Policewoman's catch, world record claim for Nuku'alofa fishing [1]
Tuesday, August 7, 2007 - 12:01. Updated on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 11:57.
by Mary Fonua
Tineka Scott, serving with the New Zealand Police in Tonga, made a catch on Saturday that could put her name in the world record books. "It was never going to get away," said Tineka, after landing a 38.4 kg Giant Trevally.
Fishing out of Nuku'alofa, she caught the big fish on a 15 kg line after an exhausting 100 minute fight, during the first day of an annual ladies fishing tournament.
"Our fish is a clear record claim," said Bill Triffitt, the Tournament Director, after confirming with the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) in Florida that the current Giant Trevally women's world record from Kiribati was 33.18kg - a record that has not been broken since 1987. "Our fish beats what we believe is the current ladies record for 15kg line class by about 5kg and there are no known record claims pending."
Tineka from the North Shore, Auckland, described her catch as "pretty exciting". She is a Senior Sergeant who came to Tonga after November 16 to work alongside the Tonga Police in a community policing programme, which visits schools and helps to make the community feel at ease. Landing a world record fish was not in the job description but her determination won the day. "It was hard work, and I'm pretty sore," said Tineka after battling to land the fish. "After an hour I was wondering how much longer it was going to take. I did the whole thing by myself. It was never going to get away."
Tineka was fishing from Blah Blah with Skipper Kevin Yorwarth of the New Zealand Army, who is posted in Tonga as a Technical Advisor Mechanical to the Tonga Defence Services, when she hooked the Giant Trevally off the reefs near 'Atata Island.
"We gave the fish to the TDS to feed the troops," she said.
World Record Claim
Bill said that until the record claim is ratified by IGFA, a process that can take about nine months, Tineka's fish is titled a 'World Record Claim'.
"As everything was done right in its capture and measurement I do not anticipate any problems having the claim recognised, it will just take time," he said. "It could be very good for the very small game fishing industry here, this kind of thing can attract a lot of international anglers.
"It will certainly be the only record held in Nuku'alofa. We are overjoyed to have such a good record claim in the pipeline - even if it is going to make it hard, probably impossible, for my team of ladies to win the competition!" said Bill who is the Skipper of a rival boat.
The Nuku'alofa Fishing Club Pacific Blue Ladies Tournament is a small competition with only four boats and 10 ladies competing to win $5,000 in prizes. The final weigh in will be held at 3pm this Saturday (11 August).
There are currently three world records held in Tonga, one in Lifuka (Yellowlip Emperor), one in 'Eua (Sailfish) and one in Vava'u (Sailfish).
Giant Trevally can grow even bigger than the one caught by Tineka. The current men's record for a Giant Trevally is 51.5kg caught in Japan.