The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Tournament for Kingfish Fishing attracts over 2,100 sailors.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Kingfish Fishing Tournament kicked off this morning, Friday, April 4, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Foundation for Charitable and Humanitarian Works and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council. The competition will continue for three days until April 6.

The tournament is organized by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club. It marks the second round of the Abu Dhabi Grand Kingfish Fishing Tournaments and features widespread participation from over 2,100 fishermen distributed across 410 fishing boats, including 385 boats for men and 30 boats for women. All boats set off at 10:00 AM, with 298 boats from Abu Dhabi, 52 from Al Mirfa, and 60 from Dalma Island heading to the waters of the Arabian Gulf for the fishing areas.

The tournament’s launch was attended by Suhail Al Aryfi, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Executive Director of the Festivals and Events Sector at the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, Dr. Saleh Al Hashimi, Head of the Commercial Affairs and Local Content Enhancement Department at ADNOC, Abdulkhaleq Al Amiri, CEO of Mir, Sultan Rashid Al Ali, Fishery Management Expert at the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, and Mohamed Al Kindi Al Marrar, representative of Abu Dhabi Marine.

The tournament stands out with its diverse participation, with fishermen from 17 nationalities, including Egypt, Comoros Islands, Morocco, Qatar, India, the United States, Oman, Brazil, Macedonia, Ethiopia, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, the Philippines, Yemen, Uzbekistan, and Palestine, represented across 27 boats out of the 410. This reflects the values of tolerance and coexistence embodied by the UAE, as the tournament brings together participants from various cultures and backgrounds in an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual respect, enhancing the event’s sporting and humanitarian spirit.

Zayed Sari Al Mazrouei, Head of the Events Department at the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism and a member of the tournament’s organizing committee, confirmed that the organizational aspects have proceeded smoothly, with coordination across all relevant authorities to ensure the tournament’s successful launch. He added, “We have taken all necessary measures to ensure the comfort of the participants, providing a competitive and safe environment for all sailors, thanks to the collective efforts of all the organizing parties, partners, and sponsors. We are optimistic about the success of this year’s tournament, which is one of the region's most important sports and cultural events.”

Saeed Khalifa Al Mehairi, Director of the Specialized Sports Management at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and a member of the organizing committee, emphasized the council’s continuous support for tournaments that combine sport and heritage. He stated, “We have worked on facilitating all logistical and technical procedures, overcoming all obstacles in collaboration with the concerned authorities. We look forward to this tournament enhancing Abu Dhabi’s position as a distinguished sports, tourism, and heritage destination.”

Nasser Al Dhaheri, Acting Director of the Marine Sports Department at the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, said, “The launch of the Abu Dhabi Grand Kingfish Fishing Tournament comes as a continuation of the great success achieved in its first round and reflects the increasing interaction and interest in this maritime sport. What distinguishes this year’s tournament is the joint organization by several national authorities, which has helped provide an exemplary model of integration and teamwork, raising the event’s level on all fronts.”

The tournament offers a unique opportunity for both professional and amateur male and female fishermen to compete for a total prize fund of 1,168,000 AED, distributed across the first 60 places, in addition to daily prizes aimed at motivating participants and enhancing the competition, as well as seasonal awards.

The tournament aims to preserve the UAE’s rich maritime heritage, promote traditional fishing practices among new generations, support tourism, and boost the local economy. It also helps to highlight the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s position as a global sports, cultural, and environmental destination.

The tournament is sponsored by ADNOC, Abu Dhabi Marine, Mir, Dalma Marine, Al Masoud Automobiles, Abu Dhabi Media Network, Suzuki Marine (Auto Sport), Yamaha (Al Yousuf Motors), Al Qamzi Marine, Al Dhafra Marine, and supported by the UAE National Guard Command, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, the Department of Municipalities and Transport, Abu Dhabi Police, the Office of the Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region, and the National Center of Meteorology.