Man catches $1m fish
A 26-year-old Darwin man, Matthew Maurice, has won the top prize in the NT's Million Dollar Fish competition with an 80cm red-tagged barramundi caught during a night-time fishing trip with his brother
A Darwin man, Matthew Maurice, has caught a million-dollar fish, an 80cm red-tagged barramundi, during a night-time fishing trip with his brother. The catch was made on Thursday evening, as part of the NT's Million Dollar Fish competition.
The competition, sponsored by Tourism & Events Northern Territory, aims to promote the region's fishing experiences. As part of the competition, 100 fish, each carrying prize money of $10,000, were released into waterways for the competition, which began on 1 October and continues until 31 March 2027.
Matthew Maurice is the second person in the competition's 12-year history to win the top prize. He caught the fish while fishing with his brother, who was visiting from overseas. The brothers had finished football training and decided to take a boat out, going less than a kilometre from the boat ramp.
The competition has previously had a big winner, with a local man from Katherine, Keegan Payne, winning the top prize three years ago. Matthew Maurice's win is a significant one, with the 26-year-old planning to do something “smart” with his winnings.
## Why it matters The NT's Million Dollar Fish competition is an initiative to promote the region's fishing experiences. The competition has been running for 12 years and has released 100 fish, each carrying prize money of $10,000, into waterways. The top prize of $1 million is a significant incentive for fishermen to participate in the competition, which aims to showcase the region's fishing opportunities.
The win is a significant boost for the region's tourism industry, with the competition sponsored by Tourism & Events Northern Territory. The competition's success can be seen in the number of participants and the excitement generated by the big wins, such as Matthew Maurice's $1 million catch.
