MONTEGO BAY, St James — Organisers of the 51st Montego Bay Yacht Club Fishing Tournament, set to get underway on Sunday, are optimistic that this year's event will exceed last year's staging.

Junior Taylor, a member of the organising committee, said they were hoping to attract up to 18 boats for the main tournament that starts next Thursday and ends three days later next Saturday.

At a press launch at the Montego Bay Yacht Club yesterday, Taylor said eight of the boats were expected from the eastern end of the island and the anglers would be competing for a share of over $500,000.

The tournament will maintain the 'tag and release' format, Taylor said, and marlin weighing under 150lbs will be tagged and released into the ocean in a bid to prevent overfishing of the species.

Each boat will also be equipped with cameras to record the marlin that will be released, he also said.

The tournament will start on Sunday with a Kids Day at the Yacht Club where the organisers are expecting to exceed the 50 or so children that turned up last year.

The organisers have also teamed up with Cornwall Regional Hospital and their 'We Care' programme and have invited six children with cancer and their families as their special guests for the day.

The Dragon Stout/Clinicare Canoe tournament will be held next Wednesday and Taylor said they have put a limit on the number of canoes that can take part at 30 "for logistical purposes".

Among the sponsors are Sandals Resorts, Fersan, Proven Financial, Dragon Stout and Clinicare Pharmacy.