ABSTRACT
Seasonal migrations account for recreational fi sheries in Texas, Alabama, Georgia, South and North Carolina, and Virginia, while resident and migratory stocks contribute to healthy fi sheries in Mexico, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and a host of Caribbean nations. In the southern hemisphere, Trinidad, Venezuela, French Guiana, and Brazil have signifi cant seasonal fi sheries during the austral summer. Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Angola, and Liberia are increasingly popular west African destinations for anglers seeking world record tarpon. The world record (130 kg [286 lb 9 oz]) was landed by Frenchman Max Domecq at Rubane, Guinea-Bissau on March 19, 2003 (International Game Fish Association, 2006). Prior to the new record, two 128.4-kg (283-lb) tarpon landed from Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, and
Sherbro Island, Sierra Leone, in 1956 and 1991, respectively, accounted for the record (Crawford, 2003).
