OFF YOU GO: Karim (centre) flags off the participants while Khalid (third right), Sarawak Boat Club secretary Charlie Yong (right), organising committee members and judges look on.
SANTUBONG: Eighty anglers in 14 boats took to the fishing grounds of Tanjong Po and Tanjong Datu off Santubong yesterday in the hope of landing the biggest catch in the 38th Sarawak Boat Club Open Fishing Competition.
Sarawak Boat Club commodore Dato Abang Khalid Abang Marzuki said yesterday the response to the annual fishing competition was very good.
“We have 16 anglers from Miri Anglers Club and others from Kuala Lumpur, New Zealand and Kuching,” he said at the Sarawak Boat Club at Rampangi, Santubong.
The competition was flagged off by first vice commodore Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who is also assistant minister of Social Development for Youth Development, and assistant minister of Housing.
Khalid, who is also Pekema Sarawak chairman, said the competition was aimed at organising regular activities for sport-fishing enthusiasts who love open sea fishing.
“It is also to promote sports tourism in Santubong,” he said, adding that there was great potential to develop open sea fishing as there were many good fishing spots there.
Total prize money for the competition is about RM20,000, with prizes to be awarded to top three winners of the category of fish and overall, and top two winners of the team event.
The 10 categories of fish are jew fish, snapper, grouper, trevally, mackerel, barracuda, sea catfish, cobia, queen fish and stingray.
Pekema Sarawak is the main sponsor while other sponsors include Abadi Motor Sdn Bhd, Lian Sin Trading Sdn Bhd, Anglers’ Tackles, Ted Far Development, Mutiara Trophy and Tabuan Furniture Centre.
Khalid said the club is hoping to move to Telaga Air in the near future where they can organise bigger events to attract more foreign participation.