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Bluefin Bonanza hauls in scholarship money for Maine community colleges

Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza hosted its fourth tuna derby in South Portland this August, bringing in huge fish and cash for local school trade programs.

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza brought sportfishing and education together this week, inviting students and sport fishermen to celebrate Atlantic Bluefin Tuna.

The fourth annual fishing derby is a welcome sight for tuna charter captain Shawn Tibbetts.

"It's a big deal... we're hoping to support the trades," Tibbetts said.

More than 20 tuna and nearly ten thousand pounds were hauled in over the week, the final fish on Sunday hauled in from Roger Simmons of Josie B. weighing in at 524.5 pounds.

Proceeds from the tuna tournament go towards scholarships in the state's community colleges.

"It is directly involved in our quota allocation where it goes... all of our scholarships are going to the community colleges where we hope to support the trades," Tibbetts said.

Scientists from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute also benefited from the tuna tournament.

Walter Golet, an assistant professor of marine science at the University of Maine, said it's a rare opportunity to bring students to see a big animal up close and allows them to study tuna feeding patterns.

"How the Gulf of Maine ecosystem will be, will they be here next year or the year after... it also gives us an opportunity which ones, female or male, are here in greater numbers so we really get some neat info from the fish we normally wouldn't get by going to these tournaments," Golet said.

The Bluefin Bonanza also reported nearly $10,000 from its auction and lobster bake on Friday and reported a good turnout of children participating in its crab catching contest on Saturday.

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