PAXSON OFFIELD
Posthumous
A pioneer in the pursuit of big-game saltwater fishing off Catalina Island and a leader in the protection of billfish and white seabass of Southern California and endangered plants at Catalina. Paxson “Packy” Offield was a beloved member of the Tuna Club of Santa Catalina Island and known as a conservationist who made a difference.
His involvement in the research of reproductive problems facing the Bald Eagle population at Catalina Island led to their survival and made national news. Working with the San Diego Zoological Society, he was instrumental in funding the successful effort to save the California condor from the brink of extinction. This family interest, heralding back to his great grandparents’ world famous aviary in Avalon, took him to far-away places. As Chairman of the Peregrine Fund, the President of Panama personally presented him with the Comendador Award, one of the nation’s highest civilian awards, for helping save their national bird, the Harpy’s Eagle, from the brink of extinction.
Packy joined the Tuna Club in 1987 and was extremely proud of his membership. His contributions to the Tuna Club and his commitment to ethical angling and good sportsmanship never waived. As an angler, he earned his qualifying button in 1988 and his Silver Fame Medal in 1990. He earned his Gold Fame Medal in 1994, Tag and Release Pin in 1997, with four buttons total. He was selected Angler of The Year in 2003 and 2004, and held several Tuna Club Records, with two still standing for a 3 thread white seabass and a 3-thread albacore.
The Paxson Offield Center for Billfish Studies opened in 2000 with cutting- edge technology. His quest to understand more about the mysterious behavior of the world’s billfish populations inspired his working with anglers and scientists to accumulate more sound scientific research on marlin behavior. By placing archival tags in the fish, information was transmitted to satellites when they surfaced, then downloaded for scientific analysis. There was an immediate source of new information about their habits and migrations due to his work. The Center coordinates the most innovative data collection program in existence. Placing hundreds of satellite tags in 16 locations around the world and counting is a historic accomplishment. Even the trial and error work involved in developing reliable satellite tags was a major scientific achievement.
Some of Packy’s other angling and conservation acknowledgements include the Rybovich Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 for his long- standing contributions to the Billfish Foundation, of which he also served as a Past Chairman. The Billfish Foundation acknowledged that his efforts brought attention to the billfishes decline before the International Treaty Management Organizations for the first time. Paxson’s induction into the International Game Fish Association’s Hall of Fame was most befitting as a reflection of what he has done for the sport of angling in general. As Chairman of the organization, he has provided excellent leadership during changing times. He was the driving force behind the Great Marlin Race, encouraging anglers to participate in placing tags and advancing research on his beloved billfish.
