The 15th Siargao International Game Fishing Tournament kicked off on Friday, attracting 32 elite anglers from seven countries to compete in Surigao del Norte’s fishing grounds until April 25.
The opening ceremony, held at the Pilar Municipal Plaza, was attended by key figures such as Congressman Francisco Jose Matugas II and Tourism Undersecretary Ferdinand “Cocoy” Jumapao.
Matugas highlighted the tournament’s growth since its inception in 2009, noting its status as Asia’s premier game fishing event with participants from Britain, the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Hungary, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
The tournament has become a significant driver of Siargao’s ecotourism, generating an estimated PHP50 million in local revenue annually.
This year, new conservation measures, such as mandatory catch-and-release for billfish and satellite tagging for research, have been introduced to ensure the sustainability of the event.
Source: PhilNews24 | April 12, 2025
