Fisherman of the Year 2026, Eli Slater
Mr. Eli Slater won the 2026 Fisherman of the Year at the 49th annual Fisherman’s Day closing ceremony, reeling in a staggering 929 pounds of fish. Slater, who captains the vessel “Angel,” claimed the top prize in the Class 1 division, marking a back-to-back victory and his seventh overall Fisherman of the Year title.
When asked about the secret to his continuous dominance, Slater attributed his success to adopting a modernized fishing method. Rather than relying on traditional practices, Slater uses a semi-long line with live bait—a drifting line technique recommended to him by a friend from Grenada. He urged younger fishers entering the industry to abandon older, less efficient methods in favor of this approach to improve their daily harvests.
For his extraordinary haul, Slater took home a grand prize of $25,000, a Samsung Galaxy S26 sponsored by Flow, a gift basket from the Seamoss Association, six bottles of engine oil, a compass, fishing supplies, and a case of liquor.
Other Notable 2026 Winners The Class 1 competition was fierce, with Oscar Richardson (vessel “SGE”) taking second place with a 742-pound catch, and Lamar Cordis (vessel “Hook Fish”) securing third place with 567 pounds. The award for the heaviest single fish in Class 1 went to Winston Hazelwood, who landed a massive 143.7-pound fish.
In other categories:
- Leon Mascal dominated the Class 2 competition, winning first place with a total catch of 231 pounds.
- Alla Matthews took home the top prize in the female competition.
- Glenroy Grant won the beach seine competition, bringing in an impressive 9,859 pounds of fish.
Overall, the 2026 Fisherman’s Day was highly productive. Out of 107 participating fishers, 28 returning vessels brought in a total catch of 5,872 pounds, marking an improvement over the previous year.
A Rebounding Industry Under a New Ministry The 2026 celebration, held under the theme “Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future” and the slogan “Healthy Fish, Tasty Dish,” served as both a tribute to the resilient fisherfolk and a national platform for food security.
The sector is currently riding a wave of recovery after Hurricane Beryl caused severe damage to fishing vessels and infrastructure across the Grenadines in July 2024. Demonstrating extraordinary resilience, the nation’s fish landings rebounded significantly in 2025 to approximately 1.93 million pounds, valued at over EC$63 million.
To better support this vital economic pillar, the government recently separated fisheries from agriculture, establishing the newly created Ministry of Fisheries, Marine and Land Conservation, and Climate Resilience, led by Minister Conroy Huggins.