The Tuna club of Tasmania awards Merit Pins for captures made in Australian waters according to the tables below.
The Gamefish Association of Australia (GFAA) designs the Merit pins which are symbolic of the fish that is captured. Only one is awarded each year for each species / line class. Anglers eligible for a Merit Pin are responsible for ordering and payment for the pin.
x2 means 2 times the line class, 8x is 8 times the line class, etc., all other figures are in kilograms.
Gamefish Merit Pins |
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| Line Class | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Merit |
| 1-24 | x2 | x3 | x4 | x8 |
| 37 | 90 | 135 | 250 | 500 |
| 60 | 150 | 210 | 325 | 850 |
Shark Merit Pins |
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| Line Class | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Merit |
| 1-24 | x4 | x6 | x8 | x16 |
| 37 | 180 | 270 | 500 | 1000 |
| 60 | 300 | 420 | 650 | 1300 |
The Merit Pins reported on this website have been awarded by The Tuna Club of Tasmania and may differ from TGFA and GFAA Merit Awards.
View Tuna Club of Tasmania Merit Pin History
Club Calendar
The Tuna Club has a wide range of activities each year.
Click the Bluefin to download the Club Calendar in PDF format.
Keith Jessup Trophy
Awarded for the highest point scoring Bluefin Tuna captured on a boat 6m and under in Tasmanian waters.
First Awarded
1969
History
Donated by Mr Keith Jessup
Cast by Tom Jenkins.
Keith began his game fishing in a 19'3" cruiser named Sea Rover which he operated as a charter vessel out of Coles Bay, fishing mainly around Schouten Island. Sea Rover was a prolific catcher with a record 30 Bluefin per day during the heady early days of the 1960s. "Sea Rover was later sold and replace with Sea Rover 2, an equally prolific catcher with a record 881 Bluefin caught during one season, 1967/68. Sea Rover 2 was equally adept at catching sharks, often coming to port with a mixed bag of sharks and Bluefin, Albacore and Striped Tuna. Keith is credited with catching Tasmania's first Striped Marlin weighing 297.5 lbs in 1969. Sea Rover 2 was one of the first specialist Game Boats in Tasmania, being all steel with twin screws and with Game Chairs, outriggers and a capacity of up to 10 anglers. Sea Rover 2 was eventually destroyed on the notorious St Helens barway.
Capture or Tag-and-Release
Capture in accordance with GFAA & TGFA rules.
Eligibility
All Angler Classifications, Club Member.
Trophy Winners
| 2024 | Blake Lampkin | 29.80 kg on 8 kg line |
| 2023 | Archie Cashion | 10.70 kg on 4 kg line |
| 2022 | Blake Lampkin | 12.70 kg on 8 kg line |
| 2021 | Blake Lampkin | 13.25 kg on 6 kg line |
| 2020 | Katie Russell | 12.10 kg on 8 kg line |
| 2019 | Danny Smith | 19.60 kg on 6 kg line |
| 2018 | Simon Turner | 32.70 kg on 8 kg |
| 2017 | Dan Walton | 18.90 kg on 6 kg |
| 2016 | Carleen Hitchens | 14.50 kg on 4 kg |
| 2015 | Andrew Dyson | 16.10 kg on 10 kg |
| 2014 | Trevor Bennett | 21.40 kg on 10 kg |
| 2013 | Melissa Nelson | 108.50 kg on 37 kg |
| 2012 | Mark Watson | 21.90 kg on 15 kg |
| 2011 | Mark Watson | 21.80 kg on 8 kg |
| 2010 | Dylan Jarvis | 21.00 kgs on 10 kg |
| 2009 | Michael Jessup | 20.70 kg on 8 kg |
| 2008 | Andrew Large | 91.30 kg on 15 kg |
| 2007 | Brian Crosswell | 8.80 kg on 4 kg (tie) |
| 2007 | Gerald Russell | 13.80 kg on 6 kg (tie) |
| 2006 | - No Award - | |
| 2005 | - No Award - | |
| 2004 | Steve Cooper | 47.50 kg on 24 kg |
| 2003 | - No Award - | |
| 2002 | Chris Peterson | 29.80 kg on 10 kg |
| 2001 | Donna Harper | 25 kg on 8 kg |
| 2000 | Simon Willey | 42.60 kg on 24 kg |
| 1999 | Robert Cooper | 61.50 kg on 24 kg |
| 1998 | Jon Plunkett | 28.60 kg on 8 kg |
| 1997 | Andrew Belstead | 35.60 kg on 15 kg |
| 1996 | Matthew Steele | 26.50 kg on 8 kg |
| 1995 | John Hebbink | 28.80 kg SBT on 15 kg (tie) |
| 1995 | Shane Heddle | 28.80 kg SBT on 15 kg (tie) |
| 1994 | Shane Heddle | 25.20 kg SBT on 10 kg |
| 1993 | Michael Longford | 23.20 kg SBT on 8kg |
| 1992 | Sandra Harper | 16.60 kg on 10 kg |
| 1991 | Sandra Harper | 25.20 kg on 15 kg |
| 1990 | Ken Clark | 19.50 kg on 8 kg |
| 1989 | Tony Godfrey | 22.60 kg on 8 kg |
| 1988 | Jon Plunkett | 21.75 kg on 6 kg |
| 1987 | Paul Minehan | 16.40 kg on 6 kg |
| 1986 | Ashley Hallam | 11.25 kg on 4 kg |
| 1985 | Ashley Hallam | 126 kg SBT |
| 1984 | - No Award - | |
| 1983 | Allen Ziebel | 22 kg SBT |
| 1982 | Ashley Hallam | 13.75 kg SBT |
| 1981 | D Mallinson | 27.50 kg SBT |
| 1980 | John Hiezer | 24.25 kg SBT |
| 1979 | P White | 25 kg SBT |
| 1978 | Ian Wigston | 33.50 kg SBT |
| 1977 | G Harvey | 213,1/2 lb SBT |
| 1976 | Tony Little | 130 lb SBT |
| 1975 | Eddie Wigston | 142 lb SBT |
| 1974 | John Hiezer | 44 lb SBT |
| 1973 | H W Oates | 61 lb SBT |
| 1972 | Ian Cameron | 42 lb SBT |
| 1971 | Eddie Wigston | 51 lb SBT |
| 1970 | Heddle Oates | 52 lb SBT |
| 1969 | Jack Newman | 55 lb SBT |
Kevin Minehan Memorial Trophy
Awarded for the heaviest Tuna captured by a Female Small Fry Angler in Tasmanian waters each season.
First Awarded
2003
History
Donated by Mr Scott Minehan.
Capture or Tag-and-Release
Capture in accordance with GFAA & TGFA rules.
Eligibility
Female Small Fry Angler (11 years & under), Club Member.
Trophy Winners
| 2023-2024 | - No Award - | |
| 2022 | Brooke Harris | 15 kg Southern Bluefin Tuna on 8 kg line |
| 2021 | Sarah Nichols | 18 kg Southern Bluefin Tuna on 10 kg line |
| 2020 | Sarah Nichols | 8.7 kg Southern Bluefin Tuna on 6 kg line |
| 2019 | Sarah Nichols | 15 kg Southern Bluefin Tuna on 15 kg line |
| 2018 | Mollie Hammersley | 12.50 kg Southern Bluefin Tuna on 10 kg line |
| 2017 | Mollie Hammersley | 20.10 kg Southern Bluefin Tuna on 15 kg line |
| 2016 | - No Award - | |
| 2015 | Emma Bennett | 7.80 kg Albacore on 4 kg line |
| 2014 | - No Award - | |
| 2013 | Zara Nelson | 24.50 kg Southern Bluefin Tuna on 24 kg line |
| 2012 | Jenna Nichols | 13.20 kg Southern Bluefin Tuna on 10 kg line |
McConnon Cup
Awarded for the highest point scoring Southern Bluefin Tuna captured on a boat over 6m in Tasmanian waters each season.
First Awarded
2001
History
Donated by Mr John & Mrs Jan McConnon of the Barilla Function Centre.
Capture or Tag-and-Release
Capture in accordance with GFAA & TGFA rules.
Eligibility
All Angler Classifications, Club Member.
Trophy Winners
| 2024 | Jeremy Banner | 70.20 kg on 15 kg line |
| 2023 | Dylan Loh | 13.05 kg on 3 kg line |
| 2022 | Danny Smith | 16.0 kg on 4 kg line |
| 2021 | Tom Kruiswijk | 108 kg on 24 kg line |
| 2020 | Danny Smith | 8.20 kg on 3 kg |
| 2019 | Andrew Wardlaw | 111.30 kg on 24 kg line |
| 2018 | Dylan Loh | 89 kg on 15 kg |
| 2017 | Aiden Jackson | 19.50 kg on 4 kg |
| 2016 | Antony Suttil | 126.20 kg on 24 kg |
| 2015 | Sam Nichols | 85.10 kg on 24 kg |
| 2014 | Wade Wheeler | 22.70 kg on 6 kg |
| 2013 | Alex Green | 21.10 kg on 4 kg |
| 2012 | Scott Salter | 27.40 kg on 10 kg |
| 2011 | Daniel Vallance | 15.80 kg on 4 kg |
| 2010 | Jason Head | 20.20 kgs on 8 kg |
| 2009 | Kieran Gilbert | 90.20 kg on 24 kg |
| 2008 | Stephem Harrison | 90.30 kg on 37 kg |
| 2007 | Archie Cashion | 19.80 kg on 6 kg |
| 2006 | Ryan Baillie | 87 kg on 15 kg |
| 2005 | - No Award - | |
| 2004 | Robin Banks | 62.40 kg on 24 kg (tie) |
| 2004 | Kennyth Smith | 39 kg on 15 kg (tie) |
| 2003 | Andrew Large | 24.60 kg on 24 kg |
| 2002 | Jackie Cleary | 22.40 kg on 8 kg |
| 2001 | Andrew Large | 43.20 kg on 10 kg |