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TOURNAMENT
NEWSGAME FISHING ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
FIRST GRANDER
MARLIN RECOGNISED
Aboard Capt George Bransford’s
charterboat Sea Baby on 25
September 1966, his American
deckie, Richard C Obach, captured
the first ‘grander’ black marlin
off Cairns – weighing 482.62kg
(1064lb). Only recently, Richard
applied for a GFAA 1000LB Club
certificate and boat plaque,
to display in his Florida home
among the many historical fishing
memories he has collected over
the past 52 years.
The GFAA was very proud to
have been able to provide Richard
with his proper recognition after
all these years. He was so elated
when he received them in the mail that he quickly took photos
and sent them to all his fishing buddies throughout the world.
Congratulations again Richie, the Game Fishing Association
of Australia is proud to have an important part of our history
remembered in these mementos.AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL
BILLFISH TOURNAMENT
With Garmin coming on board as our major sponsor for
the next three years, the Australian International Billfish
Tournament (AIBT) is coming together well. Wayne Thompsen,
the Queensland distributor of Garmin, deserves special thanks.
If you intend to fish this important tournament and have not
yet booked a charterboat, I suggest you do so very soon as
they are filling fast. We already look like having several teams
from Papua New Guinea and hopefully some from New Zealand
as well.
Entry is $300 per angler, which includes breakfast and a lunch
pack for each day of fishing. The dates to remember are from
the Wednesday evening briefing on 11 September, followed by
fishing from Thursday to Saturday 14 September. Each day the
fishing will start from and return to the Yorkey’s Knob Clubhouse.
The presentation will be a lunch on Sunday 15 September, with
live entertainment after the trophy presentations.
Call the Yorkey’s Knob Boating Club for entry forms and
information on +61 7 4055 7711 or email [email protected]COMMONWEALTH MARINE PARKS
COMMITTEES
Congratulations to our four GFAA Executive members who
were selected for the first two years of service on the new
management committees for Commonwealth Marine Parks.
Each committee consists of members from many different
interest groups, including commercial fishers, recreational
anglers, local indigenous groups and environmental groups,
who all work alongside government Marine Parks staff.
Peter Coote from WAGFA has been appointed to the Committee
for North Western Australia. John Webber from WAGFA has
been appointed to the Committee for South Western Australia.
Peter Cox from NTGFA has been appointed on the Northern
Territory Management Committee, and GFAA President Doug
Sanderson has been appointed to the Coral Sea Management
Committee for Queensland.Above: Capt George Bransford (on left) together with his deckie, Richard Obach,
who on a prospecting day out off Cairns on September 25, 1966 was the fortunate
angler that landed this 482.62kg (1064lb) black marlin, an IGFA world record on
80lb tackle (37kg) and Australia’s first grander marlin. Inset: GFAA President Doug
Sanderson with the GFAA 1000LB Club certificate and boat plaque presented to
Richard Obach – commemorating his historic catch 52 years ago.We look forward to the success of each group in their
implementation of upgrades to facilities and the promotion
of management programs and actions in the Commonwealth
Marine Parks around Australia.HAWAIIAN INTERNATIONAL
BILLFISH TOURNAMENT
This August sees the 60th anniversary of this monumental
event. The GFAA congratulates the tournament’s founder and
Director, Peter Fithian. Peter still organises and manages the
event with his wife Bobi, who is a Co-Director of the Hawaiian
International Billfish Association.
We will have a large Australian representation at this year’s
HIBT, with three teams representing GFAA and in excess of
12 teams in total, including a team from Tasmania and the
Northern Territory for the first time in 60 years.
I have fished the HIBT twice previously and it is just a great
week of fishing, great weather and great comradery with fellow
anglers from all over the world.
Don’t forget to ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and please visit the
GFAA webpage: http://www.gfaa.asn.au- Doug Sanderson,
President GFAA