Eighth annual billfish tournament begins Wednesday

The 2011 Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series begins today on Playa Herradura. In its eighth year, the tournament will be divided into two legs. The first goes from Wednesday to Saturday. The second leg is scheduled for March 2-5.

The catch-and-release tournament will take place outside Los Sueños Marina on the Pacific coast. Fishers will compete for marlins and sailfish. Top boats receive trophies and cash prices. The event is sanctioned by both the World Billfish Series and the International Game Fish Assn.

Registrants can still sign up to compete in this week’s tournament. The entry fee is $7,000 per boat per tournament or $10,000 per boat for both events of the series.

During last year’s tournament, 43 teams from the United States, Nicaragua and Russia entered the tournament releasing a total 1,014 billfish during the six days of competition.