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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