Lizard Island Game Fish Club INC.
24th Black Marlin Classic 2010

Tournament Information and Rules

1. Tournament Fishing Dates: Sunday 16th October through Saturday 23rd October 2010.
2. Registration & Briefing: It is mandatory for at least one Team Angler and the Captain of the boat to attend the Briefing Dinner and Calcutta Auction of entered boats to be held in The Marlin Centre on Lizard Island, commencing at 1930 hours on Saturday,15 October 2010. Ten percent (10%) of the Calcutta Pool is retained by the Club for R&D and/or Charity, the balance to the purchaser of the winning boat.
3. Presentation Dinner: Saturday 23rd October in the Marlin Centre "Barn" at 1900 for 2000 hours. To be eligible to receive trophies attendance is compulsory.
4. Late Team Changes: Tournament Officials will be in attendance at the Marlin Centre from 1800 hours on Saturday 16th October 2010, for final Team's Registration and any late changes to Anglers. No changes to Anglers may be made after 1930 hours that day.
5. Sailpast: The Official Tournament opening and compulsory Sailpast will commence at 0915 hours on Sunday, 16th October, followed by start fishing at 1100 hours.
   NOTE: THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE AT ITS SOLE DESCRETION MAY GRANT A DISPENSATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE BRIEFING AND SAILPAST AFTER RECEIVING A WRITTEN SUBMISSION.
   A CONDITION OF SUCH DISPENSATION WILL BE THAT THE TEAM CAPTAIN AND BOAT CAPTAIN CONCERNED MUST FIRST REGISTER IN PERSON, ON SHORE AT LIZARD ISLAND TO A CLUB OFFICIAL BEFORE HEADING TO THE OUTER REEF TO COMMENCE FISHING.
6. Fishing Days & Hours: 7 days of fishing, Sunday 16th October through Saturday 23rd October 2010 from 1100 to 1730 hours each day, except on the last day when fishing will cease at 1600 hours. On the last day all tag cards must be returned to a Tournament Official by 2000 hours to be eligible.
7. Tournament Fishing Zone: The northern most point of Jewell Reef to the southern most point of Channel Reef. Teams must start from and finish at Lizard Island in accordance with Rules 2 and 4 above. Teams may elect to stay out on the Reef after "Stop Fishing" on days 1 to 6 but MUST return to Lizard Island on day 7.
8. Eligibility: Open to all Members of Clubs affiliated with GFAA or IGFA. Club membership details must be provided on entry form. If not already a financial member of a qualifying Club, Anglers may join Lizard Island Game Fish Club Inc.
9. Eligible Species: Black Marlin (ISTIOMPAX indica) Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) Striped Marlin (Tetrapturus audax). Black Marlin is the species which abound in Lizard Island waters.
10. Eligible Tackle: As published in GFAA angling rules and equipment regulations.
11. Eligible Line Class: This is a heavy tackle Tournament and only 37kg and 60kg line may be used.
12. TAG & RELEASE ONLY EVENT: No fish will be weighed in the Tournament and Fishing and Tag & Release Rules are as published in the GFAA Angling Rules & Equipment Regulations.
13. Point Score: One (1) point per live marlin tagged & released in accordance with the Rules, irrespective of whether 37 or 60kg line was used.
14. Number of Days Fished: Competitors may elect to fish all or any number of competition days within the Tournament dates. There is no reduction in fees for fishing less than 7 days.
15. Judges: LI GFC Inc shall appoint Tournament Judges whose decision shall be final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into relating to the Judges decisions.
16. Start Fishing: No Tournament fishing or chumming shall commence before starting time each day. Any fish hooked after the final radio sched but before stop fishing MUST be reported to the Radio Boat and acknowledged to be eligible. The fish may then be played out subject to the conditions of Rule 5.
17. Radio Scheds: All hook-ups, fish lost, tags & releases must be immediately reported to the Radio Ship. The time of the tag & release is deemed to be the time at which the tag & release is reported to the Radio Ship. Details of Radio Scheds will be given at the Calcutta Briefing.
18. Tags: GFAA only recognises NSW Fisheries Billfish Tags in Australian waters. ONLY THESE GFAA RECOGNISED TAGS WILL BE ELIGIBLE IN THIS TOURNAMENT. Tags are available from your local GFAA or QGFA Clubs or contact Bob Lowe at boblowe@lizardislandgfc.asn.au
19. Protests: A Protest must be submitted in writing to the Judges by 1900 hours on the last day.
20. Tackle Inspection: Equipment and tackle used by competitors may be inspected at random by the Tournament Judges.
21. Misconduct: The Tournament Committee may on its own initiative investigate and act upon any incident occurring on Lizard Island during the Tournament. The Committee may invoke penalties of loss of points or disqualifications of fish, angler, boat or team where misconduct is deemed to have taken place likely to bring the Club or the sport of Game Fishing into disrepute. Competitors must on all occasions whilst on Lizard Island respect the Staff and Guests of Lizard Island Lodge and not interfere with their enjoyment of the Island.
22. Liability: Lizard Island Game Fish Club Inc will not accept liability for any claims for damages or injury by or to any person or persons in regard to this Tournament.

MEDIA CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

1. Camera crews will be producing a TV documentary of the Tournament and Skippers should not unreasonably refuse to take camera crew on board for a day.
2. Lizard Island Game Fish Club ("the Club") has entered into an agreement with our sponsor which grants our sponsor exclusive rights to naming of the Tournament, sponsoring of the tournament and electronic media production rights, which includes the right to commercial production of DVDs and videos foruse in filming television and DVD distribution.
3. It is a condition of entry to the Tournament that a competitor may not:-

   1. Conduct or permit to be conducted any activity during the Tournament including filming, videoing, photography or interviewing, of the activities of the competitor, the competitor’s boat, crew or visitors during the Tournament or relating to the competitor’s participation in the Tournament or to the activities of the Tournament which is used for or may be used for the production of any commercial electronic media release whether before, during or after the Tournament.
   2. Conduct or permit any activities to be conducted either during before or after the Tournament which uses or refers to the Club, its logo, the Tournament name or relating to the participation in the Tournament which is used for or may be used for the production of any commercial electronic media release.
4. If in the opinion of the Tournament Committee, a competitor breaches this rule the competitor may be immediately disqualified from the Tournament and further action may be taken against you for damages suffered by the Club or Shell Cove.