Tourism Minister of Seychelles took new importance in Marlin Big Game Fishing Tournament

The Seychelles Sports Fishing Club (SSFC) has again last week organised their Marlin Slam Fishing Tournament that saw 18 boats set off at 3am for a full day of competition. For the first

time in Seychelles a Seychelles Rupees 250,000.00 (a quarter of a million Seychelles Rupees – approximately US $ 20000.00) was announced as the prize for the winner on this one day competition.

Seychelles has always been known as a Big Game Fishing paradise and marketed as such by the island’s Tourism Board, but the new drive by fishing enthusiasts since the last couple of years have brought a new dimension to Big Game Fishing Competition in Seychelles. The abundant seas of these mid-ocean islands have always attracted Big Game Fishing amateurs, but now the Seychelles Sports Fishing Club (SSFC) is making the sport an affair set to attract more and more professionals who follow such competitions around the world.

Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture was personally at Eden Island’s Boardwalk Restaurant to watch the eighteen boats return to port from their day competition and he said that it was important for the Tourism Board to work with the Seychelles Sports Fishing Club (SSFC) to include such a Marlin Slam Fishing Tournament as a national event on the Tourism Board’s Calendar of Events.  

“Being present as the fishing boats were returning to port. Seeing the excitement by the big crowd gathered to see the catch as they are weighed. Seeing the expression of joy by both the Seychellois and tourists present as one big marlin after the other were pulled up and weighed showed that the event need to be publicised and made more visible that it was” Minister SA.ange said.

The Minister went on to state that Big Game Fishing had always been considered a niche market for Seychelles, but the competion itself can and should be seen as a new niche attraction and a new activity that can help increase the yield for the island’s tourism industry. “Every new attraction, every new facility or event can bring extra visitors and increase the spending on the island. We will work with the Seychelles Sports Fishing Club (SSFC) and see how we can can make this Marlin Slam Fishing Tournament more seen and more known” Minister St.Ange said.

This year TEAM ISLAND STAR won the competition with a 212 kg blue marlin. Team TOP GUN came in second place with a 94.5kg marlin and TEAM KUKI in third place with a 52.5kg marlin.