HNSITT 2026 – Sept 23rd- Sept 27th
Opening Ceremonies / Captains Meeting
Greg Connor outlined the procedure details for the required DFO login and logouts and fishing logs that must be filled in as part of our license agreement to allow the tournament. Vic Hennis confirmed that we have 10 tags donated by DFO for this year and that 2 additional tags have generously been donated for this year’s tournament. 12 Teams have entered this years tournament (listed below). The Registration packages including their initial tuna tag, ICCAT forms along with the DFO license conditions and log forms to be filled out and returned to DFO at completion of the tournament. In addition there were vessel tracker units provided and updated instructions for the tournament.
Lee Purcell then gave some information on the tracker systems and helped crews log into the tracking app.
Chris Purcell of Oceanview Fisheries also gave a short briefing on care and handling of the tuna once it is secured in order to get the best quality and ultimately best price for the fish to maximize our donations to the IWK.
Good luck to all and tight lines.
Tuna landings will be at the Oceanview Fisheries docks in Sambro throughout the tournament with the Captain and crew allowed off the vessel to complete necessary documentations and photos. There will be no public viewings.
Teams Entered 2026 year:
|
Team Name |
Captain |
Vessel Name |
|
Blind Strike |
Gerard Mombourquette |
Blind Strike |
|
OnlyFins |
Evan Dawe |
Instant Karma |
|
Mad Dad |
Roddie MacCuspic |
Mad Dad |
|
Ripley’s Believe It |
Calvin Ripley |
Ripley’s Believe It II |
|
Team Edge |
Dave Edgecombe |
Blu |
|
Rubber Boots Bandit |
Reagan Henneberry |
Knot to Shabby |
|
Lobster’s R Us |
John Martell |
Lilah Sophia |
|
Team Viking |
Lee Purcell |
Salty Rooster |
|
The Harbour Hookers |
Gregory Osborne |
Tuna Tank |
|
Pentagon Properties |
Jackson Bruce |
CAMJAX |
|
The Black Sheep |
James Smith |
Black Sheep |
Day one
The 2026 Halifax Nova Scotia International Tuna Tournament got underway on September 23rd, as the fleet departed Halifax Harbour at 6:00 a.m. and steamed offshore in pursuit of giant bluefin tuna, with teams competing not only for tournament glory, but also in support of the IWK Foundation.
The fleet didn’t have to wait long for the action to begin.
At just 9:19 a.m., Team Viking hooked up, becoming the first team to connect with a tuna in the 2026 tournament. They were quickly followed by Team Edge, Lobsters R Us, and Mad Dad, creating a flurry of hookups just before 10:00 a.m.
With Team Viking being the first team to hail in their fish, they earned the prestigious Wayne Hoskins Memorial Trophy, awarded to the team that lands and hails in the first fish of the tournament. Congratulations to Team Viking! The fish was hoisted ashore at the Sambro wharf at approximately 12:50 p.m. followed soon afterward by the remaining three tuna from the morning’s incredible run of action.
As the afternoon continued on, Team Blind Strike was next to bring in a fish followed by Team Pentagon Properties during the supper hour, adding another tuna to the tournament tally.
Then, just when it appeared the action was winding down for the day, Team Harbour Hookers delivered a dramatic finish, hailing in a buzzer-beater fish at approximately 3:55 p.m. The team arrived in Sambro just before 11:00 p.m., bringing an action-packed opening day to a close.
Day One was in the books.
Day Two
Day Two began with an unfavorable weather forecast looming over the tournament. With deteriorating conditions expected to move into the area, the tournament was declared a two-day event, giving the fleet one final opportunity to chase the remaining tags and help fill them in support of the IWK Foundation.
Just after 8:00 a.m., Brucie J got the action started with a hookup.
Not long afterward, Team Edge was on a fish as well.
At roughly 1:00 p.m., Team Edge would make their way back to the Sambro wharf with their second fish of the tournament, followed by Team Rubber Boot Bandits at 3:30 p.m. and not long afterward Ripley’s Believe It called in to the wharf with their fish, officially securing the 10th, and final tag counted towards the 2026 Halifax Nova Scotia International Tuna Tournament.
Arriving at the scales at 4:45 p.m., Captain Calvin Ripley, his crew, and the supporting crowd stood and watched the 10th fish being weighed, a 764 lb beast, which proved to be the heaviest fish, winning first place honours!
In this year’s event, there were TWO bonus tags to be filled to go towards the IWK Charity total donation, but were not counted in the competitions weights for standings/placement.
The final two fish were landed by Blind Strike and Lobsters R Us. and hoisted at just after 5:00 p.m., officially concluding the 2026 Halifax Nova Scotia International Tuna Tournament. With that announcement, the fishing portion of the tournament officially came to an end.
Congratulations to all of the teams who participated in the 2026 Halifax Nova Scotia International Tuna Tournament, and thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s event a success.
Until next year, tight lines.
Award Ceremonies – Monday Sept 28th, 2026
Our trophy presentation and closing ceremonies got underway. It was kicked off by our Master of Ceremonies Greg Connor who is the president of ACD, and the Treasurer of our Board. Greg gave a brief summary of this year’s tournament. This year we had a total of 12 fish landed with their proceeds going to the IWK Charity Foundation. Thank you again to Wesley Henneberry of Fin Fisheries in Sambro for his generous donation of 2 bonus tags for the event!
Event Results – Top 3 Heaviest Fish
1st PLACE – Ripley’s Believe It! – 764LBS
2nd PLACE – The Harbour Hookers – 677LBS
3rd PLACE – Team Viking – 645LBS
The first place winning Team also received a 1st place Halifax Nova Scotia International Tuna Tournament keeper trophy along with an invitation to the Offshore World Championship Tournament in Quepos, Costa Rica which will be held on the 11th to 15th of April 2027
Wayne Hoskin Memorial Trophy
The Wayne Hoskin Memorial Trophy is given out each year to the Team that lands the first Bluefin to be secured and logged in by call in to Atlantic Catch Data (ACD) for donation to the IWK.
The winning team of the Wayne Hoskin Memorial Trophy was Team: Team Viking
Special thanks to Oceanview Fisheries for Tuna landing facilities, bait, fish processing and marketing as well as to all of our sponsors and donors for their support.
Particular thanks to our volunteers: Vic Hennis, Biruta Hennis for their effort at the Captain’s meeting and closing ceremonies and throughout the tournament. Thank you to Lee Purcell who helped get participants set up with tracking devices graciously donated by Greg Mombourquette . Also special thanks to Greg Connor who is our board Treasure as well as the President of ACD for both his HTTS society work and also his ACD roll of logging in the fish as required by DFO with related costs donated to the tournament and the IWK.
