The Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza tuna tournament recently awarded $25,000 to the University of Maine Foundation to support bluefin tuna research and internships at the UMaine School of Marine Sciences Pelagic Fisheries Lab.
“Because of the Bluefin Bonanza’s support, we’ve been able to provide internships to amazing folks over these past many years, which has given them something they will remember for the rest of their lives,” said Pelagic Fisheries Lab director Dr. Walt Golet. “The experience they get working with the Bonanza crew, the interactions they have and the memories they get are really remarkable. We get comments all the time like ‘best internship ever,’ ‘never thought I could experience something like this,’ and so on. The University administration also really appreciates what the tournament provides our undergraduates.”
Donations from the Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza also support research on bluefin tuna that is already having a direct positive impact on the fishery. One of numerous projects is a close-kin mark and recapture study. By finding parent-sibling matches through DNA testing, researchers can derive a more accurate estimate of the Atlantic bluefin population. Some of this work was presented at the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) meeting last fall and is changing the way bluefin tuna are managed.
This marks the sixth year of support for the Pelagic Fisheries Lab and its interns, and brings total contributions to over $165,000. “We are very proud to be able to give back to the community that supports us,” said Bluefin Bonanza President Bob Humphrey. “Our support of the Lab’s students and staff ensures that the best available science is applied in managing our valuable bluefin tuna resource, which in turn, supports local fishermen and the countless businesses associated with their infrastructure.”
The Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza is a 501(c)(3) independent, non-profit organization committed to raising and expending funds in support of educational scholarships to deserving individuals, giving charitable donations to those in need and building a better community. For more information, visit www.bluefinbonanza.org.
