Fish: The final frontier

Only a week has passed since the 20th Annual Saipan International Fishing Tournament, and for many, the experiences of a weekend will surely last a lifetime. To the delight of everyone involved with the two-day fish-a-thon, thousands of pounds of marlin, tuna, wahoo, and mahi mahi were caught, donated, and consumed.

The tournament was truly unique to the region, if not throughout the entire sporting world. There were no heated rivalries, no doping scandals, no high-priced agents, and no price of admission for the spectators.

Instead, this past weekend not only embodied the meaning of sport, but it instilled a feeling of camaraderie amongst the fishermen that many may not have felt since their youth.

How many sports recognize their participants for taking a pause in the event to come to the aid of a peer in distress? The participants of the annual tournament, whether they were members of this year’s event, or cast their lines in the inaugural derby, are forevermore connected.

And what is it exactly that makes this shindig so special? A long-lasting tournament of this magnitude would almost certainly been created by some corporation in order to promote the new equipment for the upcoming season.

Nope. The Saipan International Fishing Tournament was a product of a handful of men who met under a tree in lower base over 20 years ago. Though Saipan has had fishing tournaments prior to the long-running SFA event, they stopped being held in 1975.

In 1981, after returning from a tournament in Rota, the future first president of the SFA, Frank “Boy” Aldan gathered with Arnold I. Palacios, Norman T. Tenorio, Dave Price, Marty Taylor, Juan San Nicolas, Ben Sablan, Pete A. Tenorio, and Wolf Mojica under a pine tree in lower base and began hammering out the details of reviving what was lost from the island six years earlier.

It was a long and difficult process, but finally, in 1984, roughly 25 boats set out to catch the big one as the inaugural Saipan International Fishing Tournament was underway, reviving competitive fishing on the island.

This year, 93 boats from several countries were entered into the tournament, with the winner coming from Guam, and the second biggest catch coming from Team Palau.

“One of the reasons we have been successful hosting the tournament is because of the strong support from our sponsors. From day one they have made it possible,” said Aldan.

According to Mojica, the event is a culmination of the efforts from the entire community.

“I think the reason that we’re so successful is because of all the support that we received from the government, boating safety, and the community. Other places just don’t have that anywhere else in Micronesia.”

This year the tournament broke its own record of 83 boats when 93 captains and crew entered the popular event. What makes the increase so amazing is that, according to Prize Committee Chairman Juan P. Tenorio (Morgan), 95 percent of the SFA’s approximately 30 members don’t even own boats.

“It’s just for the love of having this kind of tournament. It’s truly a labor of love,” he added.

It’s a labor of love for the fans as well. Just mention the tournament to people, and instantly thoughts of the scales, sashimi, and marina-side barbeques spring to mind.

Even a short visit to the Smiling Cove Marina during the tournament would be enough to leave a lasting impression. A stroll out to the tip of the finger could actually cause a person to gain a few pounds, as opposed to burning off a few calories.

A feast awaited passersby, as tailgaters were all too happy to offer their food, drink, and conversation while waiting for the next boat to cruise into port with their catch.

Did the founders have this in mind when they charted the course for the association and the tournament, or was this just another example of how the style of the islands becomes entwined with the fabric of everyday life?

Either way, the tournament has now become as much a part of Saipan as the kelaguen, and with the continued support of the community, there will be another 20 years of competitive fishing in the islands to come.