The Sunday Mail
Prince Mushawevato
THE chase for the elusive “biggest catch” at the Kariba Invitation Tiger Fish Tournament (KITFT) continues at this year’s edition.
Now, in its 58th episode, the contest is scheduled to run from October 30 to November 1 at the traditional venue, Charara Campsite in Kariba.
In the last four editions, no angler managed to catch a tiger fish weighing 10kg or more to land the grand prize of a brand new Isuzu KB250 Fleetside truck.
Last year, Andre Barnard of Fisherman’s Friend cursed himself when he narrowly missed the grand prize by a mere five grammes. Barnard’s catch, the biggest of the tournament, weighed 9,995kg.
The second closest bite weighed 9,4kg, followed by another one from the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) team, weighing 8,4kg.
Pat Driscoll of team Charter Africom was the last to win the grand prize in 2014. He drove away in a Chevrolet Utility after catching a tiger fish weighing 12,035kg.
Prior to this, Ian wheeler had caught a 10,42kg tiger fish, and drove away in the KITFT top prize.
Will a 10kg-plus catch be achieved this year?
Statistics from the last five editions of the tournament indicate that there has been a steady increase in the weight of the fish caught. For instance, Barnard’s 2018 catch was a 0,19kg improvement from 2017’s biggest catch when Trevor Merrier got a 9,76kg fish. During the period in question, the second best catch was 0,2kg heavier than the previous 9,2kg.
In 2016, the two biggest catches of the tournament weighed 6,09kg and 4,39kg.
Due to the positive growth trend, anglers are optimistic of eventually winning the top prize.
However, some fishermen believe that the reduced water levels in Lake Kariba will make it difficult for the fish to bite. In addition, the catchment area is significantly smaller since the lake now has some areas that have dried up.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail Society, KITFT director Rod Bennett said this year’s tournament will be thrilling.
“Whilst the water level is low, the water is still more than adequate for a competitive tournament. There are still many deep channels in the lake,” said Bennett.
At its peak, KITFT would attract more than 250 participating teams.
However, only 79 teams took part in the 57th edition of the tournament, up from the 56 who participated in 2017.
The numbers are expected to grow further this year.
Pundits have attributed the growth to an improved business environment created by the new political dispensation, improved water levels and additional houseboats.
The Second Republic addressed anomalies that were affecting the event, chief among them being the heavy police presence on the roads. Immigration challenges were also weighing down the tournament.
“We are expecting a good turn-out this year, with teams from Zambia, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. To date, 36 teams have already registered. This is very encouraging. Normally, with a week to go we would have only received about 10,” revealed Bennett.
“I’m told that there are limited police road blocks on the road to Lake Kariba, that is a plus. The borders’ efficiency has also greatly improved. With the assistance of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, there are very few delays when crossing into Zimbabwe.”
However, Bennett bemoaned the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks)’s charges.
ZimParks are the custodians of the tiger fish.
He said ZimParks is charging every person a daily fee of US$20 or the interbank rate equivalent.
An average team usually has three or four members.
“We have approached ZimParks on several occasions over that issue. The fees that they are charging are so high that many potential competitors cannot afford them, thereby affecting the overall turn-out of the competition. They have not communicated with us of late, thus we assume that their last fees stand.
“Take for instance, a team of four people will need US$240 or an equivalent of $3 840 at the interbank rate of 16 for the three days. The same fees apply for teams competing in the Catch and Release tournament, which is terrible,” argued Bennett.
But, ZimParks said the charges are justified.
ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said, “These fees are mainly charged in local currency, sometimes at the interbank equivalent rate of the United States dollars. They are not that high. This is meant to guarantee the teams’ access to the lake.”
KITFT, which is one of Zimbabwe’s largest private sector-driven tourism initiatives, has been instrumental in keeping Kariba on the tourism limelight over the years.
