Frank Aldan who headed the Saipan Fishermen’s Association for 10 years had to remind everybody during last Monday’s award banquet at the Hyatt Regency, about what the earliest organizers have gone through to bring up and maintain the annual fishing tournament.
During the past 25 years of the tournament, Aldan remembers many classic moments.
“Lots of fishing stories had emerged, specifically tales of the one that got away. Tall fishing stories that have become urban myths and are destined to become legends,” he reminisces.
Aldan said fishermen are the best story tellers in world. Then, he told his own story that was “destined to become a legend.
It’s about two brothers in-law with a little fishing experience back in 1990s when CNMI was having economic boom. Organizers of the fishing derby managed to collect over $75,000 which they used to buy a brand new 17 feet long of fishing boat complete with engine and trailer.
Aldan said they decided it to be the grand prize for the fishing tournament.
The two brothers in law, Aldan went on to say, sailed the ocean on a home-made 12-foot wooden boat. They just borrowed the rod and reel and one marlin lure. Armed with self confidence and the quest to win the grand prize, the brothers in-law competed with the other participants on their multi hundred dollar boats.
The two brother in-laws landed 294 lbs of blue marlin to win the grand prize. This story is true which Aldan said is the true essence of the spirit of competition.
Aldan recalled that 27 years ago, he and Speaker Arnold I. Palacios had just returned from a fishing derby o Rota when they were informed it will be the last fishing competition ever held in the CNMI.
As staffers of Fish and Wildlife Division at the time, Aldan said they have witnessed the excitement and the spirit of competition among the participants of fishing tournaments. They know, he said they can not deny “our local fishermen the glory that shines upon them once a year.”
“So we go together with our fishing buddies and the rest is history,” Aldan said, adding that little did they know that 25 years later, 75 boats will participate in the tournament that drew “thousands of spectators.”
“Today our annual fishing tournament is one of the most prestigious sport events in the CNMI. It has become an institution, one of the most organized and well managed competitions,” Aldan said.
