A. GENERAL RULES :

• All references to "billfish" in these rules and tournament materials apply to Blue, Black, Striped marlin, Spearfish and Sailfish unless specifically noted otherwise.
  
• Governing rules: All applicable IGFA RULES modified for this event and World Billfish Series Rules & Regulations apply in addition to the following specific WBC tournament rules.
  
• Minimum weight qualifiers: BLUE or BLACK marlin minimum weight 200 lbs; ALL OTHER "billfish" minimum weight 50 lbs.
  • AHI minimum weight 50 lbs.
  • MAHI MAHI, ONO minimum weight 20 lbs.
    
• Billfish and Ahi, exceeding minimum weight qualify for tournament prize money.
  
• Lines in water commences at 7:00 a.m. daily confirmed by tournament control official time.
• All boats may depart Ko Olina harbor NO EARLIER then 6:00 am.
  
• All tournament boats must check in with tournament control prior to departing. An observer will be stationed at harbor entrance to visually verify boat departure.
  
• All fishing ends promptly at 4:00 p.m. any tournament fish hooked up and confirmed by radio control prior to the stop-fishing time may be fought until boated, tagged, released or lost. All "lines in water", must be within any point of the official tournament grid.
  
• Teams will be limited to the established fishing grid area.
  
• All qualifying fish must be weighed in, at tournament's weigh station.
  
• At least one registered member of a team must attend the scheduled angler/captain meeting. If a team fails to attend, they accept and agree to be bound by all of the instructions, any changes as given during the meeting.
  
• All bait must be caught during fishing hours. Anglers are responsible for their own bait. Any lures, teasers or bait may be used under tournament rules.
• DISPOTION OF ALL CAPTURED fish is the responsibility of the team/boat after weigh-in is complete.
  

B. RADIO REPORTING :

• All boat captains must report at the time of hook-up and grid location. Radio roll call round-ups will be at 10:00 am, 12:00 noon and 3:00 p.m. All boats must answer roll call. Radio control utilizes VHF channel 68. Only in the event of radio communication breakdown may cellular phones be accepted for reporting fish tagging, catch, loss or any other disposition. Once reported via cellular phone, radio control will broadcast information relating to capture, loss, tag or release. All strikes, hook-ups and landings must be reported. All boats must secure with tournament control upon returning to port. Failure to secure may result in a point penalty established by the rules committee prior to the start of next day's start fishing.
  

C. QUALIFYING FISH :

• All fish exceeding minimum weight must be weighed in for points. All weigh-in will take place at the tournament's weigh station at Ko Olina Harbor. ALL NON-QUALIFYING BILLFISH SHOULD BE RELEASED. All other "flag fish" must be weighed in daily to qualify for sides or daily prizes. LURES are encouraged. LIVE BAITING IS RESTRICTED TO USE OF CIRCLE HOOKS ONLY. Any use of "J" hooks in live baiting of billfish will result in disqualification. "J" hooks are not retricted for baiting or other species during the tournament. AHI may be bled to prevent burning. NO OTHER MUTILATION of captured fish is acceptable.
  

D. POINTS :

• All qualifying fish will recieve 1 point per pound.
  

E. TIES :

• In case of a tie between teams, the team who reaches the tie position first and is confirmed by radio control shall be determined the tie breaker.
  

.F. PROTESTS :

• Any protest and supporting evidence must be presented to tournament control before 7:00 p.m. of the same day of protest. Said evidence will be ruled on by the tournament producer prior to the next day's events, announced and deemed final.
  

G. PAYOUTS :

• Only one Tournament Entry Jackpot per boat. (This dose not apply to additional Entry in Daily Jackpots). All additional daily entries are optional and will be paid daily based on largest captured fish over minimum weights.
  
• In the event categories are not paid they will roll to the next day.
  
• Base entry fee payout will be 90% of all base entry fees collected. ONE payout will be made to the team captain for largest qualifying fish as tournament winner.
  
• Largest Marlin payout from additional entry fee.
• If a category is not paid the amount remaining will be disbursed to the place(s) that are filled.
• Daily payouts for sides will be based on three places for largest qualifying fish and one place for total weight in each category. In the event any category is not paid on by the last day of competition, unpaid categories will roll back to the team with the most points participating in dailys in respective categories. The tournament reserves the right to alter the number of payouts in any category based upon the number of participants. Notification will be made to all teams prior to start fishing of day one.
  

H. EMERGENCIES :

• ONLY IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY confirmed by tournament control, may a vessel entered in the tournament be involved in handing off, or receiving anything from another vessel whether or not that vessel is entered in the tournament.
  

RIGHTS OF PRODUCER STATEMENT

Ocean Sports Productions, llc the producer of Hawaii's World Billfish Challenge reserves the right on behalf of its officers and sponsors to deny or disqualify entry to any boat, team or person from participation at any time deemed necessary for the benefit of all participant's and honor of the sport. This is an invitational event. Any team participant's (Angler, Crew, Boat Captain or Guest) actions may result in the disqualification or elimination by any, but not limited to, the following actions; cheating in any manner, filling fish with any item to increase weight, using fishing line greater than the allowable official line manufacturers line test, adding or utilizing non registered anglers, attempting to alter any tournament photo for points, using "non-conforming fishing gear or attempting to influence other team's members to partake in such actions. Disqualification or removal from a tournament will be considered a PERMANENT disqualification of all associated team members, boat, captain, crew and boat owner from any World Billfish Challenge tournament. Disqualification will include and not be limited to, loss of any fees paid, any winnings earned, notification to other related events of disqualificaion actions by Ocean Sports Productions, llc.

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