Matthew Maurice, a 26-year-old from Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory, became a millionaire after landing an 80-centimetre red-tagged barramundi during a night fishing trip with his brother. The catch secured the top prize in the Million Dollar Fish competition.
Maurice had finished a football training session and decided to head out on the water by boat on Thursday evening with his brother, who was visiting from overseas. He said they had travelled less than a kilometre from the boat ramp. "We just wanted to fish and talk, that was it. Whether the fish was caught or not didn't matter. We just wanted to be together," Maurice said.
He spotted a bright red tag on the caught barramundi, which signalled a major win in the competition. "I hooked the fish and my first reaction was to turn on the bow light. The first thing that shone was a big silver body and a large red tag hanging off it," he recounted. It was only after handing over the catch that he discovered the red tag on his barramundi carried a prize of one million dollars.
As part of the competition, which began on 1 October, 100 fish were released into waterways, each carrying a cash prize of 10,000 dollars, alongside one elusive top prize. Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro reportedly told Maurice: "I am about to tell you the best news of your life." Maurice then called his mother and brother to share the news.
At a press conference, Maurice stated: "I am happy that I caught the fish. I cannot believe I caught a fish worth a million dollars." He added: "Every barra is a good barra, especially the one worth a million dollars." Regarding his plans for the money, he said: "I feel like I am in a dream. I think I should not be allowed to touch that money. Someone else should probably keep it for me. But I will probably be smart with it, buy a house, pay off everything that needs paying off, and then treat myself a little."
Maurice has become the second person in the 12-year history of the competition to win the top prize. Keegan Payne, a resident of Katherine, landed a million-dollar fish three years ago. The initiative is a program sponsored by Tourism & Events Northern Territory, aimed at promoting the region's "world-class fishing experiences." The competition runs until 31 March 2027, with dozens of tagged barramundi worth 10,000 dollars still to be caught across the Top End, of which 96 remain uncaught.
