A new family fun event will see children battle it out for top honours in the first ever Bridlington Crab Chase catch-and-release competition this September.
The East Yorkshire resort’s bustling harbour will be the setting for the fishing contest, for children under 16 years, on Sunday 18 September, which organisers hope will become an annual event.
Always a popular coastal treat, fishing for crabs from the harbour walls will turn competitive for this first-of-a-kind event, the Bridlington Crab Chase… with a strict catch and release policy.
Aiming to highlight the harbour’s shell fishing heritage – Bridlington is the UK’s biggest shellfish port – the event will also offer a fun way to introduce youngsters to the rich sea life around the resort’s coastline.
With a £6 entry fee, which must be booked online in advance, the competition will be split into four heats of 20 participants each, who will all be given a crab net on the day to be used during the competition.
Bringing their own bait to tempt those crafty crustaceans, youngsters will then cast out their crabbing net and catch as many crabs as possible in their heat time.
Everyone taking part will get a medal and certificate, and heat winners and overall winners will receive a trophy, during the competition presentation at the resort’s seafront events venue, the Bridlington Spa.
With fishing boats lining the harbour, family friendly beaches, and traditional seaside attractions, Bridlington is a firm visitor favourite and one of the east coast’s most popular coastal resorts.
But its fishing heritage remains a strong influence, not only being the area’s oldest economic activity, but today still worth around £20m a year to the local economy, thanks to its annual shellfish catch.
Bridlington has even been dubbed the ‘Lobster Capital of Europe’, landing over 300 tonnes of lobster a year, and these Yorkshire delicacies are so sought-after that they are sold within the UK and exported to markets as far afield as the Azores.
To learn more about the Bridlington Crab Chase, and book a place, visit
For information on East Yorkshire as a destination, see www.visiteastyorkshire.co.uk