ORGANIZERS of the 1st Open Fishing Competition in Southern Mindanao aim to gather local anglers in Governor Generoso come September 16-18 to showcase the town’s tourism potential and at the same time, promote the place as the next international fishing competition destination.
Camp Bernardino de Lavigan 1st Open Fishing Competition Co-Chairs Hector Emberga and Miggy Solitaria shared during the PEP Talks media forum held at SM Lanang Premier on August 30 that they see the potential of the town as the next international fishing venue given that its ocean provides opportunity for good catch since it faces the Pacific Ocean.
“Anglers have been clamoring for a fishing tournament to be conducted in Governor Generoso because of its open sea that provides good fishing experience,” Solitaria said.
The organizers of the event envision to replicate the success of the Siargao International Fishing Competition which gathers professional anglers from across the globe annually prior to the pandemic.
As of press time, a total of 40 delegates from different angler clubs in Mindanao have registered for the competition and will vie for the P20,000 cash prize which await the delegate with the heaviest catch, P15,000 for the second prize, and P10,000 for the third prize.
Each boatman of the winners will also receive cash prizes worth P5,000, P3,000, and P2,000, respectively.
Aside from fostering camaraderie among local anglers, the event also seeks to encourage boatmen to register their fishing boats and educate the participants on the do’s and don’t’s of fishing through the help of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Local Government Unit.
