The competition, which will be held from August 27 to 29 in the waters south of the island, celebrates 37 years of history, having become one of the main European benchmarks for sport fishing, nautical tourism and marine sustainability.
El Gran Canaria International Open High Seas Fishing Tournament presented the official poster of its edition of 2026, an event that will once again turn the waters of the island's south into a meeting point for some of the Europe's best sport fishermen and which reaffirms the consolidation of an event that has managed to project the image of Gran Canaria in the main international markets linked to the sea and nautical tourism.
The competition will be held between the days 27 y 29 August and faces his sixth edition under the name of International Open, maintaining the legacy of the historic Pasito Blanco Deep Sea Fishing Competition, a test that already adds 37 years in the Making with a long history and which was a pioneer in Europe in implementing the modality of catch and release.
The unveiling of the poster marks the start of the countdown to an edition in which the organizers hope to once again bring together around fifty boats from Canary Islands, the Peninsula and various European countries, in addition to participants from United States, thus consolidating the growth experienced by the championship in recent years.
The Gran Canaria International Deep Sea Fishing Open is organized by the Pasito Blanco Yacht Club and Chamber of Commerce of Gran Canaria, with the support of Gran Canaria Tourism and the collaboration of Gran Canaria BlueThis alliance has strengthened the event's international dimension and positioned the island as one of the most attractive destinations in the Atlantic for sport fishing. Furthermore, it is held in coordination with ports such as those of Mogán y Puerto Rico.
Santiago de Armas, president of the Tourism Commission of the Gran Canaria Chamber of Commerce and its vice president, explained that, “the Chamber’s work with the Open for the past four years has allowed us to deepen its international component. Through the other chamber organizations, we are intensively promoting the attributes of this event internationally, not only from a tourism perspective, but also in terms of its sporting appeal and the natural environment in which it takes place. The Chamber considers sports tourism, and specifically nautical tourism, to be a very important segment for the destination, as these are fundamental elements in the development of tourism in general. The event is consolidating; there is increasing international interest and participation, and greater awareness of the event and of our island.”
For his part, Carlos Álamo, Gran Canaria's Tourism Councillor, emphasized that “the Open is an opportunity to showcase other, perhaps lesser-known, attributes of our island, such as water sports. Furthermore, it appeals to a different kind of tourist than the traditional Gran Canaria visitor—a tourist passionate about our marine life, who stays longer and spends more. This sixth edition of the Open, a successor to the Pasito competition, which was a pioneer in sustainable fishing—where we were the first to release our catch back into the sea—speaks volumes about the respect Gran Canarians have for the sea, fishing, and the marine environment.”
“Everything is ready for the sixth edition of this International Open, the 37th since the classic Pasito Blanco event began. We want to emphasize its international character, which will be even greater this year, as in addition to the usual foreign participants, there will be a significant number of French anglers. Responsible fishing is paramount in this championship, and we are proud that this Open exemplifies the catch-and-release philosophy,” stated Francisco Torres, director of the Pasito Blanco Yacht Club and the Gran Canaria International Deep-Sea Fishing Open.
The rich marine life of Gran Canaria, the year-round climate stability, the quality of the nautical infrastructure, and the wide range of tourist activities continue to be some of the main reasons why the island is among the most highly regarded destinations for deep-sea fishing enthusiasts. Indeed, the waters off southern Gran Canaria are one of Europe's most renowned locations for catching large pelagic species such as the blue marlin, the emblematic species of the championship.
This upcoming edition will feature the participation of new influencers and specialized content creators, including Barbara “Babs” Kijewski Johannes, a contributor to leading German media outlets.
The results of recent editions have confirmed the sporting appeal of the event. The competition registered record figures for scoring catches under the catch and release system model, which constitutes the event's main hallmark and reinforces its commitment to marine conservation and sustainability.
The international dimension of Open also reflects its growing media impact. The last edition generated more than 4,5 million impressions across social media and digital platforms, counting on collaborations with specialized media, content creators, and influencers, as well as references to some strategic markets for the Gran Canaria destination.
Beyond the competitive sporting aspect of the Gran Canaria International High Seas Fishing Open, the Gran Canaria Open has consolidated its position as a tool for promoting the blue economy, nautical tourism, and the island's international image. Each edition contributes to strengthening Gran Canaria's positioning as a destination linked to the sea, sustainability, and tourism excellence.
The registration period for the 2026 edition is now open and can be formalized through the Pasito Blanco website.
