The 2009 Globe/Royal Jamaica Yacht Club (RJYC) Invitational Fishing Tournament will cast off today at 6 a.m., with the number of anglers expected to exceed the 16 which participated in last year's event.

According to joint tournament director Kamaal Azan, one of the strategies employed to help boost entries is a reduced entrance fee for boats 25 feet and under. The standard fee for larger vessels is $20,000.

Jason Walton, the other tournament director, said boundaries will be in effect for the tournament, with the allowable fishing areas including the territory between Morant Point and Portland Point, California Bank and Bowditch Bank. Eligible fish are marlin, wahoo, tuna, kingfish/mackerel and dolphin and the minimum weight of eligible fish will be 10 pounds.

Title sponsor

Meanwhile, the event's title sponsor, Globe Insurance Company Jamaica Ltd, has expressed confidence that the event will be at least as successful as it was in 2008. According to general manager - marketing, Gordon Arnold, "We have been sponsoring the tournament for several years and are very satisfied with the growth that the event has experienced each year, both in terms of the organisation and in terms of the level of attention it continues to attract from anglers."

The Globe/RJYC Fishing Tour-nament which now has a top prize of $150,000 over two full days of fishing, today and tomorrow.