It is news that should be welcome to any billfishing enthusiast plying the waters of the Caribbean but especially those bound for the shores of the Dominican Republic, one of the sport’s potential up-and-coming hotspots. Rather than lag behind in their fisheries management practices, the government here has identified the value of sportfishing for blue and white marlin and sailfish in their waters and recently passed the following resolutions, according to Evelio Mederos, IGFA Representative for Dominican Republic:
1) Protective measures are established for the conservation of the blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish in the territorial waters of the Dominican Republic in the zone that runs from the Nisibon River mouth to Punta Espada.
2) The boating, killing, marketing and commercialization of these species is prohibited.
3) Fishing for these species using gaffs, harpoons, any massive utensils, or other fishing method except the ones mentioned below is prohibited.
4) Fishing for these species is only approved either by the use of natural baits using only one circle hook or using artificial lures with one or two hooks.
5) Trolling is the only method approved for the capture of these species.
6) Any fish hooked must be released in the same place it was captured, as soon as possible and without causing any harm to the fish.
7) Boating or raising the fish out of the water is prohibited even if the final intention is to release the fish.
The World Billfish Series applauds this forward thinking and hopes that other Caribbean nations would consider adopting similar measures in order to protect their billfish stocks for future generations.
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