IGFA Representatives
Asia Region

CHINA

Kim Stuart
Hong Kong, China
Kim Stuart started fishing offshore Kenya back in 1965. After moving to Hong Kong in 1986, he joined the Mandarin Sports Fishing Club (MSFC) where he served as Board Member and Chairman. In 2001 Stuart purchased Kidusi, a 46' Bertram and subsequently founded Tailchasers Sport Fishing Limited. Today, Stuart continues to promote the sport through his fishing operation and affiliation to the MSFC. He currently organizes two annual fishing tournaments were he introduces anglers to the IGFA mission and rules.
 
 
Philip C. Yung
Hong Kong, China
As a member of the Mandarin Sport Fishing Club for over 20 years, Philip Yung has dedicated much time to introducing new anglers to the sport and educating them on concepts of ethical angling. Yung has participated in multiple regional fishing tournaments and continues to explore new fly fishing destinations around Asia.
 
 
Steven Zhang
Beijing, China
As an IGFA Representative and manager at Mustad Fishing Gear, Steven Zhang has dedicated much time to the promotion of the sport. An IGFA Representative since 2010, he has assisted with the translation of multiple materials to better promote the IGFA in China. Zhang's goal is to continue to promote the sport, the IGFA, and the organization's mission and vision across China.
 
 

INDIA

Bopanna Pattada
Bangalore, India
In 2006 Bopanna Pattada launched the IndianAngler.com fishing forum with the goal of educating fellow anglers on the importance of fisheries conservation. Today, Pattada's forum has grown into one of the most popular online fishing forums in India, highlighting important subjects like the economic benefits of recreational angling and the importance of resource conservation through proper catch-and-release practices. Pattada can often be found fishing the Cauvery River in South India-- home of one of the premier game fish in the country: the Mahseer.
 
 
Derek F. Dsouza
A passionate 15-year angler, Derek Dsouza is a trustee of the Mahseer Trust-- an organization committed to saving the Mahseer fish species. He has participated in a variety of conservation projects and actively promotes catch-and-release. He gives lectures and provides advice on angling to numerous fisheries agencies in India. Dsouza is dedicated to promoting sport fishing in India and encourages children to get involved and make a difference in recreational fishing and the environment.
 
 

JAPAN

Tomonori Higashi
Yokohama, Japan
A certified Master Fly Casting Instructor for Fly Fishers International (FFI), Tomonori Higashi hosts regular clinics and seminars. He contributes to several international fly fishing publications, translating from English to Japanese. He has translated such titles as "Fly Tier's Benchside Reference", "Trout Bum" by John Gierach, and "The Essence of Fly Casting"--considered the benchmark in fly casting instruction. Higashi fishes both fresh and salt water with fly tackle. He also works as the liaison between the Japan Game Fish Association and IGFA.
 
 
Kiichiro Nagashiki
Hiroshima, Japan
Fukuyama City, Hiroshima, Japan's Kiichiro Nagashiki began fishing as a child. He has been a regular competitor at the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament since 2003, and serves as chairman of the Japan Game Fish Association (JGFA). In a rapidly modernizing world, he believes international cooperation between IGFA and JGFA is critical to ensuring a better angling environment in the future.
 
 
Yasunori Haraguchi
Kyshu & Okinawa Islands, Japan
Yasunori Haraguschi is an avid saltwater plug angler along Southern Japan's Kyushu and Okinawa islands who targets coastal and pelagic species. He is the president of the Team Angler fishing club on Amami Oshima Island. Because of its geographical isolation, the fishing culture on the island has a lot to learn regarding conservation of its marine resources. In Kyushu and Okinawa, Haraguschi helps plan tournaments and events employing IGFA rules so that participants can be exposed to the ethos of the organization.
 
 
Shigeshi Tanaka
Saitama, Japan
"Expert anglers are not shaken; concentration is everything," says Shigeshi Tanaka who, in more than 50 years of angling, often compares sport fishing to the meditational mental state known as 'Zen'. Tanaka caught his first marlin in 1988 off Kailua Kona, Hawaii and has participated in various editions of the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament (HIBT) ever since. He is a long-time member of the Japan Game Fish Association (JGFA) where has served as director. As an IGFA Representative, Tanaka's focus is angler education and ensuring the future of the sport through instilling the conservation ethic in the next generation of anglers.
 
 
Ichiro Takahashi
Tokyo, Japan
Ichiro Takahashi has caught more than 850 billfish of nine species in the past 40 years-- most of them tagged and released alive. Takahashi is an ambassador for the Japan Game Fish Association and a big promoter of IGFA's rules, mission and vision.
 
 
Masutoshi Ishimaru
Tokyo, Japan
Japan's Masutoshi Ishimaru fishes in both fresh- and saltwater--on fly rod and trolling conventional gear offshore--around the world. His main target is Japanese sea bass found in his home waters of Tokyo Bay, but during the summer he competes in numerous billfish tournaments. He regularly lectures on IGFA rules and the ethics of catch-and-release fishing and fish tagging to promote conservation and sportsmanship.
 
 

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF

Sung-Su Kim
Seoul/Gyeonggi-do, Korea
From a young age Kim has sport-fished in Korean waters-- primarily with artificial lures. Kim is working hard to promote fishing in Korea under IGFA rules and principles by tapping into the social media pipeline and promoting the Korean fishery in larger markets such as the United States.
 
 

MALAYSIA

Christopher S. Tan
Selangor, Malaysia
Christopher Tan is a freelance writer and photographer who has published numerous articles in various angling magazines and web-based publications where he often promotes conservation-minded fishing practices like catch-and-release. An expert fly fisherman, Tan became the first angler to catch a sailfish on fly in the busy Malacca Straits in 2003. As an IGFA Representative, Tan's goal is to promote the importance of conservation and ethical angling practices to ensure the future of the sport for generations to come.
 
 
Shamin Shaimah
Founder of The Milkfish Lady, a privately-owned business focused on education, sustainability and conservation through sportfishing. With professional experience in special education and school management, Shamin created a complete sportfishing training course that first found its way into major international schools, which progressed to other offerings. Today her signature family-friendly fishing tour is rated one of the best activities in Malaysia. In 2018 The Milkfish Lady became an IGFA Education Partner and the very first recipient of the Passports-to-Fishing program, which Shamin translated into Bahasa Malaysia, the country's official language, and has been used in Malaysia and Singapore for IGFA's education initiative. Her extensive effort continues to draw participation from local communities, schools, parks, yacht shows and corporates. Shamin is a brand ambassador for PENN, Ugly Stik and Berkley.
 
 

MALDIVES

Muhammad Ibraahim
Muhammad Ibraahim has over 20 years of fishing experience, including 17 years specializing in ultralight fishing across more than 170 locations in the Maldives. He has extensively studied marine-tropical species and participated in marine life conservation programs and seminars within the country. As a lead contributor to the Maldivian fishing community, he has promoted the IGFA Passports to Fishing program to over 70 participants. Muhammad has played a key role in educating local communities about fishing sciences and conservation. He has also contributed to the field testing and development of gear for brands like OCEANKILLER and FISH BOY and is a pioneer of ultralight fishing in the Maldives.
 
 

PAKISTAN

Syed Aziz Agha
Karachi, Pakistan
Syed Aziz Agha is a pioneer of saltwater fishing in Pakistan. A lifetime member of IGFA, he was appointed IGFA representative in 1990. He formed Pakistan's first saltwater fishing club in 1984. Agha has fished in many destinations including Panama, Costa Rica, and the United States. He became the first Pakistan angler to land three species of marlin. Agha has been the editor of several Pakistan marine magazines and is the author of "Guide to Saltwater Sport Fishing in Pakistan". Agha actively promotes fisheries conservation and is the chairperson of his country's Marine Peace Society.
 
 

SINGAPORE

Alan Ang
Alan Ang started fishing at a tender age of 5 and continued to fish during his tour of duty in the Republic of Singapore Navy. He eventually took to challenging himself with ultralight fishing, or what is now known as Bait Finesse Style or BFS fishing. He has since chased many species around the world with BFS. In fact, he was given the title of the forefather of BFS fishing of UK by his peers, when he introduced BFS to avid angler - Jason Vorster, during his 1st trip to London who went on to become one of the pioneers of BFS fishing there. Alan is a strong advocate for sustainable fishing, engaging actively with various agencies and had also drafted the 1st Angling License Management proposal to the Singapore authorities with the Gamefish and Aquatic Rehabilitation Society. As part of the IGFA International community, he will continue his work with the government agencies and promote sustainable fishing to the masses.
 
 

SRI LANKA

Philip C. Weinman
Colombo, Sri Lanka
When Philip Weinman purchased his very first rod and reel in 1985, he had the good fortune to catch his very first fish on his very first cast - and he knew then that he was hooked. Weinman's love for the sport led him to open the Sri Lanka Sport Fishing Group--an online community where anglers in Sri Lanka can access up-to-the-minute fishing information. As an IGFA Representative Weinman's focus is the promotion of IGFA rules among local recreational anglers and tournament participants.