Tournaments

2nd ANNUAL SHARK'S EYE SATELLITE RELEASE SHARK TOURNAMENT

OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES AND POLICES: SHARK'S EYE SATELLITE CATCH and RELEASE SHARK TOURNAMENT Montauk Marine Basin, July 17-19, 2015Competitive rules, elements and prizes subject to change, prior to event. Disputes and grievances that may arise are subject to review by the competition committee, whose decisions are final. Any handling of sharks deemed to be unnecessarily hazardous or harmful could result in disqualification or point deduction. To ensure a highly competitive, exciting and informative event for both anglers and the general public, in addition to satellite tagging of certain fish, a system of best practices and modern catch and release protocols have been engineered into this tournament format to maximize the post-release welfare and survivability of all sharks caught during this competition. These methods include the mandatory use of inline circle hooks to help prevent internal hooking, heavy tackle and line strengths to reduce a shark's time on the line, and other specific handling procedures designed to ensure angler safety and healthy shark releases. Teams: Teams may choose the option of three people minimum or 2 maximum of five. Either option will include a trained and certified Tournament Observer, who will be placed on board all competing boats in a random fashion during days of competition. Observers Tournament Observers will be trained and provided by the tournament committee. An Observer's role is to assist the tournament committee and anglers in the accurate identification and documentation of shark species, conventional tagging, documentation, handling and release procedures and tournament rules. Observers are not permitted to assist the team in any way with fishing for and/or catching a shark. Training of anglers and observers in tournament protocols will be provided by tournament personnel, prior to competition at the Captain's Meeting on Friday, July 26th at 4pm under the tent at the Montauk Marine Basin. NOAA conventional tags and needles will be provided at the captains meeting. Limit of 10 tags per boat. Tagging poles will be available for purchase at the Montauk Marine Basin.

OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES AND POLICES
Qualifying for Release Points: To assist in coordination with satellite tagging and research chase boats, teams must contact a committee boat by radio (VHF channel 72) every time they are confident a shark has been hooked. Teams that are able, may use their cellular or satellite phones to record releases by calling 631-804-8666631-804-8666 or 631-804-8776631-804-8776 and leaving a recorded message with details of the catch. As soon as a hooked species can be identified with an approximate size, the team must contact a committee boat again to relay this additional information. If a research chase boat is in the vicinity and the shark is a candidate for a satellite tag, the team will be notified that a chase boat is on the way. Satellite Tagging At any time during competition, certain sharks may be designated by research personnel as appropriate specimens for satellite tracking tags. In these cases, a research chase boat will be dispatched to the location by the tournament committee. Communication between teams and the tournament committee is key to this process and the goal is to have a research chase boat in transit while a team retrieves its shark and secures it by the head and tail at boat side. Once the research chase boat arrives, the shark will be handed off by the team to the research chase boat. The competing team will go back to fishing while researchers place the satellite tag, further document and then release the animal. This procedure will be covered during the Captain's Meeting on Friday, July 26th. Documenting Releases and Points A shark will qualify for a release after a team member grabs the leader or the swivel hits the rod tip. To be considered for release points, all sharks must be photographed. It is recommended that the Observer take these photographs, while the team handles the conventional tagging and release of all sharks. All pictures should show the shark in the water with someone holding the leader or the swivel at the rod tip. The species of the shark must be identifiable by the photo. After the shark has been released, a dry-erase Catch Board (supplied in tournament registration packet for each team and observer) must be filled out and photographed by each team and observer. This procedure would apply with all releases including those sharks that might be handed off to the research chase boat.

OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES AND POLICES
Required information on the board includes: • Boat number • Time of catch • Type of shark (species) • Daily Code Number followed by release number (if daily code is 1463 each shark would be numbered as such: 1463-1,1463-2 and so forth for each shark released). After photographing the Catch Board, a committee boat should be contacted by radio (VHF channel 72) to record the release. Teams that are able, may use their cellular or satellite phones to record releases by calling 631-804-8666631-804-8666 or 631-804-8776631-804-8776 and leaving a recorded message with details of the catch. Each shark released must be recorded on the Daily Shark Recorder (DSR) supplied in tournament registration packet. Release Point System • blue and sand bar (brown) sharks = 1 point each • mako, hammerhead, tiger, dusky = 4 points each • thresher = 6 points each •for release points to be considered, teams must either email or download their digital photos and hand off their DSR to a member of the tournament committee at the front desk of the Marina by 5 pm each day they fish. At this time, teams will be given a DSR for their second day of fishing, along with a written confirmation from the tournament committee that they handed in their photos and DSRs from Day 1. Smart Phone cameras may also be used and emails sent to the committee. Determination of Category Winners * First, second, and third place winners will be determined by the total amount of points accumulated by teams during the tournament. * In the event of a tie in points, the winner will be determined by the team that released the most number of sharks, regardless of their point value. If this process still does not break the tie, the winner will be determined by the time of day each team released their first shark.

OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES AND POLICES
Tackle & Equipment No spinning reels are permitted to catch any shark during the competition. Only conventional reels may be used. All reels used to catch any shark during the competition must have a minimum of 80lb mainline (braid or mono at team's discretion). Any rod and reel combo meeting these requirements will be deemed a "Tournament Rod". Leader length and size is at the team's discretion. Single, non stainless steel, inline circle hooks are the only hooks allowed to be used during the competition. No treble or J hooks are allowed. Teams can deploy no more than four Tournament Rods per boat at any given time . Other non-Tournament Rods (i.e. bait rods) may be used. However, any shark caught on this tackle will not be awarded points. Foul hooked sharks shall not be awarded points. A foul hooked shark is defined as "any shark that is hooked anywhere outside the mouth". Any breakaway system used in conjunction with lead is not permitted. Any balloons and/or floats used must be affixed to the mainline or leader to prevent balloon or float from breaking off. Pointed gaffs are not permitted. Additional Equipment and Required Procedures Conventional tagging poles are required and will be available for purchase at the Montauk Marine Basin. NOAA conventional tags and needles will be provided at the captains meeting. Limit of 10 tags per boat. In some cases, sharks brought to the boat for documentation and tagging may be secured at the tail and head. In this case, it is recommended that teams use a device such as the AFTCO tail snare to control, direct and secure the shark. Teams must also have a tail rope on board with a minimum length of 15 feet. Most dock lines will serve this purpose. Under no circumstance, is a tail rope or snare device to be applied anywhere in front of a shark's dorsal fin. Failure to adhere to this rule, may result in no points awarded for that catch. Each team must also have a blunt tip (non-pointed) gaff or similar hook device onboard their vessel to be used in controlling, directing and securing the shark's head. This is also helpful, in the event the mainline or leader breaks off after a shark's tail is secured, prior to photographs being taken.

OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES AND POLICES
A blunt tip gaff is defined as any gaff-like device without a sharp or pointed end that can cause unnecessary injury to a shark. Docking hooks or conventional gaffs with their points filed down or wrapped with a sufficient amount of plastic tubing, cork and/or electrical tape are some convenient substitutes for pointed gaffs. Any such device can only be used in the mouth or jaw area of a shark, and never in the area of the eyes, gills or gullet. Point deductions and/or disqualification may result if these rules are not strictly adhered to.

General Tournament Rules & Policies

1. All boats must be a minimum of 25 ft. in length, and must sail from Montauk Lake each day.
2. Only 25 boats will be allowed in this Prestigious Event on a first come first serve basis.
3. Teams will consist of a minimum of 3 or a maximum of 4 anglers plus one observer for each vessel.
4. No boats may leave the inlet before 6:00 with lines in at 7:30 am and lines out at 4:00 pm Boat must return by 5:00 pm each day Time determined by GPS.
5. Each boat must check in with tournament committee before departing to fish. All captains must leave check out cards with a committee member at front desk. At that time the participant will be given a unique number for that day of fishing.
6. Use of mammal blood or flesh is prohibited.
7. Fishing may be called, due to bad weather conditions by the tournament committee, prior to each fishing day. Only one day of fishing will be needed for the tournament, and determination of prize information.
8. Montauk Marine Basin Inc. employees and tournament committee members are not responsible for any accidents incurred during the tournament.
9. Tournament VHF radio channel will 72.

• Map of Tournament Fishing Area Boundaries
• Color Map of Area

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1. International game fish association rules will apply for the Montauk Marine Offshore Shoot Out with a maximum 130 lb. Test class line limit.
2. Leader length will be no longer than 40 ft. and will include double line and wind on leaders.
3. Spreader bars maybe used but must contain no more than (1) hook.
4. Tournament committee may inspect tackle or test line at there own discretion.
5. All fish must adhere to state and federal regulations to qualify at the weigh in. All Blue Fin Tuna are excluded from all the categories.
6. There shall be outside assistance in landing and acquiring a fish. The angler is allowed to have one single hand off at the time of hook up only.
7. This is strictly a rod and reel tournament. No harpoons, hand lines, nets, or any other means of fish capture are allowed. No push poles are allowed.
8. A release catch must be filmed on camera. A release is constituted by the leader being touched by the angler, a team member or mate.
   
9. Boats may fish from 5:00 pm Friday September 26 to 2:00 pm October 12 2014. You may choose either four(4) Day trips of 20 Hours each or two(2) Overnight trip of 40 hours
10. GPS time will be the Tournament official time.
11. All protests must be made no later tan 3:00 pm Sunday, October 12 2014
12. All boats are responsible for making decisions concerning sea and weather conditions and do so at their own risk.
13. Fish may be weighed in only at Montauk Marine Basin.
14. Boats may depart from Montauk or Shinnecock only upon leaving you must text the 2 out of 4 judges your leave time and from what inlet and what type of a trip you are doing.
15. No mutilated fish can be entered. The weight master reverses the right to retain any questionable fish. If retention is refused, the fish will be disqualified.
    
16. If the tournament is cancelled due to any circumstances or if no qualifying fish are weighed, the prize money will be returned accordingly.
17. A maximum of 25 boats will be accepted in the tournament. In the event less than 25 boats enter, prize money will be prorated.

-All boats must be registered and paid in full by July 23th 2016 at 5pm, before the Captains Meeting.

-All boats must leave from Montauk Harbor 

- All eligible Fluke must be minimum 18 inches, eligible seabass must be minimum 15 inches.

- In the event of a tie the earliest weighed fish wins. 

- Boats are not permited to leave the jetty before 6am and must be back at the dock and checked in with the wieghmaster by 4pm.

- All qualifying fish must be weighed in by weighmaster  at Montauk Marine Basin. Qualifying fish must be brought in by boat, any fish brought by car or truck shall be deemed disqualified.

- No cheating in any way will be tolerated, any fish showing signs of being caught by means other than rod and reel shall be deemed disqualified at weighmasters discretion no exceptions.

- All protests must be submitted both verbally and in writing to the tournament director immediately after the tournament director closes the scales.  The tournament director will hear any and all protests. The decisions of the tournament director are final.

- Entry fee is non refundable.

-Each qualifying fish may only be weighed once per calcutta division. (The grand prize fish can not be weighed in for the top three)