We have come to the end of 2023, which marks six years of running the Beyond Our Shores Foundation, a 501(c)(3), to continue and expand the Dolphinfish Research Program (DRP).
In 2023, DRP personnel embarked on 25 field outings with 11 different fishing teams in 4 tagging zones between 4 nations; conducted two seminars with the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, one with the Western Cenrtal Atlantic Fishery Management Comission; deployed 21 satellite tags; published a scientific manuscript; and issued 12 DRP monthly newsletters, two fish aggregating device (FAD) newsletters, and 10 short videos. Next year marks the 23rd year of conducting research with the public through this tagging program. Your engagement in data collection associated with this tagging program has allowed our team to contribute new scientific information on dolphinfish movements along the U.S. East Coast, in The Bahamas, and the northeast Caribbean Sea as well as on population genetic studies, oceanographic associations, mortality, fishery dynamics, population trends, and growth. If you value our scientific contributions to these topics and enjoy contributing to our research, please give what you can to help our program continue to engage anglers in research on dolphinfish and offshore fisheries.
Donations are fully tax-deductible and can be made by donating to the Beyond Our Shores Foundation via check ( click here), paypal ( click here), or stripe ( click here). You can also buy a DRP tee shirt, hat, or tagging kit by clicking here. A very special thanks to those who have already stepped up to support the program for 2024!
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2023 DRP Performance Metrics (through 12/20/23)
- 5,460 tags in 471 kits were distributed to 298 anglers in 13 nations
- Continued youth tagging with the Scouts of America; 292 tagged, 0 recoveries
- 2,165 total tags deployed (2,147 dolphinfish, 10 wahoo, 8 tuna), 29 conventional recaptures generated (27 dolphinfish, 1 silky shark, 1 yellowfin tuna)
- 16 PSATs deployed in Eastern Tropical Pacific, 1 in the South Atlantic Bight, 1 in the Caribbean Sea on Dolphinfish
- 3 PSATs deployed on wahoo in the Mona Passage, Caribbean Sea; 6th since Fall 21'
2023 DRP Highlights by Month
Below are notable highlights generated by anglers participating over the past 12 months of research associated with the Dolphinfish Research Program (DRP).
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January/February 2023
Milestone: 2022 year-end awards presented to 11 fishing teams plus the Scouts at Summerland Key, FL. Awards provided by AFTCO, Star Rods, Costa Del Mar, and GHOF.
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Expansion: With funding from the Guy Harvey Foundation, additional sponsors of the Beyond Our Shores Foundation, and in partnership with Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala, our tagging program expanding to Guatemala in January 2023. Click here to see the video update.
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March/April 2023
Significant Movements: In March, a commercial angler in Costa Rica reported the recovery of a fish tagged off Tropic Star Lodge aboard Miss Texas. The fish was at liberty for 121 days. In April, a satellite tag popped off after hitting the 90-day interval off Guatemala and a fish tagged by Paolo Coen off Guatemala was recovered off Oaxaca, Mx, 95 days post-release. Click here to learn more.
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Dolphinfish WCA Management Updates:
The Beyond Our Shores Foundation published a comprehensive update on the past, present, and current status of the dolphinfish management process associated with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC). In March and April we issued updates and our fourth public letter on this topic to the SAFMC. Click here to learn more.
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May/June 2023
Significant Satellite Tag Deployment: A high rate popup satellite archival transmitter (PSAT) was deployed with the Run-A-Wade Fishing Team based out of Georgetown, SC. This was the 9th satellite tag deployed in the South Atlantic Bight by our program. This particular tag deployment was sponsored by Mr. Roger Muller of Muller Insurance.
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First Recoveries in the Gulf of Oman
Due to the tagging participation of Grandslam Fishing Charters based out of the UAE, our first recaptures were reported during June. While both recaptures were short duration the events show that with dedicated tagging participation in different parts of the world results can be generated with our program. In June, we also issued another management update. Our first letter issued Jan 21' can be read here, the second here, the third here, and the fourth here.
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July/August 2023
PSAT Recovered: A 44" female released with a satellite tags was recaptured south of the Dominican Republic. The fish was released south of Cabo Rojo 22 days before it was caught. This is the second satellite tag of 12 deployed off the south coast of PR to be recaptured south of DR.
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Seminar to Caribbean Fishery Management Council: On August 14th, upon invitation from the CFMC, our program provided an update on our research in the U.S. Caribbean Sea and broader Caribbean Sea basin. This was the third presentation to the CFMC over eighteen months. During July and August we also issued a call for wahoo samples in support of a genetic study and published a DRP overview video.
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September/October 2023
Significant Recaptures: In September, our program received several recaptures reports. Off South Carolina, a fish tagged off South Florida by vessel Conundrum was recaptured after 100 days at liberty. Off the Dominican Republic, a fish was recaptured after 23 days at liberty after being release. Off South Florida and the Keys, several fish were recaptured after short time frames.
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Wahoo Satellite Tag Deployments:
In the fall of 2021, our tagging program began an initiative off the west coast of Puerto Rico to begin to describe the movements of wahoo. On October 27th, 2023, 3 more PSATs were deployed on wahoo ranging in size from 34-48" fork-length. This work is being conducted as part of our fish aggregating device research.
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November/December 2023
Dolphinfish Satellite Tag Deployments: 10 PSATs deployed on dolphinfish (40" to 56") and 178 total (14" to 58") tagged with conventional tags off TSL. Click here to read more.
Made possible by: Tropic Star Lodge, the Guy Harvey Foundation, and Guy Harvey Research Institute.
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Wahoo Satellite Tagging Update: Since '21, 5 of 6 PSATs deployed on wahoo (34" to 48" fork-length) off the west coast of Puerto Rico have returned datasets. The preliminary short-term fall movements depict movements away and toward Puerto Rico's western insular platform. Click here to read more. Fishers: Captain Yunyi Gonzalez, Captain Jesus Duran, Dagobuerto Rodriquez, Emmanuel Markham, Dan Hack, Carlos Bonet, and Amanda Prieto.
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Support the DRP in 2024
We ask you to contribute what you can today to support the Dolphinfish Research Program in 2024. This year was a great one for our tagging program thanks to our loyal sponsors, supporters, and participants. As a leader in public engagement in research and conservation of dolphin, your donation will advance our expanding organization by helping to purchase more tags to distribute to anglers, bolster our education programs and materials, and improve fisheries data collection among recreational, for-hire, and small-scale commercial fishermen. Help the DRP continue documenting movement and population trends in our oceans in 2024 by supporting us today. There are two ways to support our effort. You can make a tax-deductible donation to the Beyond Our Shores Foundation (click here to donate) or
purchase a kit, shirt, or hat in our online shop (click here to shop). The Beyond Our Shores Foundation, a 501(c)(3), was formed in 2017 to help support the growth of the DRP, and since then, we have distributed 32,851 tags around the world to 1,834 anglers and logged over 11,472 tag deployments and 243 new conventional dolphin movements.
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Request Your Kit for 2024
From now until the end of 2024, our goal is to distribute tagging kits to 500 individual anglers. If you are new to the program or need more tags, please request your kit today. Click here to request a kit. Interested in purchasing your kit to help support the program? Please click here.
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| | 2023 Regional Partnerships
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| | 2023 Year-End Award Sponsors
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