Floridian dreams of helping Cubans prepare for fishing tourists

Assuming the thawing of relations—as announced in January by President Obama—between Havana and Washington progresses, professional angler Philip Thompson of Tampa, Fla., would like someday to help Cubans to promote their country’s fishing attractions to American tourists. “It is a great place to fish and American anglers will flock there as tourists when they can,” the 63-year-old Thompson told the Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He pointed to the 65th annual Hemingway International Billfish Tournament over the weekend a few miles off Havana as evidence of the interest. This year’s catch-and-release tournament was the first time in 12 years that the U.S. government allowed its citizens to sail in from American waters.