TAG AND RELEASE WINNERS
Anglers, captains and mates make up the the heart-and-soul of The Billfish Foundation's (TBF) conservation program committed to billfish tag and release. Each tagged and released fish in the 22nd annual International Tag & Release Awards program supplies valuable data that is critical to science and fishery management.
Since 1990 anglers, mates and captains have helped marine researchers learn the migratory habits and growth rates of the world's billfish stocks. In return for their efforts, TBF awards these men and women for their conservation work.
TBF's Overall Tagging Winners for all species (blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, white marlin, sailfish and spearfish) included Gray Ingram of Jupiter, Florida, repeating his title as TBF's Overall Male Angler. Betsy Crudele of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, also repeated as the Overall Lady Angler. Stephen Gegenheimer, of Corsicana, Texas, won the Overall Youth Angler and Fin Gaddy, of Manteo, North Carolina, won the Overall Captain Award.
Ingram received double honors repeating in the Release Category of the competition as the Overall Male Angler for all species. Lisa Everett, of Nags Head, North Carolina, was the Overall Lady Angler; Tyler Sudbrink, of Greensboro, North Carolina, Overall Youth Angler and Brad Philipps, of Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, repeated his title as Overall Captain.
The latest annual competition ran from November 1, 2010 to October 31, 2011 with tagging data reports and release notification cards generated from the temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, where a majority of the world's billfish inhabit.
Tag & Release Award Winners
Top Tagging Anglers Atlantic:
Sam Jennings — Juno Beach, Fla., Blue Marlin
Betsy Crudele — Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Sailfish
Richard Gudoian — Key Largo, Fla., Swordfish
Victoria Roberts — Stevensville, Md., White Marlin
Top Tagging Captains Atlantic:
Mike Lemon — Juno Beach, Fla., Blue Marlin
Fin Gaddy — Manteo, N.C., Sailfish
Sean O'Connor — Key Largo, Fla., Swordfish
Fin Gaddy — Manteo, N.C., White Marlin
Top Tag Anglers Pacific:
John Richardson — Bellville, Texas, Black Marlin
Saegusa Kumie — Yohohama, Japan, Blue Marlin
Gray Ingram — Greensboro, N.C., Sailfish
Suzanne Gustavson — Kona, Hawaii, Spearfish
Martha MacNab — Balboa Island, Calif., Striped Marlin
Top Tag Captains Pacific:
Adolfo Grajales — Bellville, Texas, Black Marlin
Gene Vander Hoek — Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, USABlue Marlin
Jimmy Kitchell — Galveston, Texas, Sailfish
Gene Vander Hoek — Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Spearfish
Antonio Romero Castro — Cabo San Lucas, Striped Marlin
Top Tag Anglers Indian Ocean:
Terence Farrell — Alyangula, Australia, Sailfish (tied)
Calvin Du Plessis — Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Top Tag Captains Indian Ocean:
Bernard Vale — Coral Bay, Australia, Black Marlin
Ross Newton — Broome, Australia, Blue Marlin
Ross Newton — Broome, Australia Sailfish (tied)
Rolly Pierre — Seychelles
Top Youth Tagging winners:
Bo Ingram — Greensboro, N.C., 9-10 winner
Riley Rogers — Bakerfield, Calif., 11-12 winner
Bruce Marinis — Broome, Australia, 13-15 winner
Wesley Davis — Malibu, Calif., runner-up
Stephen Gegenheimer — Corsicana, Texas, 16-17winner
Tyler Sudbrink — Greensboro, N.C., runner-up
Overall Tagging Winners for all species:
Gray Ingram — Jupiter, Fla., Overall Angler
Fin Gaddy — Manteo, N.C., Overall Captain
Betsy Crudele — Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Overall Lady Angler
Stephen Gegenheimer — Corsicana, Texas, Overall Youth Angler
Release Category Winners
Top Release Anglers Atlantic:
Andy Fanter — Great Bend, Kansas, Blue Marlin (tied)
Tim Twiddy — Glasgow, U.K.
Paul Legnard — Arnold, Md., Sailfish
Scott Cooper — Mobile, Ala., Swordfish
Gray Ingram — Jupiter, Fla., White Marlin
Top Release Captains Atlantic:
Zak Conde — Cape Verde, Blue Marlin
Fin Gaddy — Manteo, N.C., Sailfish
Russell Craft — Mobile, Ala., Swordfish
Ronnie Fields — Lake Park, Fla., White Marlin
Top Release Anglers Pacific:
Barry Alty — Gold Coast, Australia, Black Marlin
Gary Carter — Duluth, Ga., Blue Marlin
Gray Ingram — Jupiter, Fla., Sailfish
Wayne Short — Cornith, Texas, Striped Marlin
Jim Gigger — Keri Keri, New Zealand, Swordfish
Top Release Captains Pacific:
Wade Richardson — Bellville, Texas, Black Marlin
Brad Philipps — Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, Blue Marlin
Brad Philipps — Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, Sailfish
Julio Castro — Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Striped Marlin
John Gregory — Keri Keri, New Zealand, Swordfish
Top Release Anglers Indian Ocean:
Henry Riggs-Miller — Seychelles, Sailfish
Top Release Captains Indian Ocean:
Rolly Pierre — Seychelles, Sailfish
Top Youth Release Anglers:
Olivia Ingram — Greensboro, N.C., 13-15 winner
Wes Davis — Malibu, Calif., Runner-up
Tyler Sudbrink — Greensboro, N.C., 16-17 winner
Overall Release Winners for all species:
Gray Ingram — Greensboro, N.C., Overall Angler
Brad Philipps — Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, Overall Captain
Lisa Everett — Nags Head, N.C., Overall Lady Angler
Tyler Sudbrink — Greensboro, N.C., Overall Youth Angler
To learn more about TBF's annual Tag & Release program visit www.bilfish.org or call 954-938-0150 for Peter Chaibongsai (ext. 107), Elliott Stark (ext. 101), Deborah Cummings (ext. 106) or Andrew Cox (ext. 100).
