MAZATLAN BILLFISH CLASSIC
OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES
CASH PRIZES
The tournament utilizes a modified release format and has two primary divisions as described herein. Winners will be awarded their cash prizes based on the percentages as outlined. A single team can claim only one of the "cash prize places" in each category. All Daily Jackpot and Super Jackpot winners will be based solely on the rules of the billfish division. In the event of a tie, places involved will divide prizes evenly. Mexico has federal and state taxes much like the U.S. Taxes are required and will be withheld from all cash prizes.
BILLFISH DIVISION
Black, Blue and Striped Marlin, Sailfish, Spearfish, and Swordfish are eligible. Only two boated Blue and or Black Marlin per day is allowed. The minimum weight for marlin has been established initially at 200 pounds. This minimum marlin weight could be adjusted after reviewing fishing conditions and catches a few weeks prior to the tournament. All Striped Marlin, Sailfish and Spearfish are required to be released and the minimum weight for Swordfish is 150 pounds. Scoring of points by teams will be determined as follows: For a boated Marlin over the minimum weight, the team will receive seven points per pound for the minimum weight plus three points per pound for each pound over the minimum. Example: a 275-pound Blue Marlin would be worth 1400 + 225 = 1625 points; Swordfish, Scoring of points by teams will be determined as follows: For a boated Swordfish over the minimum weight, the team will receive seven points per pound for the minimum weight plus four points per pound for each pound over the minimum, a 250-pound Swordfish is worth 1050+ 400 = 1450 points.
Any Swordfish or billfish brought back to the scales weighing less than the minimum weight will result in a penalty of 100 points plus two points for each pound below minimum weight and the fish will be disqualified. Without exception, all boated fish must be weighed. Any fish brought to the weigh station may have its mouth taped close. However, once the weighmaster has raised the fish the team captain will be required to remove whatever is sealing the mouth closed (tape, string, etc.), and clip any external leader material to the outer edge of the mouth. Except for artificial lures, nothing will be pulled from the fish’s mouth, however, whatever falls from the fish due to gravity will remain out when determining the fish’s weight. Failure to weigh a boated fish will result in tournament disqualification and forfeiture of any previous points, prizes and daily jackpots. A released billfish (Black, Blue or Striped Marlin, Sailfish, Spearfish and Swordfish) is worth 100 points per fish. An official release occurs when the leader or swivel reaches the rod tip or when the leader is grabbed by the mate or a team member. This must be witnessed and verified by the observer and the team is required to photograph the fish with the TEAM SUPPLIED DIGITAL CAMERA or the team does not earn the 100 points for the release.* The fish does not have to be tagged to be counted as a released fish. Any ties resulting from tournament scoring practices will be decided (broken) based on the earliest time of day the teams involved reached their respective point totals. The team which reached their points first shall be declared the winner.
*Refer to Camera, Observer, Procedures & Schedule
GAMEFISH DIVISION: DORADO, TUNA AND WAHOO
Each team may enter the official weight of their catch in this division on a daily basis. The two heaviest catches recorded during the three days of fishing will win. The minimum weight necessary to qualify in this category is 25 pounds. If during the three days of fishing there are fewer than two qualifying catches, the unpaid cash prizes will be added to the prize money of the billfish category.
GENERAL RULES
A team shall consist of one to five team members with one team member designated as the team captain. Only five anglers may be active at any time. Only one angler change per day is permitted. Angler changes will be recorded by and documented by the team's onboard observer each day. Team captains will be responsible for all correspondence and payments to the Mazatlan Billfish Classic and distribution of all prize money to their team. Dredges and Teaser are limited, NO more than one dredge and one teaser can be used in combination at the same time. A team is limited to no more than two teasers if a dredge is not used.
A grid map will be provided to all team captains. Tournament Control shall be notified immediately by radio when a fish is hooked-up and then again when it has been released or boated. The team must indicate approximate location according to the grid map, name of the angler, time of hook-up and the type of fish hooked. If tournament control has been notified at the time of hook-up, any fish hooked prior to the "stop fishing" time may be played until lost, released or boated. However, you must observe all weigh-in and check-in times or your catch will not count. Without exception, all boated fish must be weighed on the day caught at the official weigh-in station at the Marina El Cid. There is a weigh-in deadline of 6 p.m. each day (5 p.m. on the last day of fishing). The rod, reel, line, lure, gaff and leader with hook must be presented to the tournament judges for inspection. Tournament Control will conduct a roll call each day at 12 noon. Each team must report its position according to the grid map, any fish on-board and any fish released when called by Tournament Control.
Any misrepresentation on the team's signed entry form, signed release affidavits, signed weighmaster affidavits, or violation of any tournament rule will be cause for disqualification and forfeiture of any prize money and merchandise won in the tournament. Decisions by the rules committee of the Mazatlan Billfish Classic, on any question of tournament rules or interpretation, shall be final. Tournament boats shall be required to have a VHF radio for communication purposes. Radio silence must be observed, unless there is an emergency or a hookup, during the last 30 minutes prior to stop fishing. Radio communications between tournament boat’s will be permitted, but not on the official tournament channel.
All boats must fly the official tournament flag during the tournament. Committee boats, chase boats radio frequency scanning technology, tracking, camera boats, official observers and a marine biologist may be utilized by tournament officials to aid in the enforcement of all tournament rules. All tournament boats are subject to inspection by tournament officials at any time.
Mandatory:
IGT reserves the right to place an IGT Special TV Event Camera man on any tournament boat during tournament fishing hours that are currently in 1st through 5th place in the tournament. Last year's 1st through 5th place teams, if entered again this year, will also have an Official IGT TV Camera man on-board for Thursday, the first day of fishing.
SPECIAL RULE
If there are insufficient numbers of qualifying fish, weighed-in or released, to claim all tournament cash prizes, the unclaimed cash prizes will be added to the claimed prizes on a pro-rata basis. If no Super Jackpot division fish are weighed-in, entrants will be refunded 100% of their Super Jackpot entry fee. If no daily jackpot division fish are weighed-in or released, all Daily Jackpot entry fees will be refunded, less the Tournaments portion, which shall be deemed earned. If no qualifying fish are released or weighed-in during the tournament, or if weather causes a cancellation, the tournament will be extended to include Sunday, November 15th. One day of fishing will constitute a tournament. If after Sunday there are any unclaimed cash prizes, they will be added to and carried forward to next year's respective cash prizes.
DISQUALIFICATION
The following acts or situations will disqualify a team or its catch:
1. Fishing before "start fishing" or after "stop fishing" will disqualify all fish caught that day.
2. Any foreign substances (for example: lead weights, ice, metal objects, etc.) found inside the fish results in disqualification of the fish.
3. Mutilation of the fish by propellers or sharks will disqualify the fish.
4. Teams caught communicating in any manner with spotter planes, non-tournament vessels, or commercial boats during tournament fishing hours will be disqualified. Boats are not allowed to come within 50 yards of another vessel during fishing hours unless given permission from tournament control. (Exceptions are navigational hazards or any other safety issues.)
5. Only team members shall participate. Any fish boated with non-team member assistance will be disqualified.
6. Any other act not in strict compliance with the intent of the rules set forth herein.
7. Failure to weigh any boated billfish will disqualify the team from the tournament and result in forfeiture of any and all prizes and prize money.
8. The use of firearms is strictly prohibited.
9. Un-sportsman like conduct can lead up to and include disqualification of a team in the current tournament and all future events. Items such as physical or excessive verbal abuse directed towards any tournament official or participant of the tournament and excessive profanity on the radio are covered under this rule.
CAMERAS, OBSERVERS, SCHEDULE & PROCEDURES
Cameras: Photo Procedures, Each team is required to provide and use their own digital camera. They are responsible for the operation of this camera and are urged to have a backup camera. Each team must take a photo of an object which will be announced by the committee boat or tournament control each morning to initiate their camera for that day’s photos. This must be done each morning. Teams must take photos of each released fish during the fight and during the release. The photo must conclusively show the release AND the species of the fish. It is your discretion to take one or two photos of the release and fish. If you feel you have both items in one photo this will be sufficient for the release. You will be required to take a photo of an item to mark the end of that fish’s photo sequence. If multiple fish are released there must be an object between each released fish, the items to photograph will be supplied and documented by tournament control. These items will be announced by the radioman. Teams must submit their camera and appropriate USB cable at the end of each day’s fishing for examination. The camera is to be submitted with the release affidavit(s). Cameras will be returned that same day. Get acquainted with your camera. Most digital cameras experience “shutter-lag” which is a slight delay from when you press the button to when the photo is actually taken. Taking the photo of the fish has become part of the “official release” procedure. Just like touching the leader, taking a valid photo is now also necessary. If you do not have a photo of the release, then you do not have an official release. No photo(s), no release.
OBSERVERS: The tournament will assign an unbiased observer to each boat. The observer will be rotated on a daily basis. It is the team captain's responsibility at the end of the day to make sure that the appropriate tournament affidavits are correct, properly signed by all team members and a copy, if desired, kept for the team's records. The observer will turn the original copy over to tournament control immediately upon arriving back at the dock. It is also the team captain’s responsibility to make sure the teams release camera(s) are turned in each day to the appropriate tournament official.
PROCEDURES: It is the team captain's responsibility at the end of the day to make sure that the appropriate tournament affidavits are correct, properly signed by all team members and a copy, if desired, kept for the team's records. The observer will turn the original copy over to tournament control immediately upon arriving back at the dock, however, if an observer had not been assigned, it is the team captain’s responsibility to make sure the team’s release camera(s) and the appropriate affidavits are turned in each day to the appropriate tournament official.
SCHEDULE: Boats may start loading observers at 5:30 a.m. Boats may depart the marina at 6:00 a.m. to arrive at the official starting line immediately outside the harbor entrance. Each day of fishing will begin with a 6:30 a.m. shotgun start. Teams may not leave the established start line prior to the 6:30 a.m. start time. Boats may not leave the marina without a tournament-authorized observer onboard. Violation of this rule will result in the automatic disqualification of the team. Stop-fishing is at 4 p.m. on the first two days of the tournament and at 3 p.m. on the last day of fishing. All boats must be inside the harbor and checked-in by tournament control by 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and by 5 p.m. on Saturday. Violation of this rule will result in the team's disqualification for that day of fishing.
RULE CHANGE & PROTEST POLICY
Any amendments or additions to the tournament rules will be announced at the mandatory captain's briefing. If there is any disagreement, controversy or necessary clarification of any tournament rule or result, the final irrevocable decision will be made by the tournament’s rules committee.
The violation of any of the rules may result in the automatic disqualification of both the angler and the team unless otherwise noted. All competitors’ protests, if any, must be submitted in writing, accompanied by $300 in cash, by a team captain on the same day that the situation generating the protest occurred. If the team wins the protest they will be refunded the $300 and if they lose the protest the money will be donated to a local charity. Protest regarding weight of a fish must be made before the fish is removed from the scales. It is expressly understood that these protest rules relate to team protests and do not limit the time the tournament has to enforce tournament rules and regulations.
RULES & POLICIES
The independent observers will be senior cadets from the Mazatlan Merchant Marine Academy. On the 2nd and 3rd day of fishing, teams that are in 1st through 5th place in the Billfish Division will have an official International Gamefish Tournaments Special observer on-board for the day. Last year's 1st through 5th place teams, if entered again this year, will also have an official IGT Special observer on-board for Thursday, the first day of fishing.
MANDATORY & RANDOM BOAT INSPECTIONS
As stated earlier, all tournament boats are subject to inspection at any time by tournament officials. In addition to random inspections each day, each team that finds themselves in 1st through 5th place will automatically be inspected each morning before start fishing.
POLYGRAPH POLICY
At the sole discretion of the Mazatlan Billfish Classic, all team captains, team members and observers may be required to take a polygraph test administered by the tournament's independent polygraph contractor. All team captains, and their team members, agree to be bound by this provision and to abide by the results thereof.
In the case there is a conflict between the English Version and Spanish Version of the Tournament Rules, the English Version will prevail.
