2022 – DRP International Tag and Release Award Winners
We would like to thank Star Rods, Costa Del Mar, AFTCO, and the Guy Harvey Foundation for providing strong incentives for fishermen to tag and release small, healthy dolphinfish for the Dolphinfish Research Program (DRP) in 2022. These premier fishing tackle companies and sponsors of the DRP have shown their commitment to the conservation of this important fishery by donating top-quality equipment and art for incentive awards to encourage fishermen to assist the DRP. This year, we are distributing $5,315 worth of gear and art to 68 captains and their crews who collectively tagged and released 1,741 dolphin in 2022! When the value of our year-end awards is combined with additional tagging and recapture awards distributed in 2022, our program, through the support of our sponsors, distributed $9,465 worth of fishing gear and products to fishermen around the world as well as cash awards to international recapture reporters! A complete list of all 2022 award winners is below. Congratulations to our award winners!
Top Private Boat: Don Gates Killin’ Time II – 323 Tagged
2nd Private Boat: Dane DellenbachKnot Workin’– 52 Tagged
Top Charter Boat: Jimbo & Rick ThomasThomas Flyer – 48 Tagged
2nd Charter Boat: Willie HowardCaptain Willie’s Charters – 32 Tagged
Top Boat in the SAB: Ed Kattel Cool Cat – 90 Tagged 2nd Boat in the SAB: Tim HeiserIrish Wake – 26 Tagged Top Boat in the Tropics: Jeffrey LiedermanSandman – 71 Tagged 2nd Boat in the Tropics: Gary Marshall Wine Down – 50 Tagged
Top Boat in the GOM: Robert, Bo, and Thomas Feliniski Latitude Adjustment – 99 Tagged 2nd Boat in the GOM: No Qualifier – Needed 20 tagged and released to qualify
Top Captain with the Scouts – Matt Joyce – 30 Tagged
2nd Top Captain with the Scouts – Jared Schild – 20 Tagged
Notable Mentions for Tagging >=10 Dolphin (received shirts, hats, tags, and art):
Julien BrosselMadatet (29); Richard MaylonGrand Slam (25); Juandre GeldenhuysYellowfin (25); Gary YorkMag E III (23); Dwayne SappBusy Fishing (23); Colt CookHook N Cook (20); Chris FrostLightning Strike (19); David NeblettHit That and T2 (18); Charles BrooksPerfect Circle (17); Captain Sammy CVL Release (17); Luis Burgos CFA (15); Frank BetzLeviathan (14); Todd Floyd Nemenchas(12); Wilmer Sanchez The Big Deal(11); Daniel KubiakSouthern Run (11); Nelson De La Torre Billin’ Office (10); Venture Scout (10)
In an effort to increase data collection on dolphinfish in 2023, we are excited to announce that each month this year we will be offering a monthly tagging award to the top tagging vessel that tags and releases the most amount of dolphin in that particular calendar month. In addition, our regional Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) awards program, which we started in 2020 to increase data collection in the MAB, will continue in 2023 thanks to support from AFTCO. For more details about our awards program click here.
Winner Announced in Year-End Raffle
Congratulations to Louis Lassetter of Nevada for winning our year-end raffle of “Mahi Blue”, a signed printed by Dr. Guy Harvey. Every person that donated or purchased program products during our year-end fundraising campaign from October 31, 2022, until December 31, 2022, was automatically entered into the raffle and Mr. Lassetter’s name was randomly selected as the winner. Congrats Louie! You are going to love your new piece of artwork. A special thanks go out to the 56 individuals who donated to our year-end fundraising campaign as well as the Guy Harvey Foundation for providing us with this print to raffle.