AH Riise BVI Billfish Tournament
Angling Rules

This is an all-release Blue Marlin tournament. All anglers and crewmembers are expected to be familiar with the IGFA Salt Water Angling Rules.  The angler must hook, fight and bring the fish to the point of release unaided by any other person.  No one other than the angler may touch the rod.  IGFA Salt Water Angling Rules apply with the following exceptions:

• Each boat must have a BVI Tournament License and each angler must have a BVI Fishing License.
• A maximum of four rods per boat may be fished.
• Maximum line strength shall not exceed that of manufacturer’s stated, 50-pound test.  The tournament committee reserves the right to take line samples for testing or request labels from line spools.  No bonus points will be awarded for using line lighter than 50-pound test.
• No live bait permitted.
• The Committee Boat monitors VHF Channel 19 and cellular telephone (phone numbers to be announced at the Angler’s Meeting). All billfish hook-ups must be reported to the Committee Boat.
• Lines in the water at 8:30 AM – Lines out of the water at 5:00 PM with the exception of the last day of fishing when lines are in the water at 8:00 AM and out of the water at 4:00 PM. 
• To qualify as a ‘released blue marlin’ the fish must be released within three (3) hours of that fish being hooked-up. On the last day of fishing, anglers hooked-up at ‘lines out” (4:00 PM) will have two (2) hours to release the fish.
• To qualify as a ‘released blue marlin’ the leader must be brought within the grasp of the mate or the end of the leader must be wound to the rod tip.  A completed and executed ‘Blue Marlin Release Affidavit’ must be presented to the Committee Boat no later than 7:00 PM on the same day the fish is caught unless a fish is being fought at “lines out.”  Then the above stated time limits apply.
• Anyone that submits a billfish release affidavit understands that attesting to a false release will constitute aiding and abetting an act of fraud.
• The ‘Blue Marlin Release Affidavit’ must be accompanied by a time and date-stamped digital image (still image or video) of the fish that clearly shows the billfish species and the colored ribbon for that day.  The billfish must be photographed within thirty (30) feet (leader length) from the boat.  The digital image verifies the affidavit; therefore, no points will be awarded if the species shown in the digital image does not match the species reported on the affidavit.  The time and date stamp of the digital image is the official release time. 
• Protests must be filed in writing and presented to the Committee Boat prior to 8:00 PM of the same day as the alleged violation.
• 500 points are awarded for each qualified blue marlin release.  No other billfish species will be awarded points.