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Inaugural governor's saltwater fishing classic raises roughly $180,000 for scholarships, agency says
Summary
The Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries Parks Marine Foundation's first governor's saltwater fishing classic raised about $180,000 for the foundation, and the Department of Marine Resources said the money will fund scholarships and youth programs related to marine science and fishing.
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources reported Tuesday that the inaugural governor's saltwater fishing classic June 24–25 at the Golden Nugget raised about $180,000 for the Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries Parks Marine Foundation.
Director (unnamed) thanked foundation board member David Machado and numerous donors and volunteers who provided boats, fuel, cruises and other prizes for the tournament; the director said tournament proceeds will be used to fund scholarships for Mississippi students pursuing marine science and related fields and to support youth fishing and education programs. "The first thing we're gonna do with that money, number 1, is, we're gonna look at scholarships," the director said.
The director said about 36 anglers participated in the tournament and that the largest fish weighed just over 20 pounds; the event also yielded a high number of red snapper catches across participants. Staff from the department and foundation organized the event and will plan a repeat tournament next June pending the governor's availability.
No formal commission action was required; staff described the tournament as a successful inaugural fundraiser and said proceeds will support education and outreach.
