IGFA Great Marlin Race

IGFA Great Marlin Race

The forward thinking folks over at IGFA (International Game Fishing Association), noted the decline in our fisheries over the decades. The official keepers of world record catch data saw it happening, and started to work towards a more conservation oriented organisation.

They embraced the internet and what it can do, and implemented a stream of measures and projects centred around conservation and education. And now this, their latest and rather fanciful exercise – a marlin race!

It’s been running since 2011 and it’s appeal has grown and grown. Sponsorship poured in and many satellite tags were deployed into hapless but free to swim marlin, caught and tagged by anglers around the world, including right here in South Africa.

So, the farthest swimming marlin wins the race. Or, the boat who tagged that far swimming fish get the honours. The marlin already won his prize – his life! The IGFA Great Marlin Race has been a huge success and data gathered from the project will be analysed and honed into solid recommendations by Stanford University, for the conservation of our billfish species.

The following links tell you the full story:

Top story leaderboard taken over by 5700nm swimming marlin…https://www.igfa.org/Conserve/Longest%20Track%20in%20History%20Pushes%20IGMR%20Over%20100,000%20Milestone

The overall leaderboard…https://www.igfa.org/Conserve/IGMR-Races.aspx

And to get involved, jump right in at…https://www.igfa.org/Conserve/Get-Involved-in-the-IGMR.aspx

Kudos to the people at IGFA. 75 Years in the gamefish conservation game!