Aqaba, Aug. 24 (Petra) – Aqaba will host the 4th Arab Open Fishing Championship from Sept. 3-6, bringing together teams from Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, the Royal Jordanian Marine Sports Federation and Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority announced Monday.
The four-day championship will be organized for the fourth consecutive year by the federation. Alongside the regional competition, the first Local Companies Fishing Championship will be held with the participation of teams representing public- and private-sector companies and institutions, in a move aimed at expanding participation and promoting fishing as a local sport.
As part of the event, the federation, in cooperation with the Aqaba Authority and with support and sponsorship from the Aqaba Development Corporation, will hold the "Aqaba Marine Sports Carnival" on Sept. 4 at Tala Bay Beach, featuring a range of marine activities, games and entertainment.
The championship will take place in Jordanian territorial waters in the Gulf of Aqaba, excluding nature reserves, and will feature several fishing techniques, including trolling, bottom fishing and jigging.
Competitions will be conducted in accordance with rules and specifications adopted by the International Game Fish Association (ISAF), covering fishing methods and equipment, as well as judging and scoring procedures.
The federation stressed that marine environmental protection and the preservation of biodiversity and coral reefs will be central to the competition.
Fishing will be prohibited within the Aqaba Marine Reserve, while regulations will ban practices, equipment and fishing methods that violate environmental requirements.
Teams found violating marine protection rules or causing damage to coral reefs may have their results disqualified, according to the tournament regulations.
The organizing committee will also require teams to record all catches on video. Fish that are not documented in accordance with the approved rules will not count toward the final results.
Prizes will be awarded to the top three competitors in the largest-fish categories for sailfish and swordfish, in addition to a $500 prize for the highest total catch weight and an award for the tournament's best fishing team.
//Petra// AJ
