With 139 registered boats and a cumulative prize pool of more than 4.7 million pesos, the “Maja el Grande” fishing tournament officially kicked off this Friday in La Paz Bay, with the starting shot from the city’s seawall.
This is the second edition of this event, which has positioned itself as one of the most important in the state, both for its turnout and the economic impact it generates.
The tournament’s general director, Poncho Navarro, reported that this year’s expectations were exceeded, as 100 teams were expected, and 139 registered, from different parts of the state, the country, and abroad.
From 6:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Avenida de Los Deportistas will be closed from Colosio to Misioneros Combonianos.
He also explained that the tournament’s base purse is one million pesos, but the jackpots—additional bets between participants—reached three million 786 thousand pesos, for a total of more than 4.7 million pesos.
“Jackpots are an internal bet; you can put more money into certain categories and take home an additional purse. It’s a typical fishing activity, but it’s been very successful, and this year there was a lot of betting,” commented Navarro, who also anticipated that they hope to surpass the 40-pound record achieved last year in the tournament’s sole category: dorado.
The scales for registering the caught fish will be open from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., at which time the tournament officially closes. Afterwards, the awards ceremony for the winning teams will take place.
National and International Participation
At the opening ceremony, La Paz Mayor Milena Quiroga highlighted the participation of fishermen from all municipalities of Baja California Sur—La Paz, Comondú, Loreto, Mulegé, and Los Cabos—as well as visitors from Monterrey, Guadalajara, Sonora, Sinaloa, California, Canada, and other parts of the United States.
“We are very pleased to see how this tournament has become an annual event that unites the entire state and promotes sustainable fishing,” said Quiroga, who congratulated the organizing team, as well as the Fund for the Protection of Marine Resources (FONMAR), for consolidating this activity as part of La Paz’s identity.
For his part, Martín Inzunza, director of FONMAR, recognized the growth of the event from its first edition as “Fishing in the Five” to its current format, and emphasized that tournaments like this position La Paz not only in the sporting arena but also in tourism.
More than just fishing, a win-win situation
Maribel Collins, director of the state’s Ministry of Tourism and Economy, emphasized that this type of tournament represents a significant economic benefit that directly benefits the tourism and commercial sectors.
“From the taxi driver who picks you up at the airport to the street vendor, everyone benefits from this event. It’s also an event that promotes family togetherness and local culture, not only for visitors but also for those of us who live here,” she stated.
Source: oem
