Capt. Bob Lewis Scholarship

This scholarship is established in memory of the late Capt. Bob Lewis. This scholarship program hopes to identify and encourage talented and thoughtful students whose studies or research will benefit the recreational angler in South Florida.

This scholarship is awarded annually and administered by the Capt. Bob Lewis Billfish Challenge, Inc. (CBLBC). The scholarship will be awarded during the second quarter of the current fiscal year. The award will be made to a promising young man or woman, whose research or studies, the board of directors and committee members of the CBLBC feel best represent the interest of the South Florida recreational angler. Award will be made without regard to sex, race, religion or national origin.

The recipient must be enrolled in and plan to continue a college curriculum leading to a degree in the field of marine sciences, or related fields. Previous recipients are not eligible.

Announcement of scholarship award will be made annually during the second quarter of each year by the CBLBC after consideration of applications received by the deadline submission date.

The proceeds of this award are to be used as follows:

• Fifty percent of the award is to be used by the student for living expenses,
• The remaining balance is to be used for research or study expenses, such as but not limited to, books, charters, equipment or other expenses related to the area of study.

2004 Scholarship Recipient

This year’s recipient is the student whose research is:

Western Atlantic Billfishes

Western Atlantic Billfishes, including sailfish, white marlin, blue marlin, and broadbill swordfish, support a large recreational fishery but have also experienced great pressure from the commercial fishing community. Despite their economic importance, critical biological information for billfishes is still lacking. For example, early-life history and spawning information for the billfishes is largely unknown. My general dissertation topic will focus on the former by elucidating the environmental factors in the pelagic environment that can influence larval billfish growth and survival. Of specific interest is the feeding ecology of each species and how growth and survival rate relate to prey type, prey densities, time of year. Spawning location and numerous physical parameters. One of the specific considerations will be the piscivorous (fish eating) nature of these larvae that can be exhibited at lengths less than 10mm. If these larvae are, essentially, obligate piscivorous at a specific and early age their growth and survival through the critical larval period could closely tied to the spawning and abundance of other species of fish. Due to the fact that levels of survival to the age of reproduction is largely determined during the critical times of the early life stages, this information will shed considerable light on how future stocks will respond to current or increasing levels commercial long lining pressure, which is the dominant threat to these magnificent top predators.

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