RULES & REGULATIONS
REGISTRATION OF TEAMS
All teams must be registered prior to the Captain’s briefing to be held at 18:30 on
21st January 2024 at Le Morne Anglers’ Club
Teams should comprise a minimum of two and a maximum of four anglers. There
needs to be a minimum of 2 team members on board on each fishing day. The
organisers reserve the right to accommodate exceptional cases when special conditions
and or reserves may apply. Once registered, no change will be allowed in the team.
Only registered members shall fish from the boat during the tournament. Non-anglers
or spectators may ride along on the boat but shall not be permitted to catch fish.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
The International Game Fish Association Rules and the Competition Rules and
Regulations will apply to all catches. It is the responsibility of each team Captain and
registered angler to know, understand and abide by the international Game Fish
Association and the South Indian Ocean Billfish Competition rules and regulations.
FISHING DATES AND TIME
Fishing dates are : 22nd and 23rd January 2024 – 25th and 26th January 2024.
The organisers reserve the right to fish four consecutive days within the week of the
tournament and/or reduce the number of days in case of “force majeure”. Under such
circumstances, the penalties’ clause will be amended accordingly. Fishing will start
every day at 7:00 and finish at 16:30 when all lines must be out of the water The
official time reference used for and during the competition will be the time shown on
the clock at le Morne Anglers’ Club.
PENALTIES
All lines must be out of the water at 16:30. If a fish is hooked and reported on the radio before 16:30 and is still fighting after 16:30, no penalty shall be imposed even if the fish is lost. There will NOT be any specific return time if a fish is hooked before 16:30. Should a fish be hooked after 16:30, the entire catch of the day will be disqualified.
No team is allowed to seek help from any other boat for the purpose of gaffing or boating a fish. Should a team be helped, the catch will be disqualified.
CHECKING THE BOAT AND EQUIPMENT
The Organisers reserve the right to check at random any boat and its fishing equipment.
FISHING LINES
The Competition will be fished exclusively on 130 Lb. Line test. Any lighter line used will be considered as 130 Lb Line test. We recommend the use of IGFA rated lines.
BAIT
The use of live or dead bait is only allowed if rigged with non offset circle hooks.
It is brought to attention that the use of J hooks as may be shown as guideline in any
IGFA or other illustration is not authorised in the South Indian Ocean Billfish
Competition.
RELEASE RULES
Any Marlin ( Blue, Black, Striped) estimated to weigh 400 lb. or less must be released.
All Sailfish and Spearfish must be released.
All sharks must be released. Sharks are not included in the competition and
will not count for points. Team captains may decide whether or not to boat a shark,
especially if it is apparent that the Shark may not survive a release.
All teams must provide their own camera (phone, Go- Pro, Webcam) to film the release
for verification. All video recording devices must be synchronised with the official
competition time. To be eligible for points, the Team Captain must personally provide
to the Scorer / Weighmaster continuous video footage showing clearly:
1. The leader in hand
2. The armband of the color valid for the day on the arm of the person holding the
leader
3. The fish which should be clearly identifiable
4. The release itself
The video must be continuous and display the date and time of the action
The release must be done preferably by removing the hook from the fish or by cutting
the leader as close as possible to the hook.
The fish will also be considered released if:
The leader breaks while in hand.
The fish frees itself from the hook while the leader is in hand.
In both cases, the video footage must be submitted.
THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED A RELEASE:
The fish is still hooked and the leader is released by the person holding it and the fish eventually frees itself ( breaks the leader or the line or if the hook is pulled off) . If a Marlin is brought dead to the boat, it must be boated without being gaffed to be eligible for points. The fish will be inspected by the Jury for eligibility.
POINTS FOR RELEASED FISH:
Marlin ( Blue, Black, Striped) 400 points
Sailfish 125 points
Spearfish 25 points
POINTS FOR BOATED MARLIN
Marlin gaffed and boated and weighing less than 400 lb. will not be eligible for points.
Any legally caught Marlin which has been boated and which weighs 400 lb or more will be awarded 1.5 points per lb.
Any Marlin weighing less than 400 lb. Brought dead to the boat without having been gaffed will be awarded 400 points, as applicable to a released fish.
BONUS POINTS FOR BOATED MARLIN
100 points for the heaviest Marlin on each day.
100 points for the heaviest Marlin of the Competition
Any Marlin weighing less than 400 lb. brought dead to the boat and boated without having been gaffed will not qualify for bonus points even if the fish is the heaviest marlin boated on that day.
ADDITIONAL BONUS POINTS FOR MARLIN
A bonus will be awarded to the angler(s) having recorded the first, second, and third Marlin release or boated every day of the Competition. The officially recorded time is that reported by radio or telephone to Le Morne Anglers’ Club. The actual time of the communication will be recorded.
The bonus points awarded are as follow:
1st 40 points
2nd 20 points
3rd 10 points
In case of a tie in points for the winning team and/ or angler, the team, and/or angler who would have first released or boated its last Marlin will be declared the winner.
POINTS FOR OTHER FISH
On each day of the Competition, each team will be allowed to register two specimens of each of the following fish for one point per pound:
Yellowfin and Dogtooth Tuna – 30 lb. or more
Dorado and Wahoo – 20 lb. or more
REPORTING TO THE SCORER/ WEIGHMASTER
Team Captains must report to the Scorer/ Weighmaster immediately after docking and by 17:30 latest and submit video footage of release and completed scorecards even if no fish is caught. Failure to comply with the above will result in a penalty of 100 points. Note that the above rule does not apply in the case where a fish is hooked before 16:30 and is still fighting after 16:30. The Organisers reserve the right to ask for a sample of the line used to catch any declared fish and to inspect and verify fishing equipment on any boat at any time.
SCALE
Le Morne Anglers’ Club scale will be the official scale for the competition. All fish will be weighed in pounds and weights will be rounded as follows:
From 0.1 to 0.5 no extra pound
From 0.6 to 0.9, up to the next pound
CONDITIONS
No team may take part in the Competition unless all costs have been paid in full or per voucher drawn by an authorised agent. The challenge trophies remain the property of the organisers of the Competition and will remain in Mauritius.
It is brought to attention that the words “South Indian Ocean Billfish Competition” or S I O B C may not be used in any way by any party other than Le Morne Anglers Club. It may not be used in the appellation of any team. Le Morne Anglers’ Club may authorise that the tournament’s logo be embroidered or printed on any of the teams’ wearing apparel.
CLAIMS, PROTESTS OR DISPUTES
Complaints and/or claims and/or disputes must be presented in writing by the Team Captain to the President of the Jury, as soon as possible after docking but in any event before 17:30 hrs. except in the case where a team has been fighting a fish hooked before lines out, fought until after 16:30 hrs, and which has delayed its docking time. Under such circumstances a claim or complaint or dispute should be submitted within 30 mins after docking.
The organisers reserve the right to sanction and/or exclude from the competition, any individual or participating team if found guilty of unsportsmanlike behaviour and/or allegation with aim to discredit any participant, participating team and organisers.
The decision of the Jury will be final.