Vic Cohen’s legacy in law and tuna fishing
Vic Cohen, father of fishing legend Brian Cohen, is remembered for his profound contributions to the legal world and the fishing community of Simon's Town.
Brian established the All Africa junior record at 16 when he caught a 600-pound tuna and was the winner of the state president’s award for sport on two separate occasions. He still holds the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) record for the biggest bluefin tuna ever caught in Africa on a rod and reel, which weighed in officially at 845 pounds (“A tale of celebs, spies, and very big tuna,” Echo August 12, 2021).
According to Brian, his father served as the legal advisor to the Royal Navy stationed at the Simon’s Town naval base throughout World War II.
“He was the only lawyer in Simon’s Town and practised law for 52 years before retiring,” says Brian, adding that his dedication to the naval personnel, both officers and ratings, earned him respect and gratitude from the entire community.
Throughout the war, Simon's Town was a crucial naval port, with ships arriving two to three times a week.
As the only lawyer in town, Vic offered his services, free of charge, to sailors who often found themselves in “various predicaments.”
After Vic's death in 1983, Brian discovered a letter from Vice Admiral Sir Robert Lindsay Burnett, a senior figure in the Royal Navy. The letter expressed profound gratitude for Vic's selfless contribution during the war effort, recognising the pivotal role he played in supporting the naval personnel.
However, Vic Cohen’s legacy is not only tied to his legal work. He pioneered the sport of game fishing from boats in the 1940s and discovered the existence of bluefin tuna in Fish Hoek Bay in 1964.
He began amateur fishing while practising law on a modest 30-foot boat named Doreen. As his love for the sea and fishing grew, he acquired two former navy vessels: Sally and later La Morva.
It was aboard La Morva, bought for £400, that Vic made history, catching the first bluefin tuna just 100 metres from Fish Hoek Beach.
La Morva holds a special place in Brian’s memories, not only as his father’s prized fishing vessel but also as a boat with its own significant past.
During World War II, he says, La Morva was the last British vessel to leave Singapore, carrying survivors and naval personnel as the Japanese invaded the city. Following Vic’s death, La Morva was sold to a diver on the West Coast and subsequently changed ownership multiple times. According to Brian, the last known report was that La Morva had wrecked off the coast of Namibia.
