|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Sport fishing continues to position Baja California Sur as one of the most active fishing destinations in the world. State authorities have officially presented the 2026 tournament calendar, confirming a full year of competitions across all five municipalities and reinforcing the role of fishing as a major driver of tourism and local economies.
A Record Calendar Across the Peninsula
According to the Fund for the Protection of Marine Resources (Fonmar), organizers have submitted 126 tournament applications for 2026, divided between 59 offshore events and 67 shore-based competitions. The calendar includes offshore, shore, kayak, and freshwater tournaments, reflecting the growing diversity of the sport across the state.
Many events are long-standing community traditions, while newer tournaments continue to expand participation and bring attention to emerging fishing destinations. Among the events highlighted during the presentation were Majá el Grande, La Orilla de la Baja, and multiple stages of the Pacific Cup series, all recognized as key fixtures in the regional circuit.
The tournaments will take place throughout most of the year, with the busiest stretch scheduled between March and November, when major competitions are expected in Los Cabos, La Paz, and Loreto.
Continued Growth and Public Investment
The scale of the 2026 calendar reflects a broader upward trend. Between 2022 and 2025, the state promoted 279 sport fishing tournaments, including 150 offshore and 129 shore-based events. Public investment during that period reached approximately US$1.39 million, supporting prize purses and operational logistics.
Growth has been particularly noticeable in several municipalities. La Paz and Comondu have recorded steady increases in tournaments each year, while Mulege has seen significant expansion, rising from five tournaments in 2022 to around twenty in 2025. Much of that growth has been driven by shore-fishing events along the North Pacific coast.
For 2026, the state has allocated about US$695,000 to support the tournament calendar. Officials noted that the goal is to strengthen existing events and help them move gradually toward financial self-sufficiency.
Tourism, Conservation, and Community Impact
Authorities emphasized that the official calendar provides structure for organizers and greater certainty for participants, while also improving coordination and tourism promotion. A statewide map of fishing locations and a seasonal species chart have also been included to encourage responsible fishing practices aligned with conservation efforts.
Sport fishing generates significant economic activity across Baja California Sur. The sector supports lodging, restaurants, transportation, boat rentals, equipment sales, and maintenance services. Preliminary estimates suggest the activity contributes tens of millions of dollars annually to the state’s economy through both recreational fishing and tournament-related travel.
With tournaments scheduled across the peninsula and throughout most of the year, the 2026 calendar confirms sport fishing as one of the most consistent and far-reaching tourism engines in Baja California Sur.