7th International Billfish Symposium
Reading Time 2 minutes Co-hosted by Wild Oceans and the IGFA in San Diego, California in 2024
The 7th International Billfish Symposium convened in October 2024 at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute in San Diego, California. Co-organized by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) and Wild Oceans, the symposium brought together over 100 participants from nine countries across six continents. This vibrant international turnout underscored the global commitment to improving billfish science and management.
Over the course of three days, the Symposium featured 44 oral presentations, 25 posters, and three expert panels. Presentations spanned diverse topics including movement and habitat use, fisheries and stock assessments, reproductive biology, and the human dimensions of conservation. Each session emphasized the importance of collaborative science, technological innovation, and engagement with the recreational fishing community.
Keynote speaker Dr. Barbara Block opened the symposium with a powerful address on the biology and migrations of billfish, setting the tone for a series of presentations that highlighted recent breakthroughs in satellite tagging, stock assessment modeling, and participatory science. Expert panels tackled pressing topics like the future of tagging, cross-ocean collaboration, and integrating angler-generated data into management decisions.
The proceedings of the symposium are now being compiled for publication and a steering committee formed, ensuring that the data, ideas, and momentum generated in San Diego will continue to inform and inspire future billfish research.
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Read the 7th International Billfish Symposium’s publications and manuscripts here!
