Senior manager of the Bimini Tourist Office Norma Wilkinson said crowds of fishing boats will be docked at the marinas as anglers come from all over +to compete for top cash prizes.
“This fishing tournament has become a treasure trove of history about the island of North Bimini,” Ms Wilkinson said. “Some of adventures of our anglers have etched eternal memories in the minds of the people of Bimini and have become a part of the oral history of this wonderful island.”
Made famous by long-term visitors like Ernest Hemingway and Martin Luther King Jr, the islands in the Bimini chain have long distinguished themselves from the other islands of the Bahamas by embracing certain unique attributes.
The strongest among these is said to be the individualistic, fiercely protected, culture of Bimini. Playing a huge role in this strong cultural identity is fishing.
Once known as the gateway to the Bahamas, Bimini has become the playground for serious sports fishermen from all over the world.
According to a Ministry of Tourism statement, “Nothing fastens the tie on the togetherness of the people of Bimini like the annual fishing tournaments, the biggest of which is the Annual Native Fishing Tournament. Now in its 56th year, this tournament is the place where many anglers come to celebrate their love for fishing and the many other activities that go hand in hand with this sport.”
This year, the native fishing tournament takes place August 6 through 11 and as usual, is filled with cultural activity.
The Bimini Native Fishing Tournament was started in 1950 by the Bimini Progressive Sporting Club. The aim then had been to create fellowship among both the locals and visitors to the island.
Over the years, it has grown from a minor 12-boat affair to the current event that sees hundreds of boats docking in the marinas.
According to Ms Wilkinson, fishing tournaments like the annual Native Fishing Tournament are also very important to the Bahamas as a whole, because of the niche market opportunities it creates within the overall tourism market.
“It exemplifies what we have been saying all along: The islands of the Bahamas presents a multiplicity of destinations within one. There is something for everyone,” she said.
Source: The Tribune
