New Jersey Sea Birds AC Partner with 57th Annual Beach Haven White Marlin Invitational

New Jersey Sea Birds Angling Club, currently second in the SFC Atlantic Division standings, has signed on to be the presenting partner of the 57th annual Beach Haven White Marlin Invitational, further strengthening the club’s commitment to celebrating and growing the sport of offshore fishing in its home state.

The partnership aligns the Sea Birds with one of New Jersey’s most storied offshore fishing tournaments. Beach Haven also happens to be the hometown of Sea Birds’ angler Jay Brower. 

Founded in 1970 by the Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club, the White Marlin Invitational has welcomed generations of offshore anglers to Long Beach Island and is recognized by tournament organizers as the oldest white marlin tournament in the country. From its earliest years, the event built its reputation around competitive offshore fishing, hospitality and camaraderie, attracting boats and anglers from ports throughout the Eastern Seaboard.

For the Sea Birds, the partnership represents a natural extension of the organization’s mission to represent New Jersey anywhere and everywhere sportfishing is prominent.

“Partnering with the oldest white marlin tournament in the country was a natural choice for the Sea Birds," said Ethan Rigel, owner of New Jersey Sea Birds Angling Club. “Our mission is to elevate Garden State billfishing on a global stage, and supporting an event with such deep tradition, community roots, and incredible competition aligns perfectly with our organization and our shared belief in the future of New Jersey maritime culture.”

The partnership also connects two distinct eras of competitive sportfishing in the Garden State. The White Marlin Invitational’s history stretches back more than half a century, while the Sea Birds represent New Jersey in SFC’s modern professional club competition.

The Sea Birds, known to their fans as “The Flock,” debuted in SFC competition in 2025 as part of the league’s evolution into a closed-competition angling club format, and quickly established themselves as one of the league’s leading Atlantic Division clubs. 

Fishing aboard the Taylor Jean, a 62’ Viking owned by Ken Hager, the club won the 2025 Walker’s Cay Open, finished second in the 2025 SFC Atlantic Division, advanced to the Zane Grey Championship Playoffs and finished third in the league championship. The team also captured first-place billfish release honors at the 2025 White Marlin Open.

That momentum has carried into 2026, with the Sea Birds again fighting for the division title, with two wins this season at the SFC Carrier Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Rhode Island Offshore Invitational in Newport. 

The Beach Haven White Marlin Invitational itself has continued to evolve while preserving the traditions that have defined the tournament for generations. In recent years, organizers have expanded prize structures and release categories and brought the tournament’s weigh-ins into the heart of Beach Haven, creating a festival-style atmosphere where spectators can gather to watch boats and crews return from offshore.

The 57th annual Beach Haven White Marlin Invitational will take place August 10-15 in Beach Haven, New Jersey. SFC’s Gulf Division will be in action August 14-17 at the Texas Billfish Open in Port Aransas, Texas.