Special delivery: Sign up for the free Marlin email newsletter. Subscribe to Marlin magazine and get a year of highly collectible keepsake editions – plus access to the digital edition and archives As our spread neared a floating wooden crate the water suddenly lit up with flashes of electric blue and green A school of 30-pound-class mahi-mahi darted beneath the surface leaving us scanning the water in search of their next move And then it happened—a violent explosion of white water detonated on the right short lure. The reel’s drag screamed as a massive blue marlin broke the surface the seasoned mate Reina grabbed the leader and an estimated 850-pound blue came boatside This all happened within the first two hours of fishing the Royal Charlotte Bank the captain I’d be fishing with for the next week Throughout my travels to renowned sport-fishing destinations such as Cape Verde, Kona and the Great Barrier Reef I’d often pose a simple question to the seasoned captains and mates: “If you could fish for big blues anywhere you haven’t been where would it be?” Almost without exception The allure of Canavieiras lies in its unparalleled access to the Royal Charlotte Bank a vast under­water plateau stretching over 55 miles into the Atlantic Ocean This unique formation is where the Brazil Current slams into the bank’s steep shelf that rises dramatically from the depths of thousands of feet to just 100 feet below the surface a marine oasis in what is otherwise a liquid desert of open ocean nutrient-rich upwelling creates a thriving ecosystem draw apex predators such as yellowfin tuna with the Royal Charlotte Bank as the keystone supporting it all “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” For Wallace his why has never been in question—he has dedicated his life to traveling the world in pursuit of the largest marlin the oceans have to offer better known as Brazakka—an aboriginal term meaning “wild man.” His fishing career began at the age of just 15 working on Australian trawlers off the New South Wales coast as Cairns started emerging as an epicenter of sport fishing He purchased George Bransford’s iconic Sea Baby becoming only the third charter operator in the region’s fledgling gamefishing fleet Brazakka didn’t just participate in the burgeoning fishery—he revolutionized it He designed and captained the first self-contained a concept that has become the industry standard for today’s fleet His reputation for colorful antics and quotable one-­liners made him a legendary figure that earned him appearances in beer commercials; in the movie Brazakka’s Reef starring Lee Marvin; fishing with President Jimmy Carter; and even in a feature on the Australian version of CBS’ 60 Minutes cementing his legacy as one of the most accomplished captains of the Great Barrier Reef He spent more than 15 years fishing the reef and his career took him to some of the most renowned fishing destinations across the globe took an unexpected turn with a single phone call a pioneer in billfish conservation and a trailblazer in discovering what was then remote and untouched fishing destinations in Costa Rica “Tim called me out of the blue one day and was giddy with excitement,” Wallace recounts and invited me down to explore.” Choate’s excitement stemmed from studying charts and speaking with local commercial fishermen who regularly had catches of tuna and mahi stolen by massive blue marlin Wallace excitedly agreed and intrepidly made his way to the small town of Canavieiras and it was a decision that would not only shape the rest of his life but also introduce the world to one of the best blue-marlin fisheries on the planet rugged horses of southern France and perhaps a fitting tribute to his father’s legendary “wild man” nickname—for the second day of fishing The energy on deck was electric as we left the dock anticipation running high after an unforgettable first day We eased down the sediment-laded Rio Pardo the short stretch of river in Canavieiras that empties into the Atlantic Wallace expertly navigated the ever-shifting channels of the bar before setting a course for the Royal Charlotte Bank we reached the beginning of the bank and set the spread I asked Wallace about his approach to fishing in such a sprawling area “The marlin are usually concentrated in specific sections certain spots always seem to produce bites while others don’t.” The morning started “quietly” as we boated two large mahi-mahi and a wahoo the atmosphere shifted dramatically as we approached the middle of the bank Bait erupted all around us—small yellowfin tuna As Wallace made an inside pass in only 300 feet of water we were deep into the braid and began backing down on the fish It soon became apparent that this was another nice one as it started doggedly diving deep and a tug-of-war ensued for the next 45 minutes the marlin rocketed out of the water behind the boat—a 700-plus-pounder I have a feeling there’s going to be another one in here.” We trolled a few miles up the bank before looping back to the spot of the original hookup As we passed within 20 feet of the GPS mark of the first hookup the right short exploded in a cascade of spray as a giant marlin came halfway out of the water allowing us to back down hard as it powered up-sea against the current Water poured over the transom as we fought to keep pace The big girls often fight like this when they’re trying to pump more oxygen through their gills.”The battle stretched over an hour a tense back-and-forth struggle as we fought to gain line with the boat in reverse Reina grabbed the leader and wrestled the marlin next to the boat It wasn’t until then that we fully grasped its sheer size Words escaped me as I stepped out of the chair and leaned over the side to get my first glimpse of the massive marlin and with a flick of its tail and a tidal wave of water During my previous trips to the Great Barrier Reef we weighed two marlin that unfortunately didn’t survive the fight—one at 963 pounds and the other at 978 Wallace conservatively called it 950 pounds knowing there was a good chance this fish crossed that magical thousand-pound mark Wallace turned to me with his signature grin and said “I told you there’d be another one in there.” we landed nine blue marlin estimated at over 600 pounds and lost several others of similar size we didn’t see a single fish under 500 pounds this trip coincided with an extraordinary influx of large marlin “Why does the Royal Charlotte Bank consistently hold such big fish when in most places around the world a fish of this caliber would be considered a once-in-a-lifetime catch?” Seeking answers, I turned to Bruce Pohlot, the IGFA’s conservation director and co-leader of the International Great Marlin Race, a satellite tagging initiative designed to track marlin migrations across the world I asked what was known about the migration patterns of Atlantic blue marlin we’ve observed some trends,” Pohlot explained “Most tagged marlin off Bermuda travel east across the Atlantic to Africa; similarly fish tagged in the Azores head east and south often reaching Cape Verde or the African mainland We’ve never observed marlin from these areas staying local or heading west.” no blue marlin had been satellite-tagged south of the equator Anthony Hsieh of Bad Company deployed a few tags on blue marlin over 500 pounds from the Royal Charlotte Bank and we’re hopeful this will provide new insights when we get the data later this year.” One thing became clear during our conversation: There are many more mysteries than answers to Atlantic blue-marlin behavior Only through ongoing collaboration with recreational anglers can we continue to unravel these secrets and work toward protecting the species the grueling fight and the exhilaration of the release was all-consuming Somewhere between the scream of a reel’s drag and the quiet moments watching the sunset on the way back from the bank I realized marlin fishing isn’t just about catching fish but about the places it takes you.The Royal Charlotte Bank is more than a fishing spot; it’s a destination that leaves an indelible mark But somehow it still feels like a secret—a place that reveals its true magic only to those who embrace the journey as much as the catch Getting to Canavieiras is simpler than it might seem The journey can be broken down into three steps: 1) Fly into São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro; 2) hop on a two-hour connecting flight to Ilhéus; 3) Wallace will arrange a driver for the one-hour ride to Canavieiras Wallace offers a charming bed-and-breakfast a large dining table and five private rooms often featuring the day’s catch—such as mahi-mahi or wahoo—prepared in a variety of ways Canavieiras boasts stunning beaches and is home to one of the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forests Exploring the maze-like mangrove channels by skiff was an unforgettable adventure revealing the area’s natural beauty from an entirely new perspective Sign up for free Marlin Group emails to receive expert big-game content along with key tournament updates and to get advanced notice of new expeditions as they’re introduced By signing up you agree to receive communications from Marlin and select partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy You may opt out of email messages/withdraw consent at any time Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen Marlin may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site Copyright © 2025 Marlin. A Bonnier LLC Company Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited Sign up for free Marlin Group emails to receive expert big-game content along with key tournament updates and to get advanced notice of new expeditions as they’re introduced Subscribe now to get seven keepsake print editions of Marlin per year along with instant access to a digital archive of past issues The closure of the path that gives access to Canavieira beach “When you take away the only and centuries-old access to Canavieira beach for the people of Madeira and expand your backyard Private individuals are left with exclusive access to Canavieira beach who lose yet another access to the coastline come and show your indignation and demand the return of what was stolen from us” where residents are demanding that the aforementioned access be opened to the public even threatening demonstrations to force the return of the access to the public domain From Jornal Madeira Do we know who has blocked access so they have the beach to themselves Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email The Caniço Parish Council is determined to find a solution to revitalize access to Canavieira Beach and guarantees that it is analyzing all possibilities in order to understand whether it is possible to restore security to the area Milton Teixeira’s position, published on his social networks, comes after a complaint from a Facebook group called ‘Cana Vieira uma Praia da Madeira’ which, as reported this morning by JM, is outraged by what it considers to be the appropriation of Vereda da Praia da Canavieira by a private individual which already has almost a thousand members is calling for swift intervention by the competent authorities to halt and demolish the ongoing works on the site and is calling for the reopening of this The Parish Council President begins by recalling that access to the site was closed in 2018 following an inspection of safety conditions carried out by the Caniço Parish Council and the Municipal Civil Protection the lack of safety at the access point was clear putting everyone who passed by on their way to the beach at risk Safety structures (including balconies) have been abandoned for several years and no longer have the ability to support their bases falling rocks and several large cracks that with all the safety risks that this could entail Milton Teixeira also recalls the various episodes that occurred at the site particularly with regard to illegal activities that even led to the intervention of criminal police bodies the Parish Council sent a team to clean this access for 15 days having requested a new assessment from the Municipal Civil Protection “The inspection was carried out jointly and “Was it hard to take part in this decision It was one of my childhood beaches and it left me with so many memories I would rather be penalised for an unpopular decision than live with the knowledge that someone could get seriously hurt there the Board is checking all the possibilities including with the specialized intervention of the Regional Government’s cliff face workers to verify if they can get the minimum services essential to restore safety Taking into account that this is part of the Maritime Public Domain guarantees that it is “making every possible effort to try to find a solution to revitalize access to this beach without jeopardising the budgetary stability” of the Board From Jornal Madeira “appropriation of Vereda da Praia da Canavieira by a private individual, of German nationality” Has anyone else noticed that essential work to areas and beaches that do not benefit the friends of the ruling party never gets done? In fact, other beaches are closed and bathing banned to try and encourage tourists and locals to spend their money where these mobsters have businesses – just saying. A private person expands his garden and terrace onto this public pathway. There is no way that Madeirans people let him come away like this . They should go to court about that. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Don't worry, I also hate spam. Areas around the River Pardo in northeastern Brazil are home to more than one million people. Included in them are traditional communities such as the quilombolas (descendants of runaway African slaves), the geraizeiros and others. Each year they see less water in their river. “This is not solely due to the reduction in rainfall.  Members of the Articulação da Bacia do Rio Pardo. Equally important, its waters are now owned by people who unscrupulously exploit the river,” explains Maicon de Andrade, a water defense activist from the Center for Social Studies (CEAS). Maicon, Joaci Cunha and Elias Wolff, a member of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network International Reference Group, talk of challenges and achievements in the struggle for water justice in Brazil. Brazilian activist Joaci Cunha highlights the importance of the Machado Mineiro Dam in what he calls the “hijacking” of the river’s water. “The reservoir management is carried out with the needs of irrigators in the foreground,” he says. According to Cunha, there are also 21 private mini-dams, officially authorized, but they overstep the law by increasing the volume of water backed up for irrigation. Testimonies of the residents of the region underline the Rio Pardo’s critical situation. Small producers and riverside dwellers face great challenges to guarantee production and the continuing existence of their social structures and culture. Municipalities are also facing water shortages. “The questions that need to be discussed are: Where is the water meant for the shower or the vegetable garden? What are the water use priorities? Why is it not socially manged and controlled?” ask Elias, Maicon and Joaci. They see the problem in the countryside agrohydro business. "Since the 70s, monoculture projects and dams orchestrated by the Brazilian State and private companies have reduced access to water and other common goods which people depend" they say. Cooperatives and alliances were formed to promote a different way of living, in harmony with the common good. Examples are the Cooperativa Grande Sertão Veredas and the Association of Producers of Sugarcane and Derivatives in the municipality of Itarantim. The CETA movement produces agroecological products from the Cabruca forest. All these struggles contributed to the creation of the “Articulação e Defesa do Rio Pardo”, a countryside alliance linked with city groups  to defend water and the common good in the Rio Pardo basin. In it are traditional farmers, geraizeiros, , quilombolas, indigenous people, agrarian reform settlers, fishermen, shellfish gatherers, students, researchers, NGOs, and churches. Together, they raise awareness of the progressive death of the river and its consequences. The alliance promotes discussion of how the basin can be better managed and spreads knowledge and practices of “Bem Viver” (“Good living”). “The strategy is to promote local actions which feed into a wider collective effort for the revitalization of Rio Pardo,” remarks Maicon. Elias Wolff believes that the support of churches and other faith-based organizations and groups is fundamental to save the Rio Pardo. “We understand water as a divine gift, and taking care of it is engaging with the Creator's project,” he says. Please fill in this form if you would like to receive news and updates from the WCC by email. Ecumenical CentreKyoto BuildingChemin du Pommier 42CH-1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, Switzerland a pest that causes annual losses of 5 billion reais ($979.05 million) for the industry."The approval of this variety by China which recognizes its safety in an important market will accelerate its adoption," said CTC in a statement The firm had already obtained some authorizations for its GM sugarcane technology in other markets.According to CTC the adoption of GM sugarcane in Brazil had already been growing because "it provides control over the sugarcane borer in an efficient and sustainable way."CTC previously said the planted area for the GM sugarcane in Brazil has nearly doubled in the 2022/23 season but still represents a small share of the total sugarcane fields in the country which add up to about 8.3 million hectares (20.5 million acres)."We had a significant increase in the planted area.. [but] only a small fraction has been processed so far," said Silvia Yokoyama director of regulatory and governmental affairs at CTC.According to the company the small fraction of GM sugarcane processed in Brazil has been directed to ethanol production for local distribution.Yokoyama noted that the approval process in China is "extremely rigorous because China is very cautious about genetically modified organisms."But she pointed out that the company was able to approve its Bt cane in less than four years a relatively short time compared to that of other GM products cleared by China in recent days.($1 = 5.1070 reais)Reporting by Roberto Samora; Writing by Peter Frontini; Editing by Josie Kao Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. 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