ELIGIBILITY

A team may be comprised of no more than 5 anglers and no less than 2 anglers.  Each angler must be a fully registered entrant in the ITM Trade Fishing Competition.  It is the responsibility of the team captain to ensure that this is so.  Anglers are not required to be fishing club members to enter the competition. 
All Boats must leave and return from Whangaroa Harbour at the specified time as stated under fishing times.

SAFETY REGULATIONS

Everyone on board must have a suitable life jacket.  There must be always at least two forms of communication on board, which is constantly on.  If the vessel is less than 6m long, this communication device must still work after it has been dropped in water.

BRIEFING

All anglers are expected to attend the ITM Trade Fishing Competition briefing at 6:00pm on Thursday at the Whangaroa Sports Fishing Club a.k.a. ITM Gamebase – ITM Fishing Tournament headquarters. Registration bags and boat safety sign off must be completed by the time of this briefing.  

AREA TO BE FISHED

This event is based at Whangaroa, everyone is expected to attend functions each night. A strict adherence of timings for lines in the water must be adhered to. Non-compliance will result in instant disqualification. Refer to fishing area grid, which covers the area from Cape Brett to North Cape.

FISHING TIMES

No boats will leave before 5:00am and baits or lures must not be in the water before 6:00am. All baits and lures and game fishing gear must be out of the water no later than 4:00pm on Friday and Saturday. It is your responsibility to meet the weigh station deadlines.

REPORTING

All vessels must notify Gamebase VHF64 on departing from port, stating your vessel name, team number and number of people on board, and conclude your trip report upon your return. Boats not concluding their trip reports risk disqualification.

CALLING HOOK-UPS

All Billfish, Yellowfin and Bigeye Tuna, Shortbill and Mahimahi strikes are to be called up to tournament headquarters (Gamebase VHF 64). When doing so please state the following; team name, angler name and grid location.  

When fish have been landed, tagged or lost, please radio Gamebase to confirm result.  Boats hooked up to billfish or large tuna should fly a hook-up flag from their outrigger or some prominent part of their boat such as a rod in a rocket launcher. The hook-up flag is a red, triangular one with a hook insignia on it. Other boats seeing this should give that boat a wide berth while they play their fish.

COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

SPORT FISHING PRIZE CATEGORIES

• Angler longest Snapper (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
• Angler longest Kingfish (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
• Angler longest Kahawai (1st only)
• Angler longest Bluenose (1st only)
• Angler longest Bass/Hapuku (1st only)            
• Angler longest Trevally (1st only)
• Angler longest John Dory (1st only)             
• Angler most sport fish points*
• Team most sport fish points

*For individual sport fish angler points only the longest of each species, will count. Each angler should upload all photos of their Legal Sized Sport Fish as the angler may not have won any of the above prizes but caught more species and have accumulated more points overall.

NOTE: There is to be no stretching of lips (or anything) when measuring.

SPORT FISHING SECTION RULES

1. Team points are accumulated at 1 point per centimetre.
2. Only the longest eight Snapper, three Kingfish, three Kahawai, and three ‘other species’* fish will accumulate points for a team over the two days.  *Other species include Trevally, Blue Nose, Hapuku and John Dory
3. All fish must be measured and photographed on supplied measuring mat with dorsal spines to top and nose touching end.
4. All fish must be photographed with the angler's name card in the photo (provided with your clipboard), so that you can record which angler caught which fish.
5. All Sport Fish are to be recorded on the Sport Fish catch sheet and photos of all fish recorded to be uploaded to this Record Your Catch form .
6.  In the event of a draw, the team with the most recorded released fish wins.

GAME FISHING SPECIES CATEGORIES

• Angler Heaviest Billfish: Blue/Black/Striped Marlin, Shortbill Spearfish, & Swordfish 
• Angler Heaviest Tuna (Albacore, Skipjack, Yellowfin, Bluefin or Bigeye) minimum of 5kg
• Angler heaviest Mahimahi
• Angler most tag and release points
• Team most game fish points 

NOTE: No shark species are included in the competition.

WEIGHED FISH

One point will be awarded per kilogram of weighed fish.

There is a limit of one weighed billfish per team, per day.

There is a combined limit of four weighed tuna and Mahimahi per team, per day.

Marlin must be 90kg or over and Tuna must be 5kg or over to be entered into the weighed fish section of the competition.

TAGGED & RELEASED FISH 

Points will be awarded as follows per confirmed tagged fish:

• 250 points – Black Marlin, Blue Marlin 
• 200 points – Swordfish
• 150 points – Striped Marlin
• 50 points – Shortbill Spearfish 
• 30 points - Yellowfin, Big Eye, Bluefin Tuna

TACKLE

Maximum line weight of 60kg across all species 

OTHER PRIZES

Daily DICK OF THE DAY prize – nominations must be received by 5pm each day to be eligible, via text, video, photos, or verbal.

WEIGH IN

At the daily 3:15pm radio round-up, teams with fish to weigh should give an approximate ETA back at the weigh station as well as an indication of what fish they have to weigh.

FRIDAY - All fish must be presented at the WSFC weigh station or be at the weigh station waiting to be weighed by 5:00pm on Friday.  Weighing of fish outside these times is by arrangement with the weigh masters.  The only exception to the above times is if you are hooked up at Friday’s stop fishing time.  In this instance you may play your fish and if you are not back at the weigh station by 5:30pm the catch will count for Saturday’s prize giving.

SATURDAY - all fish must be presented to the weigh master or be at the weigh station no later than 5:00pm, You must organize your fishing to leave yourself enough time to get back to the weigh station.   There will be no exceptions.

All catches are to be weighed on the official scales at ITM Gamebase by an official weigh person/s designated by the Whangaroa Sport Fishing Club.  Each angler must fill in a catch form declaring that the catch was made in accordance with the contest rules before reaching the weigh station to expedite processing.  All details must be clearly entered and the form passed to the weigh master immediately upon arrival at the weigh station, and the angler must present the rod, reel and tackle with which the fish was caught.   

 All fish are to be credited to the Whangaroa Sport Fishing Club.  Extra catch forms are available at the WSFC—Danielle 0272939903

TAG OR CATCH & RELEASE

When a fish is tagged, the tag card must be filled in and handed to the weigh master with a completed catch sheet and the tag number recorded on the catch sheet.  All tagged fish must be photographed or filmed.   When calling in your tagged fish please give the radio operator the tag number.  In the event of a tie, the winning angler will be decided by a draw.   You must provide your own tag pole.   Tags are available for purchase from the WSFC at $7.50 each

 When a Snapper, Kingfish, Kahawai, Bluenose, Hapuku, Trevally, or John Dory is caught and released, the fish must be photographed with the ITM measuring device provided, so that the length may be verified.  These photos have to be uploaded to RECORD YOUR CATCH

All tag and release marlin and tuna must be photographed showing the tag in place.   The Catch & Release sheet must also be completed in full and signed by the angler and the skipper.

WEATHER FORECASTS AND RADIO ROUND UPS

The VHF channel which will be used for all purposes throughout the competition is VHF64 Gamebase. From this channel the weather report will be broadcast at 9:15am (approx.) daily.  This channel should also be used for trip reports.  Round-ups will be broadcast at 11:00am and 3:15pm.  On Saturday, the afternoon round-up will commence at 1:45pm.  When answering sked calls you must give a grid map reference name (as supplied) and a result report of: number of strikes, hook-ups and successful catches (or T&R).

PLEASE USE YOUR TEAM NAME AND BOAT NAME WHEN CALLING GAMEBASE

BAD WEATHER

In the event of unfavorable weather, ITM reserves the right to make changes to the fishing area or cancel fishing for the day.  Entry fees are not refundable.  If the fishing is cancelled all relevant prizes will be drawn.

PROTESTS

Any protests concerning the validity of any catch shall be completed in writing and signed by the plaintiff no later than 6:00pm the same day. In the case of a protest, the Contest Committee’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

TEAM PRIZES

• Team most sport fish points (all species)
• Team most game fish points 

ANGLERS PLEASE NOTE: It is your responsibility to transport any prizes won to your home destination.  ITM will not take responsibility for your freighting costs. Division of prizes within your team is your responsibility; we won’t get involved in your domestic disputes!

QUALIFICATION OF ABOVE RULES

If you have any questions or wish to seek further clarification regarding any of the stated rules outlined above, bring your questions to the briefing on Thursday.

UPLOAD ALL PHOTOS TO:

MAKE SURE YOUR NAME TAG IS IN THE PHOTO