• Submitted by: manso
• Politics and Government
• 06 / 04 / 2011

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2011.06.04 - 13:07:51 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu. Havana, Cuba.- Some 20 yachts of US fishermen will not participate in the 61st Ernest Hemingway International Marlin Fishing Tournament, because they were denied license to set sail for Cuba by their government.

In a press conference held on Friday at the capital’s Hemingway Marina, Jose Miguel Diaz, Commodore of the Hemingway International Nautical Club, pointed out that the current US administration also limited the participation of 19 fishing amateurs.

Diaz said that in spite of restrictions, the United States will be the most represented country at this new edition of the event, with five teams in competition.

The Commodore made reference to the good relations of friendship existing between fishing lovers of the two territories, and underlined that even with the existence of Washington’s intimidation and pressures, the tournaments of previous years have had US participants.

Likewise, he highlighted the traditional event as a tribute to Literature Nobel Prize winner Ernest Hemingway, a symbol of fraternity between the people’s of Cuba and the United States.

He said that the event will take place from June 6th through the 11th and that 24 teams from 14 nations, among them those of Russia, Italy, Mexico, Canada, Spain, Ecuador, France, Germany and Argentina, have confirmed their attendance.

Under the modality of Tag & Release to protect the fish, participants will try to obtain the largest amount of points for the catching of species like the Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Sailfish and Spearfish.

Convened by the Hemingway International Nautical Club and the Cuban Tourism Ministry, the competition was held for the first time on May 26, 1950, and it’s one of the oldest of its kind in the world.
(ACN)