Inducted into the South African Hall of Fame – 18 September 2026

Brian Cohen is a legendary South African deep-sea angler whose record-breaking achievements helped shape the history of game fishing in False Bay.

Born on 14 May 1948 in Simon’s Town, Cohen caught his first bluefin tuna at just 15 years old and, at 16, set an All Africa junior record with a 600-pound tuna. He went on to catch an 845-pound bluefin tuna in 1973, which remains the official International Game Fish Association (IGFA) record for the largest bluefin tuna caught in Africa on rod and reel. A two-time recipient of the State President’s Award for sport, Cohen also contributed to South Africa’s tuna industry through the Tuna Marine Group.