While all effort will be made to keep this information current, all rules published shall be considered unofficial. Official rules will be distributed and announced at the registration check-in and captain’s meeting. All participants agree to the terms of these rules by participating in the tournament. 

IGFA International Angling Rules will be applied to all catches (please read the rules carefully).

Any catch that does not comply with the IGFA rules and Tournament Rules will be disqualified with no exception. 

NGLING & EQUIPMENT

• Teams are allowed to use any line class up to 130 lb.

• The Tournament Committee reserves the right to request line samples for any catches submitted to the tournament.

• The use of backing is permissible as per IGFA rules.

• Top shots must be a minimum of 5 meters (16.5 feet) in length.

• Leader length is limited to 9.14 meters (30 feet) including floats/corks and is measured to the bend of the last hook.

• Double line length is limited to 9.14 meters (30 feet).

• The combined length of the double line and leader shall not exceed 12.19 meters (40 feet).

• Any type of live, dead or artificial bait can be used.

• Four anglers per team are permitted.

• Only live bait caught by the anglers during the tournament time can be used and cannot be used the following day.

• Teams are not allowed to pass baits to other teams, no boats are allowed to be closer to the other by one arms distance, otherwise the team will be disqualified.

• Harpoons are prohibited.

• During the fight, the angler is the only one permitted to handle the rod. Team members are prohibited from rotating or passing the rod to each other while fighting. No one other than the angler should touch the rod at any point during the fight until the fish is boated or released.

• The use of diving boards is NOT permitted, only diving planers and downriggers are allowed.

• The fishing day begins at 6:00 AM and fishing concludes ( lines out ) at 4:00 PM. All boats must return to the marina at 5:30 PM, regardless if anglers are still fighting fish. The Tournament Committee will disqualify the day's scores teams arriving after the 5:30 PM deadline. Exceptions may be made in cases of genuine emergency, such as mechanical issues, if sufficient proof is provided.

TOURNAMENT CATCH LIMITS, SPECIES & SCORING

Catch Limits

Teams are permitted to weigh a maximum of five fish per species per day for the weight category (all Tunas are under one basket, so 5 fish total for the Tuna basket).

Eligible Weight Species
The following species listed below are eligible for weighing only. Each species point system will consist of the weight of the fish and the base points which is equal to the weight of the fish. For example, a 56 kg Yellowfin will be calculated as follows (56 weight + 56 base points = 112 points).

• Bluefin Tuna

• Yellowfin Tuna

• Bigeye Tuna

• Longtail Tuna

• Skipjack Tuna

• Dolphinfish (mahi-mahi)

The minimum weight for Yellowfin Tuna is 15 kg.

For any other eligible species the minimum weight is 5 kg

Other species not mentioned above will not get any points and must be released.

For scoring purposes, each kg counts as a point. Scores will be recorded in whole integers to the closest decimal point. For example, a fish weighing 49.2 kg will count 49 points, while a fish weighing 49.6 kg will count 50 points.

Eligible Release Species
The following species listed below must be released alive to qualify for points.

Unlimited number of release are permitted for all Billfish species:  

• Black Marlin (400 points)

• Blue Marlin (400 points)

• Swordfish (300 points)

• Striped Marlin (300 points)

• Sailfish (200 points)

• Spearfish (200 points)

In case of a tie, the team which reaches the winning points first will be the winner.

The release or catch time will be assigned at the moment of the communications

REPORTING OF CATCHES

The Tournament Committee will create a WhatsApp group with the captain of each team independently to report catches.

A CATCH REPORT FORM can be adopted and will be distributed at the briefing

CATCH & RELEASE RULES

All Billfish must be released safely to qualify for points. A fish is considered released when one of the following situations occurs:

a) the swivel between the main line or double line or the leader hits the rod tip,

b) the mate grabs the leader,

c) the wind-on leader comes through the rod tip.

Please release the fish in good condition by either removing the hook or cutting the leader as close to the hook as possible. “Popping” the leader is not a good method of healthy release, and we ask that you refrain from doing so.

Anglers are not allowed to bring any billfish on board for photography or any other reason, as doing so will disqualify the catch, even if the fish is later released.

VIDEO REQUIREMENTS

• To receive points for any catch, the video must shows continuous footage clearly showing the fish species, the angler, the time of boating / release, the swivel or leader touching the tip of the rod or the mate while grabbing the leader and the fish boated or safely released.

• All videos must show sufficient proof that the catch took place during the tournament such as (showing the flag of the tournament, showing the clothing of the tournament or giveaway, saying the date and the tournament in the video…etc)

• All videos must show the fish alive while being fought, boated or released.

  DISPUTE AND PROTEST

  The Rules Committee has the right to investigate and act upon any incident occurring during the tournament and it shall have the right to disqualify any capture following examination.

  Refusal to allow the Rules Committee to examine any tackle, line and/or leaders will result in immediate disqualification from the event without a refund of any registration fees.

  All disputes and protests must be received in written by the Rules Committee no later than 8:00 p.m. of the day when the incident occurred. All disputes will be settled on the day of the incident unless the Rules Committee consider more time is necessary.

  Decisions of the Rules Committee with regard to protests are final and not appealable.

  IMPORTANT: Indicate times and modality to present it