CAP CANA MAINTAINS ITS COMMITMENT IN THE PRESERVATION OF BILLFISH

Committed to the preservation of billfish as the blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish, Marina Cap Cana continues positioned and recognized worldwide as one of the leading destinations in the sport fishing  world with the catch and release modality, thus contributing to the protection and conservation of billfish, demonstrating the importance of proper natural resource management.

Marina Cap Cana, established as a strictly catch and release marina, has shown continued interest and occupation for the protection of these species, promoting and working towards a responsible and sustainable fisheries management, thus supporting resolution 24-2009 issued by the Ministry  of Environment and Natural Resources fo the Dominican Republic, to prohibit the capture, collision, exhibition, marketing and slaughter of marine species on the East Coast, given their economic importance and population decline.

In this regard, Cap Cana has strict surveillance measures in place requiring fishermen, captains and ships that sail from Marina Cap Cana, to release in the same place, in the shortest time possible without causing damage to billfish captured . Those not complying with these dispositions are invited to leave the destination. In 2015, a total of 1,902 releases took place and in the 2016 fishing season these figures nearly  doubled being reported a total of 2,823 releases, achieving a new record of releases in the Atlantic with 23 releases in one day, and during the first seven months of 2017 a total of 1,918 releases have been reported.

“Catch and release” anglers release fish in the shortest time without harm; while that some fishermen use labels that allow collecting valuable scientific data to understand population growth and migration of these species, “said Churchill González, director of Marina Cap Cana. He added that” Cap Cana congratulates the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources for this resolution, and the Navy for its support in controlling commercial fishermen in complying with these measures. Gonzalez also said that “since the country is increasingly recognized as a sport fishing destination, it is important that these measures be implemented in other areas of the country.”

For several years, the results to uphold and abide by the rules of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources are palpable, being noticeable the increase in releases reported to the Billfish Report, an organization that has recognized Cap Cana as the # 2 sport fishery of the world.