1) Entry

Entry to the competition is subject to your acceptance to abide by the rules and regulations of the competition.  Team captains must attend a briefing to be held at 18h00 on Thursday 4^th December 2003 prior to one week's fishing.

2) Teams

Teams should comprise a minimum 2 and a maximum of 4 anglers.

3) Boats

Each team will draw four boats for the four days fishing, on alternate days at the Cocktail draw on Thursday 4^th December. No changes in boats drawn will be acceptable. In the event of a breakdown the Technical Committee will provide a replacement boat.

4) Fishing

Fishing days are Friday 5^th December, Sunday 7^th December, Tuesday 9^th December and Thursday 11^th December for League A.  League B will fish on Saturday 6th December, Monday 8^th December, Wednesday 10^th December and Friday 12^th December. Fishing starts at 07h00 and finishes at 16h30 when all lines must be out of the water.  All boats must be back in at Le Morne Anglers Club jetty everyday at midnight, except for the last day of fishing for each league A & B (11^th and 12^th December respectively), wherein boats must be back by 17h30.

5) Penalties

It is understood thet all lines must be out of the water at 16h30. Should a boat hook a fish after 16h30 the entire catch of the day will be disqualified. Hoever, if a fish is hooked and radioed in before 16h30 and is still fighting after 16h30 no penalty will be imposed even if the fish is lost. As a general rule, each day all boats must be back at the Le Morne Anglers jetty by midnight or the entire catch of the day will be disqualified. The exception applies to the last day of fishing for each league A & B (11^th and 12^th December respectively), wherein boats must be back by 17h30.

6) Line test
The following line classes will be used: 130lb, 80lb and 50lb. No points will be recorded for fish boated on any other line class. All boats will be supplied with 130lbs and 80lbs tackle. We suggest that anglers wishing to fish on 50lb tackle bring their own equipment.

7) Tag and Release Points
All Billfish and Shark species caught must be tagged and released. However if any Billfish (Blue, Black, Stripped Marlin, Sailfish or Spearfish) and Shark is brought dead to the boat, it must be boated without gaffing to be eligible for points. No points will be awarded for any Billfish or Shark gaffed and boated. Points will be awarded according to the table below:

8) Tie Break

In the event of a tie in points, the team that tags and releases their last MLarlin of the competition first, wins.

9) Tagging

The tag pole must be in hand when tagging the fish.

10) Tag Card
All fish tagged, must be accompanied by the Tag Card duly filled and by six metres of the actual line, used to catch the fish.

11) Photographing Tagged Fish
The Technical Committee will provide disposable cameras. At least two or more photographs of the tagging showing clearly the tag, tag pole and the fish must be taken. Films together with your score cards, tag card(s) and a sample of the line, must be handled over to the scorer. Details of this will be provided during the Captains briefing.

12) Bonus Points
A bonus will be awarded to the angler(s) having recorded, tagged and released the first, second and third Blue or Black Marlin of the entire competition.
 

Other Species:
Points will be awarded for the following species of fish according to the table below:

Note that the weight of the above species must be equal to or exceed, the breaking strength of the line used for its catch, to be eligible for points.

13) Radio

All strikes must be reported immediately by radio, giving the name of the angler, the line class being used, the type of bait, and the zone being fished.  Once tagged and released (or boated for other species), the estimated weight must be radioed in.  Radio silence must be maintained 10 minutes before each hour and as from 16h20 each day to allow skippers to radio in and report strikes.

14) Reporting

All team Captains MUST report to the scorer immediately after their return and sign their respective scorecards even if no scoring fish were caught.  All Billfish tagged and released, and all other species caught and registered for weighing, must be accompanied by at least 6 metres of the actual line used. Line testing apparatus will be available for all teams wishing to test their lines, before each days fishing.

15) Complaints

Complaints should be made in writing and remitted to the President of the Technical Committee within half an hour after returning.

16) Claims

Claims must be made by the team Captain in writing immediately upon arrival, to the President of the Jury. Participants must accept that any decision taken by the jury is final.

17) IGFA Rules

The competition will be governed by IGFA rules.

18) Conditions

No team may take part in the competition unless all costs have been paid in full. It is a condition of the competition that all foreign teams reside at La Pirogue Hotel or Sugar Beach Resort for the duration of the competition.  The trophies remain the property of the organisers of the competition, and will remain in Mauritius.