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