A cash reward of $1 million is being offered to the individual who can bring in Australia’s Most Wanted Fish, currently at large in Northern Territory waters.
Part of a barramundi gang widely known as the ‘Million Dollar Fish Red-Tag Crew’, authorities are calling on anglers around the country to help locate the head fishy fugitive, known as the Season 7 Million Dollar Fish. Authorities are also on the hunt for seven of his scaly relatives, who carry cash rewards of $1 million. Around 100 other Season 7 gang members on the swim carry a $10,000 reward.
A campaign dubbed ‘Australia’s Most Wanted’ has been launched to help raise awareness and increase the odds for those on the hunt for the Season 7 Million Dollar Fish. The slippery suspect was last seen in Darwin Harbour wearing a red tag, as reported by key eyewitnesses.
Fishos willing to join the hunt need to register for Million Dollar Fish for free before hitting the water in order to claim their cash reward, should they catch the Ones That Keep Getting Away. Registrations close on 31 March 2022.
The fish hunt is part of the Million Dollar Fish competition, delivered by Northern Territory Major Events Company (NTMEC) and underwritten by SportsBet. NTMEC CEO Tim Watsford said the tagged barramundi have been at large for some time.
“These tagged barra have evaded capture so far, but the fishos are closing in,” Mr Watsford said. “We’ve had 11 $10,000 fish caught as part of Season 7 of the competition, and it’s only a matter of time before one of the Big Ones takes the bait. Any angler keen on bragging rights should have a go at catching Australia’s Most Wanted Fish. And there is no better location to try than the Territory’s pristine waterways.”
SportsBet External Affairs Manager Brad Fanning said the more people get out on the water, the greater their chance of bagging the reward money.
“We’re calling on as many people as possible to join the search by simply registering before the end of March and hitting the water to find this fishy fugitive,” Mr Fanning said. “Eyewitness reports suggest the Season 7 Million Dollar Fish red-tagged runaway may be in the Darwin Harbour region, which is why we are focusing our search efforts on this particular region. Should anyone hook Australia’s most wanted fish, contact us immediately to claim your $1 million cash reward.”
The eight fish carrying a $1 million reward can be caught year-round, but anglers MUST be registered by 31 March 2022 to claim the cash. The $10,000 fish are only active until 31 March 2022, the end of Season 7. Once the first Million Dollar Fish is caught, cash rewards for the remaining seven fugitives decrease to $10,000 each until the end of March, or become null and void if the Big One is caught between April and September.