GAME FISHING ASSOCIATION OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
TITLES TOURNAMENT RULES
2015
1.Tournament Anglers
All participants must be members of the IGFA or a club affiliated to either the IGFA or the GFA of PNG and all fishing will be strictly in accordance with the rules laid down by these organisations.
2. Nominations.
Anglers nominating to fish in the National Titles must complete and sign the GFA of PNG National Titles Nomination form supplied by the host club. All details must be completed and the form properly signed. Acceptance of the Nomination will be solely at the discretion of the Tournament Committee. Junior anglers’ forms must be signed by a parent or guardian.
3. Tournament Waters
The tournament waters are the host club’s Constitutional fishing waters. A map is included in each team kit.
4. Line Categories
Line classes and sections will be as follows:
Ultra Light 1kg, 2kg, 3kg, 4kg
Light 6kg, 8kg
Medium 10kg, 15kg
Heavy 24kg, 37kg, 60kg
Anglers registered as Junior anglers may only fish on ultra light, light and medium tackle.
Line classes and regulations for fly fishing shall be as per IGFA regulations. Maximum tippet line class is 10kg. Shock leaders shall be a maximum of 305 mm ( 12 inches ) in length, any material.
5. Scoring - Weighing
Points scoring will be calculated by dividing the weight of the fish by the line class and then multiplying by the fish factor as indicated:
Billfish 150
Game Fish 100
Sharks 50
To weigh, Marlin and Broadbill must be a minimum of four times line class, and Sailfish a minimum of three times line class.
All other fish must score a minimum of 50 points to be eligible.
6. Scoring - Tagging
The following points will apply for tagging:
(1) Billfish and Sharks
Line Class Marlin/Broadbill Sailfish Sharks
1kg 3000 2500 350
2kg 2500 2000 300
3kg 2000 1600 250
4kg 1500 1200 200
6kg 1300 1000 175
8kg 1100 800 150
10kg 950 700 125
15kg 800 550 100
24kg 700 400 70
37kg 600 300 50
60kg 500 250 30
No tagging limit numbers for the above.
(2) Other Game Fish
Tagging points will not be awarded for Skipjack Tuna, Mackerel Tuna and Rainbow Runner caught on medium or heavy tackle.
A limit of 5 tags per angler per species for :
Tuna
- Dogtooth, Bluefin, Yellowfin, 60 points
Longtail, Bigeye.
Cobia 60 points
Wahoo 60 points
NB and Spotted Mackerel 40 points
Dolphin Fish 40 points
All Trevally 40 points
Skipjack Tuna 40 points
Tripletail 40 points
Queenfish 20 points
Barracuda 20 points
Large Scale Tuna 20 points
Mackerel Tuna 20 points
Rainbow Runner 20 points
Note that for these species, (other game fish), points may be altered to suit the host club’s fishing environment.
(3) Note
Tag points shall be treated as being an entirely separate category to points earned by actually weighing fish and shall only accrue for designated tagging prizes. In addition to normal tagging information, all tag cards presented to the Weighmaster must show the line class and time of Capture and the Capture Number.
7. Teams and Rods
Each team shall consist of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 anglers. They shall be limited to a maximum of 2 days fishing which need not be consecutive. All members of a team must fish on the same boat and on the same days. There is no limit to the number of rods that may be fished, however in the event of multiple hookups, the first rod picked up by each angler will be the only one eligible to score on.
Local anglers will be required to fish the first weekend and during the week, reserving the second weekend for visiting anglers. Any variations to this will be at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.
8. Junior Teams and Anglers
To encourage Junior participation, and to allow Junior anglers and teams wider opportunity, they may elect to compete as follows :
1) A Junior angler fishing as part of a Junior Team (2-4 junior anglers).
They and their team compete for all Junior individual and team prizes. They are not eligible for any other individual or team prizes. Registration is free
2) A Junior Full angler, fishing as part of a Junior Full Team (2- 4 anglers)
They and their team compete for all Junior and Senior individual and team prizes.
Junior Full Anglers each pay 50% of the Registration Fee
3) A Junior Full angler, fishing as part of a Senior Team ( 2-4 anglers, at
least one of whom is a Senior )
They compete for all prizes other than Junior Team prizes.
Junior Full Anglers each pay 50% of the Registration Fee
9. Radios, Safety Equipment and Reporting
All boats must be able to receive and transmit on the host club’s VHF channels and must maintain contact with the Tournament Base directly or by relay through another boat at every sked. The first daily radio sked will be at 0705 hours and then every hour, 0805, 0905, etc. (Advise grid location and score i.e. strikes, hookups, landed, tagged.)
Boat skippers must sign "on" on departure and "off' on return, both by radio to Tournament Base. In the departure radio call skippers are required to advise team name, angler names and numbers, the total number of people aboard the boat, and the boat’s normal transit speed.
Boats that miss two consecutive radio skeds (directly or by relay) will be liable to disqualification for the day.
Where reasonable concern exists for the safety of any vessel a search will be instituted. Variation to communication requirements may be made in the case of radio failure whilst at sea (eg mobile phone, satphone, HF) at the discretion of the Tournament Director.
It should be clearly understood by all skippers that if their boat has limited radio range they will be required to operate inside the range of their fixed radio unit. This important safety aspect will be enforced.
Boats must be equipped with safety equipment. A list of recommended safety equipment is attached to the rules. It is compulsory for all boats to be equipped with a functioning GPS unit.
All billfish hook-ups and landings must be reported immediately to the Tournament Base. Details of any team’s first scorable non-billfish ( captured or tagged ) must be reported at the time of landing ( important in the event of a countback, see Rule 17 ), plus those of any meritorious fish captured or tagged.
Information to be provided:
Boat name
Angler name and number
Line class
Species
Estimated weight
Grid reference
Tag card number
10. Times
(1) Definitions
Weigh Station
A boat has arrived at the Weigh Station when it has entered the host club’s marina or designated base.
Weigh In
On all days except the last day - 1900 hours
NOTE: refer CIause (2), Time Rules, below, para’s 6 and 7
On the last day (Sunday) - 1800 hours, absolutely no exceptions.
Lines In
Time at which fishing may commence - 0600hrs
Lines Out
1800 hours, or at the latest time at which your boat can depart your fishing location and travel at normal speed to reach the Weigh Station by Weigh In.
NOTE: Normal speed is your transit speed advised to Tournament Base when you log on each morning. This speed will be used to calculate lines out times for boats fishing in distant grounds, together with the lat. and long. advised by the boat to Tournament Base when they ceased fishing.
TEAMS FISHING DISTANT WATERS SHOULD NOTE THIS RULE CAREFULLY.
(2) Time Rules
On their first fishing day, teams may depart from anywhere inside or outside of the host club waters. Team captains are responsible for ensuring that the Tournament Director is directly advised of their intentions to do so, together with team and angler names, fishing dates, communication, and acceptable SAR arrangements prior to leaving port.
Boats will otherwise depart from the host club’s base.
Boats may depart any time after 0500 hours.
Fishing times will be from Lines In to Lines Out each day. Boats with eligible fish must arrive at the Weigh Station by Weigh In time. This applies to all boats including those who departed from alternate locations.
All boats are to advise Tournament Base when they cease fishing for the day ( Lines Out ) and their lat. and long. at that time.
Other than on the last day, fish hooked up prior to Lines Out may be played until the fish is either landed or lost, providing that the hookup and location were reported to, and acknowledged by Tournament Base prior to that boat's Lines Out time. The loss or capture of such hookups must be reported immediately to Tournament Base.
In these circumstances, Weigh In timing may be extended beyond 1900 hours to allow safe passage of the boat and anglers.
Except on the last day, and providing that all rules with respect to Lines Out time are met, and only at the request of the Team Captain or the boat Skipper, the Tournament Director may provide extended Weigh In time for exceptional and extenuating circumstances.
NOTE : The purpose of the above paragraph is to allow the Tournament Director some latitude to consider circumstances which are not covered in the rules, and therefore to avoid having to have an exhaustive set of rules covering all situations. It is not intended to provide blanket extensions on request. A request for extension needs to be made for a specific reason by the boat’s Skipper or Team Captain. Examples envisaged are situations where a boat which is otherwise functioning normally is unable to travel at normal speed due to exceptional sea conditions and/or exceptional weight of catch.
11. Weighing
All captures will be weighed on the day of capture by a Tournament Weighmaster on arrival of the fish at the Weigh Station. Note the exceptions allowed in Rule 10, Clause ( 2 ) Time Rules, para’s 6 and 7.
All fish presented for weighing must be identified by the supplied aluminium or plastic tag marked by indentation and wired to the dorsal or tail fin.
The following information is required:
Angler's number.
Line Class.
Capture Books are in use by certain clubs. Visiting boats or boats fishing for the first time in the Titles will be supplied with a Capture Book. On presentation of fish at the Weigh Station the Capture Book, correctly completed, must be presented at the same time.
In the case of tagged fish, fully completed tag cards must be handed to the Weighmaster before Weigh In (refer to Rule 6.).
The Weighmaster reserves the right to investigate any or all tackle on the boat to see that it conforms to IGFA rules.
For any fish caught that may be subject to National or World record claims, it is required that the leader/lure, double and at least 50 feet of main line remain intact and be presented with the Fish at the time of weighing.
Anglers intending to make Record Claims should remove the required line, leader & lure immediately the decision is made to make a record claim.
Mutilated fish will be treated in accordance with IGFA rules.
All fish weighed and presented for weighing become the property of the host club and will be disposed of for charity.
12. Prohibitions
(1) Fishing within 100 meters of any fish trap or commercial or village fishing activity.
(2) Passing live bait between boats.
(3) Tying or anchoring to a FAD.
Note: The host club’s recognized FAD's are excluded from Prohibition (1) above and may be fished as per normal fishing activities.
13. Transfer of Fish/Angler
(1) Transfer of Fish
Where a breakdown occurs, or when a fish is too large to be boated safely, the fish may be transported to the Weigh Station by another vessel, provided that the angler and tackle used accompany the fish and arrive at the Weigh Station by the specified deadline.
Any such alternate transport of anglers and their fish will be at the sole discretion of the skipper of the boat providing the alternate means of transportation. Tournament Base must be advised at the time of transfer.
(2) Transfer of Angler
In the event of an angler having a fish in play and there being dangerous sea conditions, boat engine failure or other reasonable consideration, the transfer of the angler fighting the fish to another vessel will be allowed - providing it is approved by a Tournament Committee Member, and carried out in accordance with IGFA rules. Boat points shall be split 50/50 to either vessel.
14. Protests
Any protest must be submitted in writing and placed in the protest box at Tournament Base on each day of fishing within one hour of completion of Weigh In for the day. On the last day protests must be submitted by 1830 hrs.
The Protest Committee shall consist of the Tournament Director (or his nominee from the Titles Committee), a representative of the IGFA (if none is available then a representative from the host club Committee) and a representative of the GFA of PNG.
Decisions of the Protest Committee will be final.
15. Boat Prizes
All boats, including those on charter for the Tournament are permitted to win the listed boat prizes. The winning boats will be determined by their best 2 days of fishing recorded for the whole tournament (not necessarily the best 2 days by any one team).
16. Overseas Angler
Must be a non-resident of PNG whose permanent domicile is in another country (PNG resident students attending overseas facilities and returning to PNG on holidays do not qualify).
17. Time Clause
In the event of a tie for any prize category, and depending on the availability of prizes, the Tournament Committee reserves the right to revert to award the prizes on a count back basis. In the event of a tie the earliest recorded capture or tag by the angler or team during their fishing days will count. The official time for countback will be the time at which Tournament Base logs and acknowledges the capture or tag.
18. Captures defeating Host Club Records
During the National Titles and in accordance with GFA of PNG rules, all registered anglers are deemed to be members of the host club with respect to claims for host club records. (All captures will be checked against current record files and new records will be notified automatically).
19. Tagging
Tagging must be done in accord with the GFA of PNG’s tagging rules.
A list of links for the full set of rules for 2015, will be provided soon.