_NcRHN1LtmOQ&index=1&feature=plcp" target="_blank">Panama Paradise: Edge of Conservation</a> due for release this spring.
“A critical part of the mission of the <a title="GHOF web site" href="http://www.guyharveyoceanfoundation.org" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation</a> is education and film is a superb way to deliver the messages of science and conservation,” said Dr. Harvey. “Only through understanding the issues can we hope to save our seas for future generations.”
In <a title="Watch the trailer for "Panama Paradise: Edge of Conservation" " href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQRksWAxdoI&list=UUK-ol6-5sVk_NcRHN1LtmOQ&index=1&feature=plcp" target="_blank">Panama Paradise: Edge of Conservation</a>, Dr. Harvey and two-time Emmy Award winning producer <a title="About George Schellenger" href="http://www.statusproductions.com/aboutus.html" target="_blank">George C. Schellenger</a> takes the audience on an expedition where the jungle meets the sea in an explosion of life, an unforgettable vision of Panama and its surrounding waters. The film will show how scientists are working against the clock to protect a land and sea paradise that attracts visitors from around the world.
<a href="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/tslmarlin7.jpg"><img title="Leaping marlin!" src="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/tslmarlin7.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="300" /></a>
“The film will feature massive storms, majestic marlins and even protective dolphins—all part of an adventure that takes place above and below the water,” said Dr. Harvey, whose latest documentary <a title="About "Mystery of the Grouper Moon"" href="http://guyharvey.wordpress.com/2011/12/18/fishing-ban-extended-at-one-of-the-last-spawning-areas-for-the-nassau-grouper/" target="_blank">“The Mystery of the Grouper Moon”</a> played a pivotal role in protecting one of the last know spawning areas of the Nassau grouper. An updated version of the documentary is in production. Also, a film revealing scientific breakthroughs in the study of migration patterns of satellite-tagged Tiger Sharks is underway for a 2012 release.
Dr. Harvey and Schellenger have collaborated on several projects recently, including <a title="Trailer for "This is Your Ocean: Sharks"" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUMViXUJQM0&feature=related" target="_blank">“This is Your Ocean: Sharks”</a>, a 44-minute documentary depicting sharks in their natural environment. This film captures the adventure and passion of shark diving and evokes a call for conservation and protection for the species that today is threatened by over fishing for a growing demand for shark fin soup.
Trailer for "Panama Paradise: Edge of Conservation":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQRksWAxdoI&feature=related https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/guy-harveys-panama-paradise-edge-of-conservation-documentary-scheduled-for-release-in-spring-2012/){kind=link}
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