2006 Miami Marlin Classic Rules
Rules may be changed orally or in writing at the captains' meeting

RULES UPDATE 09/08/2006: Clarification of "TIES" Section. Read updated section below.
PHOTO PROCEDURE POSTED 09/11/2006 - See link to PDF below

Link to PDF version of Entry form and Rules
Photo Procedure PDF
Photo Procedure HTML Page

TOURNAMENT DATES & LOCATION - The tournament will take place from October 5, 2006 through October 8, 2006. The captains' meeting, weigh-in, check-out/in, awards ceremony and dock parties will take place at Miami Beach Marina, 300 Alton Road, Miami Beach, Florida.

REGISTRATION AND FEES - Entry fee is $2000 per team if received on or before September 22, 2006 or $2200 if received after September 22, 2006. Each team entry includes 4 lines, 4 angler entries, 4 social bands, 4 tournament shirts, and other sponsor provided promotional items. Each registered team and angler is eligible for team and individual tournament prizes. Additional anglers may be added to each team for $250 per extra angler. Extra angler entry includes 1 additional line, one additional angler pack, and one additional social band/ticket. One Captain's Pack may be purchased for $50 and includes an additional shirt and social band/ticket. There is a maximum of 6 anglers per boat/team. Social bands/tickets may be purchased for $50 per person for the entire tournament.

OFFICIAL TIME - The official time will be kept by the tournament director. It is urged that captains and anglers synchronize their watches with the director to avoid time related issues.

CAPTAIN'S MEETING - There will be a Captains' Meeting on Thursday October 5, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. at the tournament site. At least one representative from each boat/team must be present. All anglers are encouraged to attend. The rules of this tournament may be amended verbally or in writing at the time of the meeting. Anglers are responsible for being well informed of all rules.

LICENSES AND PERMITS - All participating anglers must possess necessary licenses and permits including, but not limited to Florida Saltwater Fishing License and the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Angling Permit.

ELIGIBLE SPECIES: BILLFISH - Marlin, spearfish, swordfish, sailfish (see scoring section for more details)
BILLFISH SCORING - All billfish should be released unharmed. Any angler bringing a billfish into the weigh station shall forfeit any claim he/she and their team may have to tournament prizes. Each successful release of a blue marlin will earn the angler 400 points and their team the same number of points. Each successful release of a white marlin will earn the angler 200 points and their team the same number of points. Each team may register as many marlin releases as possible. Only one release of a swordfish, spearfish, or sailfish per day will count towards a team's billfish score. A swordfish or spearfish release is worth 100 points. A sailfish release is worth 50 points. A successful release is when a team member touches the leader (not the double line), or the swivel attaching the leader touches the rod tip, or the knot attaching the leader to the fishing line touches the rod tip, or in the case where a float is used: when the float touches the rod tip and the swivel. The photo procedure must be adhered to in order for any release to count.

Note: a team must register a marlin release in order for any of the other billfish release points to count, i.e., a team is not eligible for prizes without a marlin release.

ELIGIBLE SPECIES: FUN FISH - Dolphin, Tuna (blackfin and yellowfin), Wahoo

FUNFISH SCORING - Fun fish do not count towards billfish release points. The fun fish categories pertains only to the funfish division and/or fun fish fortune calcutta. All fish presented for weigh-in must be in fresh, edible condition and caught that tournament day. No mutilated fish (based on tournament committee's opinion) will be accepted. Minimum acceptable weight of 10 pounds is required for entry into the tournament. All participating anglers are urged to release those fish not to be entered into the tournament. The release of fish should be in keeping with the best conservation methods to ensure continued life. All entries must be weighed at the certified scale at the official weigh-in location in the presence of the boat/team entering them. Any fish may be examined by any means necessary. No more than 1 fish of any eligible species may be weighed in per team per day. The fish will be weighed to the nearest twentieth (1/20) of a pound.

BOUNDARIES - All teams must remain within a 35-mile offshore boundary. Fish caught within this area may be fought outside the area. No fish may be hooked while outside the designated area. Bait fishing may occur anywhere within or outside the boundaries.

COMMUNICATIONS - All participating boats should be equipped with a working VHF marine radio. The tournament committee will monitor VHF channel 82. The backup channel will be channel 80. Official times, releases, hook-ups, and other special notifications will be announced during the tournament on this channel. After releasing a billfish, notify the Committee Boat by radio with your boat/team number and the angler's letter. The Committee Boat will acknowledge information given with a confirmation number. Boats without radio contact shall contact another boat for a relay. This information will be acknowledged by radio to all participating boats. During the final 10 minutes of each day's fishing, all hook-ups must be called into the committee boat. NO TOURNAMENT STANDINGS OR WEIGH-IN STATISTICS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE VHF RADIO.

OBSERVERS - Each morning, a list of boats that will require observers will be available at the tournament site. In addition to this printed list, boats will be called over the radio commencing at 6:00 a.m. Boats may pick up observers at the tournament site between 6:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Boats refusing or failing to carry a tournament supplied observer will be disqualified for the entire tournament.

CHECK-OUT PROCEDURE- All boats must be visually checked-out at Miami Beach Marina. The check-out point is located on the dockmaster's dock at Miami Beach Marina. Boats requiring observers will be checked out when their observer is onboard. All boats will be visually and verbally checked-out from this location. This checkpoint will be manned by tournament staff from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. each fishing morning. All boats must take a photo of the checkpoint and tournament staff each morning. Any boat wishing to check-out after 8:00 a.m. must contact the tournament director to arrange a check-out at the marina. Boats not checked out will be disqualified from that day's fishing.

FISHING TIMES - The official start time is at 8:00 a.m. each day. This will be marked by a radio announcement of "lines-in." The official end time is 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. These end times will be marked by a radio announcement of "lines-out." All anglers must discontinue fishing immediately except in the case where a fish was hooked-up and called into the committee boat during the last 10 minutes of fishing for that day. All release cards and weigh-ins must be complete before the weigh-station closes. The weigh-station closes at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

BAIT FISHING - Teams may fish for their own bait or purchase bait for this tournament.

FISHING RULES - Unless otherwise stated elsewhere in these rules or amended at the captains' meeting, I.G.F.A. rules apply throughout the tournament.

LINE CLASS - Maximum of manufacturer stated 130-pound line.

PHOTO PROCEDURE - Each team is required to use their own digital camera. They are responsible for the proper operation of this camera and are urged to have a backup camera. Each team must take a photo of the checkout Teams must take photos of each release fish during the fight and during the release. The “release photo” must contain the team’s boat number card which is distributed in the team package. The photos must conclusively show the release AND the species of the fish. Teams must submit their camera at the end if each day's fishing for examination. The camera is to be submitted with the release card. Cameras will be returned that same day.

RELEASE CARDS - Each team will be given release cards at the beginning of the tournament. Additional release cards are available at the tournament site. Teams are responsible for COMPLETELY and ACCURATELY filling out the information on the release card. A team member (not an observer) must turn in the signed release card to the tournament committee at the end of each day's fishing. Incomplete or improperly completed cards may be rejected by the tournament committee.

OVERALL TOURNAMENT "Top Team" - These prizes are awarded to the top three teams with the most billfish release points.
TOP ANGLER - This prize is awarded to the professional angler receiving the most billfish release points during the tournament.
TOP FEMALE ANGLER - This prize is awarded to the female angler receiving the most billfish release points during the tournament.
TOP JUNIOR ANGLER - This prize is awarded to the junior (not reached 17th birthday by beginning of the tournament, October 5, 2006) angler receiving the most billfish release points during the tournament.

SUBSTITUTIONS - You may substitute anglers or boats. Boat and angler substitution may occur if done in writing and accepted by the tournament director before either day's fishing has commenced.

WEATHER CONDITIONS - In the event of unsafe weather conditions, the tournament committee may choose to cancel a day of fishing for the tournament. If one day has been canceled, the tournament will be decided on the results of the remaining day(s) day. Captains are ultimately responsible for their crew and should make the decision as to safe sea conditions.

PROTESTS - Any protests concerning the conduct of an angler or rules violations must be filed in writing with the tournament committee no later than the close of the weigh station on the day of the alleged violation. Protests will be handled by the rules committee. The decisions of the rules committee are final.

REFUNDS - No refunds will be given for any reason including, but not limited to acts of nature, war, national security, or travel restrictions.

UPDATE: TIES - All ties will be broken based on time. In the billfish division, the earlier marlin release wins. In the funfish division, the earlier fun fish weigh-in wins.

POLYGRAPH -Each registered angler specifically agrees and consents to voluntarily submit to a polygraph examination or examinations at any time until all prize winners and awards are determined and announced. Further, each registered angler agrees to obtain the agreement and consent of each and every occupant of the boat from which he or she fishes during the tournament (including but not limited to the captain and crew) to submit to a polygraph examination or examinations as described above. The method and conduct of all polygraph examinations, and the interpretation of the results thereof, shall be in the sole judgment of the polygraph examiner appointed by the Tournament, whose opinion shall be final. If any registered angler or occupant of a vessel refuses to submit to a polygraph examination, or if any registered angler or occupant gives a response which, in the sole opinion of the polygraph examiner, is untruthful, then all registered anglers on the boat shall be immediately disqualified without further notice from the Tournament. Any registered angler so disqualified shall not be entitled to any prize, award, or entry fee refund.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY - It is expressly understood that all participants in the Tournament enter at their own risk and that the Tournament or Envision Consulting Group, Inc. their officers and directors and all persons connected directly or indirectly with the operations of the tournament, or any sponsor of the tournament shall be exempt from any liability for slander, loss, damage, negligence, harm, injury or death suffered by any participant, entrant, anglers or their companions, boat captains, mates, crew members, guests, vessels and equipment which may occur during the tournament.

SIGNING OF THE ENTRY FORM - By signing the entry form, the angler agrees to follow the above tournament rules and that the tournament and/or it's sponsors may use without payment or restriction any photographs in which he or she appears for any purpose whatsoever but not limited to resale, advertising, commercial or promotional material. All anglers are required to sign their entry blank form as certification that they have read and agreed to abide by all rules and the above liability release.