IGFA Representatives
Central America and the Caribbean Region
BAHAMAS
Rachel Lightbourne
Nassau, Bahamas
Rachel Lightbourne -- third generation of the family owned-and-operated Lightbourne Marine-- has heightened the company's stature in the Bahamas through nine years of running the Lightbourne Marine Annual Wahoo Fishing Tournament. She has been a Representative for the IGFA since 2008 and was presented with the IGFA Conservation Award in 2010 for her active role in preventing purse seine netting in Bahamian waters. She also played a key role in the Lionfish Control Project and recently attended all of the town meetings related to new fly fishing legislation in the Bahamas. Lightbourne's ever-growing love and respect for the truly unique environment of The Bahamas has moved her to become an active volunteer at the Bahamas National Trust where she recently was appointed a council member.
BELIZE
Stuart Doley
Stuart Doley has called Belize home for more than 10 years and has served as Vice President of Conservation for the Belize Game Fish Association since 2015. He has contributed to the organization and execution of Belize's largest billfish tournaments as well as the implementation of regular "catch and release" and other conservation practices within Belize. His fishing career has taken him from Virginia, down the Carolinas, through the Caribbean, and across Central America, and finally to Belize, where he envisions a bright future for Belize's fisheries together with the vision of the IGFA.
CAYMAN ISLANDS
Franklin Thompson
Franklin Thompson is the current president of the Cayman Islands Angling Club and chairman of the Cayman Islands International Fishing Tournament. In 2018 he was appointed to the National Conservation Council. Thompson is an active promoter of the Cayman Islands as a sport fishing destination and has been featured in various television shows and publications. As an IGFA Representative his goal is to continue to work with the IGFA to further his youth education efforts and increase the IGFA presence in the Caribbean.
COSTA RICA
Federico Hampl
Federico Hampl has fished from Canada to the Caribbean to Argentina-- most of the time accompanied by his family. The Hampls have achieved more than 100 IGFA world records, with Federico Hampl holding 25. Hampl is a strong advocate of educating fellow fishermen about IGFA international angling rules and promoting ethical and responsible angling. Recently, he and other like-minded anglers founded the Costa Rican Association of Fly Fishing (CRAFF). The association unites a community of fly fishers and focuses on protecting freshwater resources from neglect by the Costa Rican government.
CUBA
Giuseppe Omegna
Havana, Cuba
Giuseppe Omegna represented IGFA in Spain but now lives in Cuba where he promotes IGFA ethics and initiatives. Omegna is best known for helping create many marine protected areas in Cuba-- including the largest in the Caribbean-- to ensure the future of our sport.
Jose Miguel Diaz Escrich
Havana, Cuba
Jose Escrich is Commodore of the Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba. A big promoter of conservation, Escrich introduced tag-and-release practices of the IGFA and Billfish Foundation at Cuba's annual Ernest Hemingway International Billfish Fishing Tournament. As an IGFA Representative, Escrich is committed to the promotion of sport fishing and conservation of marine resources.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Carolina M. Mederos
A daughter of avid anglers, one of whom was a former IGFA Representative, Carolina grew up in the Caribbean fishing community and today shares that passion with her own family. Carolina was a member of the tournament committee for the Club Nautico de Santo Domingo and has assisted in organizing various international tournaments. She is also a founding member of both the Dominican Light Tackle Anglers and Cap Cana Fishing Club. As an IGFA Representative, her main goal is to educate children and the local communities on conservation, ethical angling practices, and sustainability.
Ewald E. Heinsen
"Wally" Heinsen is a member and past president of the Club Nautico de Santo Domingo-- the top fishing club in the Dominican Republic. He has organized and directed various international fishing tournaments including the 2008 ILTTA tournament in Punta Cana. Heinsen is a founding member of the Dominican Light-Tackle Anglers Club which promotes IGFA rules, light tackle, catch-and-release, and circle hooks. Heinsen works with Roy Beasley, Brad Gentner and Raul Gonzales of CODOPESCA to advance the Caribbean Billfish Project aimed at boosting stocks.
EL SALVADOR
Francisco "Paco" Saca
At Large, El Salvador
Born and raised in El Salvador, "Paco" Saca got hooked on fishing in the early 1980s while fishing for snook in Florida where he was a University of Miami student. Saca founded the El Salvador International Billfish Tournament which he converted to an all-release format in 2017 to encourage conservation practices among all participating anglers. He was also involved in the banning of shrimp trawlers in the waters of El Salvador.
Javier Saca
GUADELOUPE
Bruce Holder
Guadeloupe
Bruce Holder's passion for fishing stemmed from his early years spent poaching European sea bass in Normandy, France to sell to restaurants. Now a resident of the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, he practices catch-and-release for snook, tarpon, bonefish and permit in the mangroves and flats. With no fishing regulations implemented in Guadeloupe, Holder's main goal is to teach the locals the ethics of catch-and-release to conserve vulnerable fisheries.
Eric Marest
GUATEMALA
Juan Manuel Cobar de la Hoz
Juan Manuel has dedicated his life to fishing and conservation. Introduced to the sport by his father during childhood, he has spent his entire life fishing for sailfish and other big game species. Since 2014, Juan Manuel has been an active participant in the fishing industry, serving as a board member of Club Nautico Guatemala, the Fishing Association of Guatemala, and the International Light Tackle Tournament Association. He has also chaired several tournaments in Guatemala. Currently, he works in the sportfishing industry as the Director of Operations for the Billfish Conservation Project and Pacific Fins Resort.
Jorge E. Sinibaldi
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Fishing has been a big part of Jorge Sinibaldi's life since his father and uncle introduced him to the sport; today he shares his passion for the water with his children. He served eight years as president of the Guatemala Fishing Federation. A conservationist, Sinibaldi helped establish the Guatemalan Commission for the Protection of Sailfish--an agency dedicated to the prevention of the illegal harvest of sailfish in Guatemalan waters. As an IGFA Representative, Sinibaldi's goal is to engage the next generation of anglers and promote conservation through education.
HONDURAS
Mauricio Canahuati
Cortes, Honduras
Mauricio Canahuati has been an IGFA Representative for Honduras since 2013. One of Honduras's key sport fishing community leaders, he co-founded the Puerto Cortes Billfish Open-- the country's leading fishing tournament. The tournament donates tens of thousands of dollars to foundations and other charitable organizations throughout the country, positively defining fishing for change. Canahuati is a member of the board of directors of the sport fishing club Club de Pesca del Caribe. He is a staunch advocate of catch-and-release fishing.
JAMAICA
Ron DuQuesnay
Kingston/Port Antonio, Jamaica
Born in Jamaica in 1944 , Ron DuQuesnay became a general surgeon at the University Hospital of the West Indies, and eventually Senior Lecturer from the 1960s until his retirement in 2010. As IGFA Jamaica Representative since the early 1990s, DuQuesnay has been instrumental in promoting IGFA angling rules and conservation ethics. In 2000, he became chairman of Sir Henry Morgan Angling Association (SHMAA) Ltd. founded in 1980. SHMAA Ltd. remains a conservation-centric Jamaican angling organization, stressing 100 percent catch-and- release for marlin.
MEXICO
Xavier Autrey
Acapulco, Mexico
Xavier Autrey is a fisherman with true dedication to fisheries conservation. As an IGFA representative, he initiated instructive courses on circle hooks and catch-and-release in Mexico's Acapulco region. He has participated in the National Federation of Sport Fishermen of Mexico which introduced circle hook and catch-and-release practices. He has won three tournaments and finished in the top three in other events.
Gonzalo A. Camacho
Gonzalo Alamea works as the coordinator for the Fund for the Protection of Marine Resources (FONMAR) and the Secretariat of Aquaculture and Agricultural Development (SEPADA) in Baja California Sur, Mexico. He has been instrumental in organizing youth angling education efforts in the state, hosting several fishing clinics that have reached almost several hundred children. Gonzalo has also worked with the IGFA to promote the IGFA Passports to Fishing program in the area, helping to create a new generation of conservation-minded anglers who care about the environment and species that make the sport possible. In addition to his work with the youth, he has also helped organize adult fishing tournaments and forums where he promotes catch and release and other ethical angling practices.
Clicerio Mercado, Sr.
Clicerio arrived in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, in 1989, well before the area was known as Los Cabos. He worked as the Food & Beverages Manager at the Hotel Plaza las Glorias, now Hotel Tesoro, where he met Robert Joseph Bisbee. Robert was interested in the hotel hosting his 10th annual Bisbee's Black and Blue Fishing Tournament and requested Clicerio's help in doing so. This was Clicerio's first introduction to the sport and after three years of working together, Robert asked Clicerio to become Bisbee's México Representative and take care of all the logistics involved in Los Cabos and México for the tournament. Clicerio was an integral part in growing the Bisbee's tournament to the world-renowned event it is today, and he has received multiple awards and recognitions for his contributions to the growth of the sport in the area. He continues to work with the Bisbee's tournaments and has helped organize other angling events around the state of Baja California Sur.
Minerva Saenz-Smith
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Minerva Saenz-Smith and her husband Bob moved to Mexico's Cabo region in 1976 and became sport fishing pioneers. They ran a successful charter boat business and later opened the renowned Minerva's Baja Tackle shop. Minerva is committed to conserving game fish and promoting the sport. She served as president of the Union of Owners of Sportfishing Charters for three terms and has lobbied for the protection of game fish species in Mexico.
Victor Hugo Mendez
VÃctor Hugo works as the head of sport fishing for the Secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture for the Government of the State of Baja California, Mexico, and serves as the Director of the National Sportfishing Federation. His responsibilities have covered fishing events in cities, towns, and rural fishing villages on both the Pacific coast and the east coast of Baja along the Sea of Cortez. Victor has been involved in the development of conservation methods and in determining a sustainability program that can ensure the continued health of the marine life that surrounds the Baja Peninsula. Currently, Victor Hugo is promoting the distribution of sport fishing permits in the state, and he also coordinates a support program for sportfishing service providers in rural towns with a tourist vocation and provides advice on productive reconversion in nautical tourism and conservation. His enthusiasm and dedication, combined with his daily interaction with the sport fishing community, make him a great asset for the IGFA Representatives Program.
Anthony Mendillo, Jr.
Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Capt. Anthony Mendillo Jr., a distinguished Captain and maritime entrepreneur for over two decades, founded Keen M International in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, in 1996. Renowned for revolutionizing sailfish charters, he expanded his fleet to four boats and pioneered underwater filming techniques, earning acclaim from BBC and National Geographic. Mendillo's contributions extend to tagging research programs for bluefin tuna, deploying over 300 "pop-up" tags and 150 "archival" tags. With numerous tournament victories, including international angling competitions, and a commitment to marine conservation through filmmaking collaborations, Mendillo remains a prominent advocate for sustainable angling practices, ensuring the ocean's vitality for future generations.
Angel L. Requejo Gutierrez
Veracruz, Mexico
Lifelong fisherman Angel Requejo Gutierrez graduated from the University of Miami (UM) with a major in marine affairs and a double minor in biology and business where he developed a passion for angling and fisheries conservation. Requejo has worked with the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust and UM on a satellite tagging program to research tarpon migratory patterns in the southern Gulf of Mexico. For the past five years, he has worked with NOAA Fisheries in a similar tagging program for yellowfin tuna. Requejo is a board member of the International Tarpon Conservation Association (ITCA).
NICARAGUA
Emilio E. Munkel Deshon
Emilio Munkel started fishing at a young age and in 2009 he started to seriously pursue offshore fishing, participating in several tournaments. In 2014 he achieved first place angler in the Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown Leg I and the Flor de Caña Tournament captained by John Lagrone. Munkel attributes his ever growing passion for the sport to the many captains, crew members and tackle shop owners he has met along the way. As an IGFA Representative, his main goal is to work with the Nicaraguan government to develop regulations that will encourage sustainable, ethical and responsible fishing practices.
Ramiro N. Ortiz
Managua, Nicaragua
Ramiro has been fishing for more than 30 years but became very enthusiastic in the last 18 years when fishing became a family sport that has been shared between his four sons and his wife. Nicaragua has made great strides in the sport of fishing. Ramiro has promoted the use of circle hooks, catch and release of billfish and tagging of billfish. Torneo Dorado, of which he is cofounder, serves as the platform to promote sustainable sport fishing and family bonding. The tournament became the largest annual family fishing tournament in Nicaragua where young and old become better fishermen. Ramiro is constantly in the lookout for ways to keep transmitting better ways to fish and protect our oceans.
PANAMA
Adrienne Reeve
Adrienne Reeve embarked on her angling journey at a young age. Growing up in Hollywood, Florida, US, Adrienne grew up fishing and exploring the offshore waters of South Florida and the neighboring Bahamian islands with her family. It was this early introduction to sport fishing and the ocean that instilled a lifelong passion for the sport and marine conservation in Adrienne. In 1993, Adrienne relocated to Panama, finding her "haven" on the island of Contadora where she can regularly target the premier gamefish of the region such as roosterfish, yellowfin tuna, broomtail grouper, snook, and others. Adrienne has been actively engaged in the recreational angling community for decades as a prominent tournament angler, observer, and judge, and she has also worked specifically with lodges and tournaments throughout Panama and Central America.
Edwin Fabrega
Edwin's connection to the sea courses through his veins-from offshore big game to inshore fly fishing and freediving, he feels at home one the ocean. Hailing from Panama, his native land allows him to indulge his passion in both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Fishing has been a part of his life since childhood, thanks to his father and grandfather who share the same name the passion. His profound connection to water and boats led him to forge a career as a boat dealer. Presently, Edwin plays a pivotal role in organizing and overseeing local fishing tournaments throughout Panama, dedicating himself to the responsible promotion of angling and the conservation of oceans for future generations. His passion extends beyond the thrill of the catch, encompassing a commitment to preserving the marine environment and fostering a sustainable legacy for those who follow.
Ricardo Motta
Ricardo Alberto Motta grew up fishing Panamanian waters, including famed fishing spots such as the Hannibal bank, Zane Grey reef (near Tropic Star Lodge), and the Pear Islands, home of recreational fishing favorites like dolphinfish, sailfish, marlin, roosterfish, amberjack, wahoo, snapper, etc. He is an active member of the Club de Yates y Pesca, and Marea Verde - an organization which main goal is to create awareness about the conservation of the marine environment. Ricardo is a respected member of the Panamanian angling community and joins the IGFA as a Representative following the steps of his grandfather, long-time IGFA Representative Frank de la Guardia.
Roberto L. Novey, Jr.
Balboa, Ancón, Panama
A 1969 University of Miami graduate, Robert Novey is immersed in sport fishing. He ran the Club Pacifico fishing lodge on the Island of Coiba off Panama and worked as director of Panama's Tropic Star Lodge in the early 1980s. Novey was past president and director of Central American Billfish Association (CABA) and frequently attends IGFA Representative meetings and other organization functions. He is very active in the fisheries conservation movement in Panama and Latin America.
Alfredo Lopez
Captain Alfredo Lopez is an IGFA World Record Holder who serves as the Chair of the Fishing Committee for the Club de Yates y Pesca de Panama and is the Tournament Director for the Jesus Luz de Oportunidades Fishing Tournament. In 2022, he revitalized the Copa Interclub of Panama, a fishing league that organizes tournaments along Panama's Pacific coast. Recently, Captain Lopez secured a partnership for the 2024 tournament season with the IGFA and the Panama Aquatic Resources Authority (ARAP) to promote marine species conservation in the country. An active fisherman and passionate advocate for Panama as a premier sport fishing destination, Captain Lopez has been featured in numerous television shows and publications. As an IGFA Representative, he is committed to advancing conservation projects and expanding the IGFA's presence in the region.
Horacio A. Clare, III
Coiba, Panama
Horacio Clare is an IGFA world record setter and member of IGFA's 10 Pound Bass Club, 50 Pound Dolphinfish Club, and 20 Pound Peacock Bass Club. As an IGFA Representative and captain, he fights to conserve fish and educate the next generation of anglers-- giving them the tools and information needed to become good environmental stewards. Catch-and-release fishing is one of the most important subjects he teaches; he is a vocal advocate for recreational regulations that promote sustainable fisheries.
Keishmer Hermoso
Keishmer's love for fishing was ignited by his father's passion for trout fishing in the mountain-surrounded city of his childhood. Together, they explored rivers and lagoons, catching brown and rainbow trout. As time passed, their adventures expanded to fishing for peacock bass in dams and venturing into the open sea. Keishmer's fervor extends to targeting black marlin, cubera snapper, roosterfish, and bass. He frequents Panama's waters for peacock bass, owning his own bass boat. Since 2019, he's served on the board of directors of the Pan American Sport Fishing Federation, organizing tournaments across the Americas. Named ambassador for the Guy Harvey organization in 2020, Keishmer advocates for sport fishing laws and conservation efforts in Panama, earning recognition as an eight-time medalist at the Pan American Games of Sport Fishing.
Richard White
Richard was first introduced to the sport early in life by his father and grandfather. In his early twenties, he fished for Team Triton and competed in the South African tournament scene. One of his biggest accomplishments is finishing 16th on the South African Bass Masters tournament. He was also a sponsored deckhand for team Luhrs and won the marlin club of South Africa tournament in 2009 as a mate and came second the following year as a captain. He left South Africa and captained private sport fishing boats in different fishing destinations such as Mauritius, Mozambique, Panama, India, Andaman Islands, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives and Australia.
PUERTO RICO
Luis Burgos
Captain Luis Burgos serves as a professional Fishing/Sailing Charter Captain and community leader. He is the Founder/Executive Director of the Caribbean Fishing Academy, Inc. This non-profit organization, based in Puerto Rico and affiliated with the Florida Fishing Academy, aims to promote responsible and ethical fishing practices, as well as social skills development, among children. While getting children involved in fishing as an extracurricular activity, Luis helps promote a positive socioeconomic impact in collaboration with supporting marine conservation organizations and marinas on the island. Captain Burgos specializes in organizing and directing fishing tournaments and seminars, including IGFA's "Passport to Fishing" program. He also operates The Caribbean Fishing Academy Charters and Water Tours, one of the top fishing charter and water tour operations on the island, which supports his work.
Tomas Irizarry, MD
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
Tomas Irizarry's fishing achievements include catching over 2,000 billfish; completing IGFA Grand Slam and Royal Slams (with two different species of spearfish); and a saltwater fly fishing world record. He has won 20 fishing tournaments worldwide and caught a 1,145-pound Atlantic blue marlin in Ascension Island aboard the Madam & the Hooker. Irizarry organized two international fishing tournaments in 2000 and 2001 at the Punta Cana Resort, Dominican Republic to benefit the IGFA. As an IGFA lifetime member and Representative, he has traveled worldwide giving seminars on IGFA policies for ethical angling and conservation.
Juan Carlos Torruella, Jr.
Loiza, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico's Juan Carlos Torruella owns and operates Extreme Fishing Puerto Rico specializing in light-tackle fishing charters. In 2013 he was named by Salt Water Sportsman magazine as one of the Top 50 charter captains in the world. He pursues tarpon and snook in the lagoons of Torrecilla and San Jose, and billfish and other pelagic species offshore. His passion for fishing has led him to become one of the leading conservationists in Puerto Rico, helping to adopt the current fisheries code.
Ricardo Lefranc
Ricardo Lefranc's passion for fishing has taken him all over the world, but his backyard in San Juan, Puerto Rico is his favorite-- especially the waters known as Marlin Alley. With his induction to Club Nautico de San Juan in 1997, he led the fishing committee-- working on the International Billfish Tournament and serving on the board of directors. Along the way he has found education to be the best way to promote conservation.
Jaime Fullana
Santurce, Puerto Rico
Jaime Fullana started fishing at a very young age on the piers of Puerto Rico's famed Club Nautico de San Juan where he was a longtime member. Fullana was influential in forming the Puerto Rico Gamefish Association and as president, he established rules for catch-and-release tournaments that are still in force today. At 75, Fullana continues to promote IGFA angling rules and ethical angling practices.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
David Wong
Tobago, Trinidad & Tobago
David Wong grew up fishing on the Southern Caribbean island of Tobago. Catch-and-release practices did not come naturally to him. But fishing aboard the "Hard Play" with IGFA Captain and Representative Gerard "Frothy" De Silva gave Wong a full appreciation of sport fishing at its best. Over the years Wong's focus has been on educating the island's artisanal angling community about conservation and responsible fishing practices.