V. I. GAME FISHING CLUB

st. Thomas, u. s. virgin islands

2016 july open tournament rules

This is a total release tournament:

Fish may not be boated. BVI fishing regulations do not allow the boating of any billfish in their

in their waters. All boats and anglers must have valid BVI licenses for this event.

Team Requirements:

This is a boat/team tournament. Each team must consist of a minimum of one angler, one mate,

and one captain, or a maximum of four anglers, two mates and one captain. Crew members may

not register simultaneously as crew and angler. Regardless of number of anglers, a team will be

allowed any number of rods with hooks and any number of teasers. Teasers may be used in any

manner that best facilitates the bite.

Manufactured listed line weight (Maximum of 130 lb. IGFA)

IGFA Rules apply in their entirety except for the following:

Single hook rigs only, circle hooks for live or dead bait. No more that one person is permitted to hold the leader. To qualify as a "Released Billfish", the leader must be brought within the grasp of the mate, or the end of the leader is wound to or through the rod tip. When this occurs it is the time

of release.

Cameras:

A "Billfish Release Affidavit" must be completed for each billfish released and presented to the Judges between the hours of 5:30pm and 7:30pm on the same day the fish is caught. These hours can be extended if a team was fighting and reported to the Committee Boat prior to "lines out of the water."

The "Billfish Release Affidavit" must be accompanied by a time and date stamped digital image of the fish (still image or video that clearly shows the billfish species reported and the colored ribbon for that day.) The billfish must be photographed within thirty (30) feet (leader length) from the boat. The digital image verifies the Affidavit; therefore, no points will be awarded if the species shown in the digital image does not match the species reported on the Affidavit. The time stamp of the digital image is the official release time and must be within (plum or minus) fifteen (15) minutes of the time reported by radio to the Committee Boat. release digital images and affidavits must be presented to the Judges at the designated tournament location after the vessel on which the fish was released and said digital images were taken returns to the host marina.

Fighting time:

Fighting time is unlimited the first two days of the tournament, Fishing each day is 8:30 am to 5 pm.

Last day of fishing, lines in at 8:30 am and out at 4:00 pm. The last day all fish must be released by

6 pm. Awards program will begin promptly at 8 pm.

Judges:

Judges will be comprised of members of the VIGFC Board of Directors. Protests must be in writing

and filed with the judges on the affected day.

VHF Channel 19 will be the official tournament VHF radio channel.

Point Scoring System

Species Release Points

Blue Marlin 500pts

White Marlin 300pts

Sailfish 200pts

It is understood that all participants in this tournament enter at their own risk. By registering, the angler holds harmless the VIGFC and all persons connected with the tournament from any libel, slander, loss, damage, negligence, harm, injury or death suffered by any participant entrant, their companions, crew members, vessels and equipment which may occur during or in conjunction with the tournament.