Page 42 - 52nd Annual White Marlin Open

Founded in 1939 in a cramped office above the American Natural History Muse-

um in New York, New York, the International Game Fish Association has grown

into arguably the most influential fishing organization in the world. It is widely

acknowledged as the authority on rules, recognition, education, record keeping

and conservation as it applies to the field of angling.

While the purview of the IGFA extends to all gamefish, from the smallest (several

species at 1 lb.) to the largest (Black Marlin-1560 lbs.), their contributions to the

gamefish of the White Marlin Open, fish near and dear to our participants and

fans, has been particularly noteworthy.

Hemingway

Ernest

IGFA HISTORY: THE EARLY YEARS Association. Lerner personally underwrote all ex-
penses of the new organization, a level of support he
The inaugural meeting of the International Game would continue to maintain until his resignation as
Fish Association took place on June 7, 1939 at the IGFA President in 1961.
American Museum of Natural History. In attendance
were Dr. William K. Gregory, Museum ichthyolo- At Lerner’s insistence, Gregory was elected IGFA’s
gists Francesca “Frannie” LaMonte and John Nich- first President with Lerner accepting a Vice Presi-
ols, author Van Campen Heilner, and Micheal Lerner. dency and Francesca LaMonte assuming the role of
Lerner was a trustee at the Museum and is largely Secretary. An Executive Committee of Lerner, Greg-
recognized as the driving force and founder of the ory, Heilner, and LaMonte was also created, and this

42 | visit us online at www.WhiteMarlinOpen.com

WMO 52 Magazine.indd 42 7/15/25 8:02AM