Ng Cher How with his winning catch, a grouper weighing a whopping 61.68kg.
MIRI: A Singaporean team almost won all prizes in the Individual Category of the Miri International Deep Sea Fishing Tournament 2017 which concluded yesterday.
The team onboard ‘Star Fish 3’ boat won 14 of the 15 prizes for grabs in the category.
Ng Cher How who emerged champion in the category after he landed a grouper weighing a whopping 61.68kg bagged home the grand cash prize of RM20,000.
The second place went to Lee Keng Ho who landed a grouper weighing 49.48kg, taking home RM6,000.
Third place winner Doreen Ang with her 46.54kg grouper catch received RM3,000. Ang is also the first female to be among the top three winners of the tournament since the past nine years.
Winning the fourth place onwards were Tan Poh Seng (RM1,500), Tan Kim Kuan (RM1,000), Jeff Chen Yong Ying (RM800), Ivan Goh (RM800), Koh Tat Wei (RM800), Tan Kok Soon (RM800), Desmond Ang Boon Wee (RM800), Tham Zi Liang (RM800), Lee Wang Long (RM800), Puah Sze Heng (RM800) and Kevin Lim Chun Hui (RM800).
The fifteenth place when to a participant from China, Ma Yong Li; he received RM800.
All the winners also received a set of fishing tackles and a certificate of recognition from the organiser.
In the Team Category, the first place went to Lee Wang Long, Tan Kok Soon and Tan Kim Kuan after they landed a grouper, amberjack and ruby snapper with a total weight of 52.9kg. The team received a cash prize of RM5,000.
The second place went to Ting Thung Hing, Louis Wong King Seh and Wong King Uieng after they landed an amberjack, escolar and ruby snapper weighing a total of 38.06kg. They received a cash prize of RM3,000.
Winning the third place were Hii Ding Sin, Hii Hieng Kong and Eng Chuen Hong who landed an amberjack, ruby snapper and wahoo weighing a total of 33.68kg. The team took home the cash prize of RM2,000.
All the winning teams also received certificates of recognition and sets of fishing tackles each.
For the Fish Species Category, the winner for Grouper species was Ivan Goh, followed by Thien Ho Soon for Amberjack, Tan Poh Seng (Ruby Snapper), Han Dong (Tuna), Tham Zi Liang (Giat Trevally) and Pon Yong Heng (Mangrove Jack). Each winner received a cash prize of RM700, a set of fishing tackles as well as a certificate of recognition.
The annual tournament from May 12-14 which took place at the world class sport fishing destination Luconia Shoal in the South China Sea was organised by Miri Anglers Club (MAC). It attracted more than 120 anglers from all over the country and neighbouring country Brunei Darussalam, Singapore and China.
Present to witness the weighing of all catches submitted by the participants yesterday was Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
Also present were the state Fisheries Department director Belayong Nyuak and the department’s researcher Nuridan Abdul Han as well as MAC president Ting Thung Hing.
An officer of the Fisheries Department (right) inspecting fish which were being unloaded by participants upon their arrival at Marina Bay jetty yesterday.