Cozumel, Quintana Roo — The island’s teaching community will hold the seventh annual Magisterium Bottom Fishing Tournament on Saturday, May 23, an event that has become a yearly tradition and will this year honor the late teacher Miguel Arcángel Sulub Hernández, who helped launch the initiative alongside colleagues before his death last year.
Saturnino Magaña Valle, a representative of the SNTE teachers’ union on the island, said that after consulting with the teacher’s family, permission was granted to name the tournament after him, turning it into a symbol of recognition and remembrance within what organizers hope will become a lasting tradition among educators.
The day will begin at 7 a.m. at the Banco Playa marina, known as Puerto de Abrigo, with the starting signal for boats. Vessels will return by 1 p.m. for official weigh-in. From 2 to 5 p.m., a gathering will take place where teachers will donate part of their catch to share with colleagues, families, and the public.
“The fish are fried, served with soft drinks and tortillas, and it becomes a space for community integration,” Magaña Valle said.
Registration costs 3,000 pesos per boat, with prizes of 11,000, 8,000, and 4,000 pesos for the top three finishers. Raffles with various gifts will also be held for participants.
Last year, more than 14 boats took part, including teams from Chetumal and Cancún, in addition to local crews. Organizers expect 18 to 20 boats this year.
The union representative said surveys and preliminary meetings have been held to fine-tune the call for participants and ensure everything is ready for the competition.
“This tournament not only fosters camaraderie among teachers, it also strengthens identity and a sense of belonging in our educational community,” he said.
