Mayor Thomas R. Suozzi is pleased to announce that the City of Glen Cove Billy Blind Memorial Bluefish Derby will be held Saturday and Sunday, July 28 and 29. Ten cash prizes will be awarded for the heaviest fish caught in the waters of Long Island Sound from 12:01 a.m. Saturday until 4 p.m. on Sunday. The Derby is open to fishermen of all ages. All proceeds from the 2001 Derby will be dedicated to the improvement of the City of Glen Cove Boat Ramp and the Pryibil Beach fishing pier.

The prizes will be distributed as follows: First prize - $2,500, second prize - $1,250, third prize - $750. Fourth prize - $250, fifth and sixth prizes - $100 each. Seventh through Tenth prizes will each be awarded $50.

Once again, this year's derby is being held in memory of local fishing legend Billy Blind, who passed away last year. Blind was the driving force behind the revival of the City of Glen Cove Annual Bluefish Derby in 1999 after a seven year absence. The 1999 Derby had over 110 fishermen competing and was a resounding success, raising over $2,000 in proceeds.

The registration fee is $25 per fisherman. Each entrant receives a Derby T-shirt, a raffle ticket and admission to the post-Derby barbecue and award presentation, which will be held at Morgan Park, adjacent to the Glen Cove Yacht Club on July 29. The barbecue is free for all Derby entrants. Family and friends can enjoy the festivities for a $5 per person fee. Contest boundaries will be the Long Island Sound from the Throgs Neck Bridge on the west, east to the entrance of Port Jefferson Harbor and to Tongue Point in Bridgeport Harbor, CT. The City of Glen Cove boat ramp on Garvies Point Road, Crescent Beach, Pryibil Beach and beach parking lots will be available to all contestants during the hours of the Bluefish Derby.

Three registration sites are available:

Duffy's Bait and Tackle, 58 Shore Road, Glenwood Landing, 676-9543; Glen Cove Sports Shop, 189 Forest Avenue, Glen Cove, 676-7120; Glen Cove Parks & Recreation Dept., 9 Glen Street, Rm. 305, 676-3766.

For further information, contact the Glen Cove Parks & Recreation at 676-3766 during business hours.