Divers from the U.S. and the Bahamas will unite to battle the Lionfish invasion of the reefs in Abaco, Bahamas on June 16. While beautiful to behold, voracious lionfish are devastating the Bahamian reefs and need to be stopped before they invade U.S. reefs. With their population explosion and aggressive behavior, lionfish could create the most disastrous marine invasion in history by drastically reducing the abundance of coral reef fishes and leaving behind a devastated ecosystem.
To combat this threat, the Treasure Cay Billfish Tournament (TCBT) has added a conservation-minded lionfish spearfish tournament to its agenda and invites the public to participate. While billfish remain the focus of TCBT’s standard four days of fishing, the community can help combat the overpopulation of lionfish by entering the separate, one-day Ravage the Savage Lionfish Tournament on Wednesday, June 16. A purse of $500 has been offered by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, with additional prizes from LMR Tackle, Divers Direct and Ocean Safari. There is a minimal fee of $15 per person or $35 per boat. A captains meeting will be held at 8:30 am, June 16. Tournament hours are 10 am – 4 pm followed by awards. Participants may contact the tournament’s host resort and sponsor, Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina for dockage or lodging at www.treasurecay.com. Treasure Cay’s Ravage the Savage is the first leg of the Abaco, Bahamas Lionfish Battlefest week, beginning with Treasure Cay’s Ravage the Savage on June 16 and culminating with a lionfish derby held at Green Turtle Resort on June 19.
Ravage the Savage Battles the Lionfish – Threat to the Marine Environment
The lionfish tournament is a proactive response to environmental issues caused by the overpopulated status of this voracious species. Ravage the Savage invites the community to join the battle against the rapid invasion of Indo-Pacific lionfish into the waters of the Caribbean and tropical Atlantic by removing as many as possible. Lionfish are primarily caught by spearfishing with a Hawaiian sling. Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina will offer an additional bounty on lionfish, to benefit the Treasure Cay Primary School. Other details will be announced on www.treasurecayfishing.com.
Billfish Tournament to Offer Guaranteed Payout
The 27th Annual TCBT, with multiple awards for billfish, plus trophies for tuna, dolphin and wahoo, will continue its guaranteed cash payout initiated in 2009, ranging from $10,000 for a minimum of ten boats and up to $50,000 for participation of 50 boats. The tournament offers four days of fishing and a Lay Day, with activities including the new Ravage the Savage Derby, a junkanoo performed by the Treasure Cay Primary School, Izor Line Knot Tying Contest and more. Release point standings are verified by the participant’s own digital and/or video camera with an image that can verify the time and date the photo was taken.
TCBT registration for billfish and funfish, including boat entry, guaranteed cash eligibility, dinners and cocktail parties for up to six team members, team goody bag with t-shirts & hats and room discounts is $2,950 per team. Live scoring will be provided online by CatchStat.com.
Elective participation for the fun fish division of tuna, dolphin and wahoo entails a payout rivaling top prizes of U.S. based tournaments. In addition to the cash prizes, winners receive beautiful trophies and the top team is on honored by a statuesque Perpetual Trophy showcased in the resort’s Spinnaker restaurant, one of the largest air conditioned out-island restaurant facilities available for events. Awards are made to Top Lady and Junior Anglers.
The TCBT is a sanctioned event of the World Billfish Series (WBS) and qualifier for the IGFA Offshore World Championship, inviting the top boat to participate in their series. For information, contact www.worldbillfishseries.com.
In addition to its great food, camaraderie and family social events, the TCBT also raises funds for the children of the Treasure Cay Primary School. An average of 275 anglers and guests attend, from many states in the U.S. as well as other countries. Information and photos from the 2009 event, with junior angler Chris Galati named as Top Angler and Team Galati, Anna Maria, FL honored with first place, are available on www.treasurecayfishing.com.
Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina has been selected to host a variety of fishing tournaments in 2010, including the Bahamas Billfish Central Abaco Championship, April 21-24 and the Bahamas Billfish Treasure Cay Championship, June 23-26. Visit www.treasurecay.com for details on these events.
Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina offers 78 harbour side hotel rooms, including one, two or three bedroom suites, a 150-slip marina, a 3 ½ mile powdery white sand beach, an 18-hole golf course, four tennis courts, a swimming pool, the Spinnaker Restaurant, the Tipsy Seagull Bar and a reception center. Not only does Treasure Cay offer fabulous offshore fishing, the area is a famous destination for world class bonefishing.
For information and reservations, contact US Agent, Treasure Cay Services, Inc., 2301 S. Federal Hwy., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316-3949, phone 1-800-327-1584 or 954-525-7711, email: info@treasurecay.com or visit www.treasurecay.com
