The FCA 16th Annual Manhattan Cup Fishing Tournament, the largest Catch and Release Tournament in the Northeast is to be held in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty! The May 16th Cup benefits “Hooked for a Lifetime” children’s event, Jacobs Team for Autism and Wounded Warrior Project.
The Fishermen’s Conservation Association (FCA) announces the return of Carhartt as presenting sponsor for this years 16th Annual Manhattan Cup “catch and release" Charity Fishing Tournament held on Friday May 16, 2013. Due to a construction project on the NYC side of the water this year’s competition and activities will be held at the Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, New Jersey. The fishing still takes place in and around New York Harbor and the surrounding waters of the Atlantic Ocean, but the kick-off and “Awards Party” will be held at the Liberty Landing Marina “in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty”.
The Manhattan Cup has become the largest one-day catch & release tournament in the Northeast. More than 50 professional fishing guides provide their boats and expertise to individual teams competing for the largest striped bass, bluefish and weakfish among three categories (fly, artificial and bait). A “Live Release Weigh In” utilizing special “keep alive” devices highlights one way tournaments can have “big money payouts” while protecting certain species at certain times of the year. The Striped Bass in most fishermen’s opinion (except the government bodies that manage this fish) feel that the stock is declining and needs additional measures to ensure its sustainability. An event like this, held on the waters that support the spawning grounds is a great place to “showcase” these types of devices. Tournament officials expect this year’s event to be the biggest ever, in terms of supporting charitable causes, raising awareness of the environment, and catching big fish in local waters.
The new venue is easily accessible by “water taxi” from Downtown NYC and the “full service” marina provides everything the captains and their boats will need for the competition. The new venue provides more room for sponsors to “spread out” and highlight their newest gear for 2014 and it will provide the FCA with ample pace and opportunity to raise money for the many causes that will be funded by the event. Capt. Frank Crescitelli, tournament co-chair, said, “the FCA motto of using fishing as a force for good is alive and well and the FCA expects 2014 to be the event’s best year ever! Exposing people to the fishing in New York and New Jersey is the first line of enacting change drastically needed to protect the most important fish in the Northeast, the striped bass.%pullstart% “There’s a quote from Moby Dick that sums it up best,” Crescitelli said, “‘The cure for anything lies in saltwater – sweat, tears and the sea.’”%pullend%
The Manhattan Cup is the FCA’s flagship charity, and the popular catch-and-release tournament has made millions of people more aware of and involved in the active fishery that exists in New York City. Manhattan Cup founder David Fallon said that this year, the Cup’s connection to community is more important than ever.
“From its beginning, the Manhattan Cup has been about understanding how the marine environment connects us to each other in so many different ways, and on different levels,” Fallon said. “Our work with local and national non-profit groups exemplifies this. FCA Secretary and Fisheries Chairman Capt. Steve Byrne said that the Manhattan Cup encompasses the FCA’s essence and exemplifies the group’s conservation triad” of access, habitat, and fisheries. Byrne pointed specifically to the Cup’s innovative “live release” division, in which larger breeder striped bass can be caught, weighed, and released, using the striper tube. The hundreds of fish caught and released during the day proves that you can have a sustainable weigh-in tournament.”
Capt. Crescitelli said that the need to make people aware of the local marine resource is unending.“Thousands of people crisscross these waters on ferries and in tunnels every day,” Crescitelli said, “and few know that there is a world-class fishery and a thriving marine environment all around them. Today, this resource is threatened, and we want local people to be more connected so that they understand how critical a healthy fishery is to the local economy and the environment, and how it affects millions of people in the tri-state area, both commercially and recreationally.”
This year’s event is May 16th. All boats will leave Liberty Landing Marina at 9 a.m. and return at 4:30 p.m. for the annual FCA Manhattan Cup awards ceremony and live auction at the Liberty Landing Marina. To enter the Manhattan Cup and book an available guide, please contact the tournament co-directors or go to www.manhattancup.com and fill out the Angler Registration form.
Capt. Frank Crescitelli [email protected] (718) 317-1481
David Fallon [email protected]
Bill Paciello [email protected]
Mark Mead [email protected]
More Information: www.manhattancup.com
