DUMAGUETE CITY (PNA) – Following last year’s successful staging of the first-ever “Birik-Birik” Fishing Festival in this city, organizers are now considering adding more slots for local fishermen to participate in what could yet be another tourist drawer for the city.

Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria has announced that from 40 participants in the November 2010 Birik-Birik launch, the city government will be inviting at least 100 fishermen for the same event to be held during this year’s annual fiesta and charter day celebration, said Jessica Layumas of the City Tourism Office.

The slots will be offered on a first come, first served basis, she said.

Birik-Birik, or Sabiki, is a type of fishing where a multiple number of hooks, between six to 10, are attached to a dropper line with a weight tied to it, said Layumas.

The fishing festival was introduced last year with a limited number of participants fishing off the waters of the Rizal Boulevard with the Filipino Anglers (FilAnglers.org) supporting it, she said.

According to Layumas, sport fishing is being seriously considered now as a new venue to attract more tourists to come to Dumaguete.

Just recently, FilAnglers from Manila came here, with local fishing enthusiasts and group members Mike Alano and Ja Silvestre acting as hosts, to look for possible alternative sites where they can introduce the catch-and-release sport fishing here, she added.