JOIN USThe international angling competition organised at the northern breakwaters of the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) evoked response from 110 anglers on Saturday.
The competition was organised in association with NMPT and Panambur Beach Project and various other organisations. The event elicited curiosity and cheer from the local people. Also, anglers from various countries apart from India – including Malaysia, Belgium and Dubai – participated.
Catch only
The contest began at 6 am and concluded at 6 pm. The anglers were seen donning blue T-shirts and with hooks in hand.
A few caught five-kg fish, but the anglers were not permitted to take the hauls with them. As soon as the fish was caught in the bait, it was weighed and let back into the waters. Some anglers waited for a long time for a catch. When they failed to get any, they were seen changing their places in hope of a catch.
There was opportunity for 20 people to try angling from the 1-km stretch of the breakwaters for a period of one hour. Groups of 20 individuals each too were created for the contest. Those with the heaviest catch will be awarded, with the contest to be continued on Sunday.
Prizes
The judges will record the catch of each angler before letting the fish back into the waters.. The heaviest two catches will get the anglers prizes of Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively. Those with the two highest number of catches will get Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively.
Yathish Baikampady, CEO of the Panambur Beach Tourism Development Project, said that the motive behind organisation of the contest at the NMPT breakwaters was to lay special emphasis on developing tourism along all the beaches in Mangaluru. The northern breakwaters are generally where fish is found in large numbers.