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| IGFTO Founders John Treat, Terry O'Neill and Bob Malerba shown here with artist Guy Harvey who designed the IGFTO Logo |
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| The International Game Fish Tournament Observers organization was founded in 2009 by three experienced fishermen and businessmen - Bob Malerba, John Treat and Terry O'Neill - who felt passionately about providing highly trained - and insured - observers to witness the safe catch and release of billfish and game fish in tournaments throughout the world.
Approximately eight years ago the International Game Fish Association with the support of the National Marine Fisheries Service adopted the Certified Observer Program which trained experienced captains, anglers and crews to become official Observers aboard tournament boats.
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This program reduced and prevented rule disputes and infractions and changed the direction of tournaments from killing billfish to one that releases the billfish to preserve the species.
But until the creation of the IGFTO, observers did not carry liability insurance and posed a potential liability risk for tournament directors and boat owners participating in these events.
Since the formation of the non-profit IGFTO organization two years ago, its "insured" observers have witnessed the safe release of more than 2,000 game fish while participating in tournaments throughout North America, the Caribbean and South America.
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In memory of IGFTO founder Bob Malerba
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| Bob Malerba who lost his battle with cancer on Memorial Day 2011 |
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| Bob Malerba, a highly trained observer and co-founder of IGFTO, passed away May 31, 2011 after battling esophagus cancer. Bob participated as an observer in more than 75 international billfish tournaments. He was honored in memoriam at the Virgin Islands Game Fish Club's July 2011 Open Billfish Tournament in St. Thomas, USVI. Bob served as an observer at this tournament for many years.
The IGFTO made a $600 memorial contribution in Bob's memory to The Billfish Foundation's youth education program to perpeuate his great enthusiasm and passion for the sport of fishing.
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The Billfish Foundation works worldwide to advance the conservation of billfish and associated species to improve the health of oceans and economies.
Bob was born in Meridan, CT and attended the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where he earned a bachelor degree in economics. He served for 11 years in the Air Force as an instructor pilot in the KC-135A Strato-Tanker, air-fueling other aircraft. He served on three separate occasions in Vietnam and flew more than 125 missions in Southeast Asia
He purchased the family business, Malerba's Silver City Tire Co., from his father in 1984 and later received several small business awards from the Chamber of Commerce and Univerity of Connecticut. After selling the business in 2004, he remained with the company as vice-president for four years. In 2005, he was elected President of the Tire Industry Association, an international organization with more than 6,000 members in 65 countries.
Bob joined the IGFT Certified Observer Program in 2003, passing the exam at Ocean City, MD. Boating and fishing were a big part of his recreational life. He owned and operated boats from 22 feet to 48 feet for more than 20 years. He spent most of those years fishing the Atlantic out of Montauk Point, NY before selling his boat in 2003. Not wanting to give up his passion for fishing, he became a certified observer and served as Observer Coordinator for many of the more than 30 tournaments he worked in Florida, Maryland, Virginia, Coast Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas.
In describing his opportunities to serve as an observer, Bob once said, "It's like caddying for Tiger Woods. The job of the Observer is to Authenticate and not Intimidate." He focused on keeping the fishing teams out of trouble with the IGFA and the torunament directors by anticipating their actions and observing the results. He urged fellow observers to "respect their boat as if it were your own."
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| Bob Malerba Family |
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