Two families gathered on Moturiki to watch the flotilla of fishing boats. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

Keen fishers are heading out into Tauranga waters this morning following a shotgun start for the Stoney Creek One Base Fishing Tournament.

Being hosted at the Tauranga Sports Fishing Club, the event will feature a four day hunt for the prizewinning fish.

Keen fishermen will be out on the water in the hopes of landing the winning catch, says a statement released by event organisers.

This year, the tournament is helping fundraise the Tauranga Harbour and Ocean Clean Up Project.

This project is being hosted in conjunction with the Tauranga Sports Fishing Club, and will be funded by the Stoney Creek One Base Fishing Competition, along with local businesses, families and key sponsors.

The purpose of this project is to help clean up our own backyard.

'The purpose of the project is to protect our waterways and its marine life and to further encourage other people and businesses to support the initiative and the ongoing protection of valuable natural resources,” says a spokesperson.

For more information on the cleanup project, see the full article in The Weekend Sun this week.