Focused on conservation and driven by its community-based ethos, Costa Sunglasses announces the Marlin Fly Project, a billfish research mission using fly tackle. In partnership with locals in San Carlos, Mexico, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), the Marlin Fly Project team deployed 15 satellite tags in two days to understand and protect this understudied billfish species better.
The project, which took place last December in Southwestern Baja, Mexico, stands as a culmination of community and conservation. Led by Costa, it brought together Costa Pros (professional anglers and fishing guides), billfish scientists, conservation organizations and community partners to pursue the mission with local captains, guides and the San Carlos community.
An eight-minute documentary on the Marlin Fly Project can be seen HERE.
Of the 15 short- and long-term satellite tags that were deployed during the project, Costa resourced three tags to support IGFA’s Great Marlin Race, and seven were donated by TBF. The tags will track post-release survivability, migrational patterns, swimming depth and water temperature.
An additional 20 spaghetti tags were deployed, which will provide ongoing recapture data.
The discoveries from Costa’s Marlin Fly Project will help fill crucial data gaps and aid in global and local efforts to conserve this migratory species.
Scientists from TBV. IGFA and the University of Southern Mississippi Center for Fisheries Research & Development, vetted all landed fish to make sure they were viable candidates prior to tagging. All landed and tagged fish were healthy and swam off strong.
Costa has spent the past four decades carrying out its ‘higher calling’ to protect the waters, connect those who come to life on the water and to conserve the life within. The Marlin Fly Project is an extension of that commitment. In addition to history-making, and science study, the project served the local community through these initiatives:
- Community-first nonprofit and original Costa-born project, Indifly, joined the mission to meet with the community of San Carlos and assess a potential social impact project. Inspired by the people and operation, Indifly plans to collaborate with San Carlos, the Marlin Fly Project, and Los Locos to innovate ways for this community to write its own future.
- Costa partnered with Los Locos Mag Bay, a fly-fishing operation that employs and works with the locals of San Carlos to support this one-of-a-kind community through angling tourism.
- Building on Costa’s One Coast initiative for emergency preparedness, partner Finns West outfitted the Los Locos operation and guide boats with safety equipment and medical training.
- Costa partnered with Travel Creel, which hosted cooking classes in the community, and sourced produce, meats and seafood from local fisherman and farmers to prepare dinners each night to feed the crew.
- The Marlin Fly team participated in organized clean ups along San Carlos’ coastline, and on the final night hosted local guide families for a celebration, in gratitude for their hospitality and guidance.
The Marlin Fly Project will continue its mission to create advocates for the Striped Marlin fishery by fostering relationships and supporting this ecosystem and the people who depend on it.
In honor of its 40th Anniversary, Costa Sunglasses will release its Second Edition: Protect Purpose Report om November. Led by the success of the Marlin Fly Project, The Protect Report highlights Costa’s commitment to conservation, community and sustainability in 2021-2022.
For more information on Costa’s ongoing work to ‘protect what’s out there,’ as well as its complete collection performance, optical and lifestyle frames, visit Costasunglasses.com.
