Exmouth: In the world sports fishing spotlight
WA Government signs three-year deal to support GAMEX tournament and promote fishing tourismWestern Australia's premier fishing tournament, GAMEX in Exmouth has just secured significant funding from the State Government through its Tourism WA and Royalties for Regions schemes.
Regarded as a world-class fishery, with record numbers of marlin and swordfish, Exmouth will again host GAMEX from March 17-25, 2017.
The well-patronised annual tournament, run by Exmouth Game Fishing Club, and the world-class fishing is helping put the sleepy northwest town on the global fishing-tourism map.
In 2015, Exmouth was ranked sixth in the Top 10 Billfisheries of the Year for the number, variety and size of its billfish. That ranking is out of more than 11,000 fishing destinations from around the world.
GAMEX, which will celebrate its 39th anniversary in 2017, is set to attract more than 200 intrastate, interstate and international competitors ranging from novices to professionals this year. But that number may well rise given the fresh investment from Tourism WA.
WA PREMIER SUPPORTS FISHING
Ahead of the March 11 State election, WA's Premier and Tourism Minister Colin Barnett has acknowledged that Exmouth is a fishing hot spot with a unique sports fishery.
"Exmouth is regarded as one of the world's best fishing destinations with more than 40 different game fish species on offer, including all six Australian billfish species," Mr Barnett said.
"Fishing is a popular tourism activity, with almost one million overnight visitors in WA participating in a fishing activity during their trip. Hosting events such as GAMEX helps to further promote the State as a fishing hotspot."
SUSTAINABLE GAME FISHING
GAMEX will be sponsored from 2017 until 2019 through Tourism WA's Regional Events Program, made possible by Royalties for Regions.
Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said tourism was a rapidly growing industry that had a strong influence on regional development.
"It's great to see Royalties for Regions investing in events which strengthen the regional economy and provide many social benefits for regional communities," Mr Redman said.
WA has a strategy in place that aims to increase the value of tourism from the current $9.6 billion to $12 billion by 2020. Supporting events such as GAMEX will help the State achieve that goal.
More about the GAMEX tournament at the organiser's Exmouth Game Fishing Club page.
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