Responsible big game fishing and catch and release in the Canary Islands

Billfish go back in the water

We do not build our activity on landing billfish. With blue marlin, white marlin, bluefin tuna and the other large pelagics, our practice is to catch, photograph and release.

That is not a slogan. It changes how we fish: we use tackle and technique aimed at shortening the fight and minimising handling, so the fish goes back in the best condition possible. A long fight makes a better story and a worse outcome for the animal.

The two exceptions, and only these two

An accidental death during the fight. It happens, even applying best practice to reduce fight time and stress. When it does, the fish is not wasted. An authorised competition. Certain international events have specific rules and authorisations that permit landing particular species: the World Cup Blue Marlin Championship on 4 July is one example. Those rules are followed strictly.

Outside those two circumstances, the policy is catch and release. There is no third exception.

What we do keep, and what we do not

This is not a boat that comes back loaded. When the regulations allow a species to be kept, we may keep fish for the table: always within the legal sizes, limits and periods.

On top of the law we apply our own judgement: avoid unnecessary catches, and think about whether a particular fish should be eaten at all. That includes the size of the specimen and the possible risks from contaminants or biotoxins present in certain fish. Some species and some sizes are better returned to the water than taken home, and we will say so on the day.

We fish to enjoy the ocean, not to empty it.

The regulations we work under

Billfish and other highly migratory species carry specific rules, quotas and restrictions that vary by species, area, method and period. Our boat operates within the applicable rules for recreational sea fishing and for species under differentiated protection, and adapts technique and procedure to the legal obligations of each species.

If you are coming from abroad, ask us before you book: the answer for bluefin tuna is not the same as for dorado, and it is not the same in every month.

The fish is the trophy

A photograph and a release is a better result than a dead fish on a dock. It is better for the fishery you will want to come back to, and honestly, it is a better story.

That is why the boat carries a camera and not a scale.