Fishermen's Day is a public holiday in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and it is observed on the first Friday in July each year. The holiday celebrates the fishing tournament, which started in 1982.
As an island country in the Pacific Ocean, fishing is crucial to the economy of the Marshall Islands, and the tournament on Fishermen's Day celebrates this important tradition. During the tournament, fishermen go into the ocean to catch the heaviest or the biggest fish. They normally leave early in the morning and return in the early evening, and all their catches will be weighed and measured. The winners will win cash prizes.
The tournament started in 1981 when Tom Micheals, Wally Milne, Ramsey Reimers, and Ronnie Reimers founded the Marshalls Billfish Club so that they could compete in the Hawaiian Invitational Billfish Tournament (HIBT) championship. They won the contest, inspiring them to set up the annual tournament in the Marshall Islands.
With support and contributions from the government, local businesses, and many volunteers, the first tournament started in July 1982. It has become a national holiday, and many fishermen, including international teams, will participate in the competition.
The following is the list of Fishermen's Day in the Republic of the Marshall Islands from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Fishermen's Day | Jul 01, 2022 | Friday |
| Fishermen's Day | Jul 07, 2023 | Friday |
| Fishermen's Day | Jul 05, 2024 | Friday |
| Fishermen's Day | Jul 04, 2025 | Friday |
| Fishermen's Day | Jul 03, 2026 | Friday |
Please check more public holidays in the Republic of the Marshall Islands: