(MVA) — Marianas maritime comes to the forefront of next month’s 41st Annual Saipan International Fishing Tournament in The Marianas, which will feature two days of fishing beginning on July 12, 2025, and a festival open to the public on July 13.
The festival — organized by the Marianas Visitors Authority in cooperation with PalmTrio — will be held from 3-7 p.m. at Smiling Cove Marina, featuring ocean-related displays, food vendors, and live entertainment.
“The Marianas are an ocean people, and we’re celebrating that at this year’s tournament with the addition of a festival on Sunday afternoon,” said MVA Community Projects Manager Martin Duenas. “It’s a great opportunity for our community and visitors to join our local fishermen and their families in celebrating the ocean and our rich heritage with some educational displays and interactive presentations. It’s always really exciting to see the fishermen bring in their catch before the end of the day, so we invite everyone to join us at the festival on July 13.”
The Saipan International Fishing Tournament is organized by the Saipan Fishermen’s Association.
Festival activities are expected to include CNMI Division of Fish & Wildlife Aquatic Education, 500 Sails, Tasi to Table kids fishing tournament, and more. Marianas Maritime Heritage Mapping with East Carolina University invites fishermen, fisher families, cultural practitioners, artists, and the general public to help document and map local maritime knowledge. Northern Marianas Technical Institute will demonstrate culinary skills related to fish, such as food safety, filleting, scaling, and marination.
In 2024, the tournament had 90 boats and over 300 fishermen and fisherwomen from The Marianas and Guam. MVA aims to attract more participants and media attention and provide a new opportunity to connect visitors with Marianas culture and nature through the festival
Boat charters and more information are available by contacting SFA President Tony Scragg at tscragg@jwssaipan.com/.
Game fish categories for the tournament are: Grand Prize (Biggest Billfish), Bill Fish (1st -3rd), Yellow Fin (1st-3rd), Wahoo (1st –3rd), Mahi Mahi (1st-3rd), and Skipjack Tuna (1st-3rd). Prizes will also be awarded for total weight. A special prize of $10,000 will be awarded to the record-breaking Bill Fish weighing more than 942 lbs.
Tournament registration is $200 per boat, inclusive of a captain and one crew member. Each additional angler is $35. Registration will be held on July 11 from 4-6 p.m. at Smiling Cove Marina. A briefing on tournament regulations will be given, followed by a blessing over all boats. Tournament time on July 12 and July 13 is from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and all boats must launch from Smiling Cove Marina.
Major tournament sponsors are MVA, Budweiser, Mobil, Pacifica/Century Insurance and Docomo Pacific.
Tournament entry forms, rules, and schedule of events are now available at:
• Fishing Tackle & Sporting Goods Store on Beach Road, Chalan Kanoa, Saipan
• Marianas Visitors Authority office, Beach Road, I Liyan, Saipan
• via email from MVA at communityprojects@mymarianas.com/.
