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x18Worldx19soldestsailfshtournamentx1921theSailfishConservationClubanoffshootoftheWPBFCsetaboutdevelopingandpromotingthecatch-and-releasetechniqueusedtoday.Theypromotedandadvertisedasloganx1cbeasports-manandreleaseyourcatch.x1dTheclubpopularizeditbyinventingthex1credreleasepennantx1dnowuniversallyacceptedworldwidex13oneredpennantforeachsailfishreleased.Chartercrewscouldnowadvertisetheirsuccesswithoutboatingeverysailfish.Thecaptainsandcrewscametoacceptthispracticeandintheendtherestbecamehistory.Todayamajorityofallsailfishcaughtrecreationallyarereleasedaccordingtoseveralsourcesandmostsurvive.Studiesusingvari-oustechniquessuggestsurvivalishighprobablyabout70to85.AccordingtoDr.GravesandDr.Princeinmanycasessurvivalusingcirclehookscanapproach100whencrewsuseextracareinreleasingbillfish.Thatcaremaynecessitaterevivingexhaustedfishalongsidetheboatwhilemovingslowlyforwardtohelpflushwaterovertheirgillsbeforerelease.Inadditiontothiscatch-and-releaseethicthedevelopmentofx1crelease-a-dermyx1dhasplayedanotherpositiverole.Nolongerrequiringtheskinfinsorbillsofthesefishtaxidermistsroutinelyreproduceexactreplicasofonex19scatchwithjustonephonecallthespeciesanestimateofsizeandacashdeposit.Thesenewx1crelease-a-dermyx1dmountsarebeautifulandtheymaintainlusterandappear-ancelongerwithoutrepair.Accordingtoonesourcethistechniqueisprobablysavingover15000sailfishannuallyinthewesternNorthAtlanticalone.AccordingtoNMFSx19marinerecreationalfishingsurveysMRFSSsailfishcatchesbyU.S.anglersnowgreatlyexceedmy1980x1cguess-timatesx1dofaround60000specimensannually.Soitappearslikelythatthisreleaseethicishavingsomeimpact.Thisisnotthecaseinmanyotherpartsoftheworldbecausedevelopingcountriesdonx19thavethesameincentives.Manyfishermenretaintheircatchforlocalconsumptionorforexporttodevelopedcountries.MuchbillfishstillcomestotheUnitedStatesviaimportsaccordingtoDr.RussellNelsonatTBF.TheInternationalGameFishAssociationIGFATBFandNCMCarenowhardatworkwithcampaignstox18TakeMarlinofftheMenux19bybanningforeignimportationandsaleofbillfishintheU.S.Thisisaluxurywecanwellaffordtorelinquish.Itseemsreasonableheregiventhereducedbiologicalstatusofmostbillfishandtheneedtomaximizetherecreationalexperienceforanglersbymaintaininghighavailabilityofthesoughtafterspecies.TheeconomicvalueofrecreationalbillfishinginmanydevelopingcountriesissignificantandthisisoneareaofstudythatTBFandIGFAareemphasizing.IfsailfishinginthewesternNorthAtlanticistocontinuedoingrelativelywellwhatelsecanwedotoinsuresustainabilityWithoutadoubtthisreleaseethicmustcontinuetospreadelsewherebecauseanglersarestillresponsibleforasignificantportionofthetotalcatchnotlandings.Domesticnosalerulesmustbeapprovedandenforced.OursupportforTBFNCMCandothersneedstobevigorous.Theireffortsnationallyandinternationallyhavebeguntopayoff.SuccessatICCATmustimprove.Asrecreationalusersourconcernsarenotalwaystakenseriously.ExplainingtheeconomicsanddemonstratingourresolveatICCATmaychangethat.Lastlyhavingpersonallywit-nessedtheremarkablestayingpowerofsailfishforover45yearsIx19mmoreoptimisticthatthesemagnificentanimalscanbemaintainedinthewesternNorthAtlantic.InotherareasaroundtheworldIx19mskepticalHumanpopulationscurrentlyabout6.5billionareexpectedtosurpass8.9billionby2050accordingtotheFoodandAgriculturalOrganizationoftheUnitedNations.Manywillwanttoeatfish.WillourabilitytosustainablyharvestfishforfoodbecomemoresuccessfulScientificinvestigationsmustproceed.Wemaynothavealltheinformationwewantformanagementsoeffortsmustfocusonthemostvulnerablespeciesandmostusefulscientificneeds.Thatmeansthemarlinsandbluefintuna.PresentlytheclockistickingforthemandtimemayberunningoutConverselysailfishstocksremainhealthyenoughhereinthewesternNorthAtlanticandwecanstillexperiencedayslikeJimBobTinsleydidin1949.SotightlinesJohnJolleyEdIrbyaboardthex18WeTagEmx19.ABOUTTHEAUTHORJohnW.JolleyisaformerseniormarineresearchscientistandsailfishspecialistforFloridax19sMarineResearchInstitute.Hisworkhasbeenpublishedinvariousscientificandpopularjournals.Jolleyisa30yearmemberoftheWestPalmBeachFish-ingClubboardofdirectorsandistheFishingClubx19sformerchairmanandpastpresident.HealsoservesastheWPBFCx19sscientificadvisor.JohnisthecurrentFloridarepresentativeforrecreationalfishingontheSouthAtlanticFisheryManagementCouncil.HealsocurrentlyservesasanadvisorrepresentingFloridaontheAtlanticCoastalCooperativeStatisticsProgram.JolleyoriginallyauthoredthisarticleforMarlinmagazineMarch2011issue.ThearticlehasbeenreprintedwithafeweditscourtesyofJohnJolleyandourfriendsatMarlinmagazine.