Mayreau Regatta sails off with large fish catch

Over one thousand pounds of fish were hauled from the Atlantic ocean last weekend, as the Mayreau Regatta kicked off with one of the most competitive fishing competitions in the history of the six-year event.{{more}}

For the first time, fishermen from the neighbouring island of Union Island competed in the event, which took place on Thursday, April 26, to mark the opening of the four-day event.

And, the first timers were some of the more successful teams, sailing away with three of the four major categories which were up for grabs.

In the heaviest heads category, the Union Island team of Rambo and Fisher, in their boat ‘Come’, outweighed all others, accumulating a total of 347 pounds. Their catch included 119 heads, with their biggest single head weighing 16 pounds.

Second place was taken by the Mayreau boat Equilibrium, manned by Linus, Justin and Glenmore, with a distant 149 pounds from 161 heads, while third place went to the Maxwyn, Racki and Kevin steered Union Island boat Top Secret, which reeled in 137 pounds, from 50 heads.

Top Secret won the heaviest single head category with their haul of a 17 pound mahi mahi (dolphin).

Union Island took another first, when they won the inaugural Lionfish Derby.

The lone boat in the category, which contained Remple, Nomo, Blackie and Boyo, speared seven of the deadly species, all weighing in at a total of two pounds, and ranging from 6 and three-quarter inches to nine inches in length.

Canouan fishermen David, Terrence and Selwyn, in their pirogue ‘Vision,’ were not left out of winners’ row; they took the title for most heads hauled on the day, a total of 195, weighing in at 104 pounds.

Fish caught on the day included mackerel, red fish, tuna, barracuda, among others, and a four foot long nurse shark.

The fishing competition and lionfish derby signaled the beginning of four days of sporting prowess among the mariners and athletes on the various islands.

The activities were punctuated with a number of events which showed that locals, as well as visitors to the smallest inhabited island of the Grenadine chain, are well aware of how to have fun.

And of course there was the food….