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2008 Tournament Rules - Party Boat Division
The Party Boat Division has been organized to permit fishing enthusiasts to compete for Cash Awards offered in three distinct fishing competitions aboard Party Boats. Anglers receive a welcome and entertainment package and are invited to enjoy all Tournament festival activities.
The Party Boat tournament is an overall event. Overall Tournament champions and Cash Awards are based on competitive results over three scheduled days of fishing.
Three Fleets of Competition: There shall be three Classes of competition in the Party Boat Division:
Fleet A – Party Boats with scheduled trips of less than 8 hours fishing in State waters, but not in Federal waters. Eligible fish in this Fleet are Snapper any species, including red snapper), grouper and trigger fish.
Entry Fee – A onetime Angler charge of $25.00 ($26.50 w/tax), plus $5.00 for each fish surrendered to the tournament for weigh-in. The per fish charge is paid at the time of weigh-in.
Fleet B – Party Boats with scheduled trips of 8 hours or more, but less than 14 hours. Eligible fish in this Fleet are Gag or Black grouper, Red Grouper, Vermillion Snapper, Trigger Fish and Amberjack.
Entry Fee – A onetime Angler charge of $50.00 ($53.00 w/tax)
Fleet C – Party Boats with scheduled trips of 14 hours or more. Eligible fish in this Fleet are Grouper, Snapper (other than red snapper) and Amberjack.
Entry Fee – A onetime Angler Fee of $100.00 ($106.00 w/tax)
All Eligible Fish are subject to federal and state regulations, size and bag limits and other restrictions published and in force at the time of the Tournament.
I. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
The following terms and definitions are incorporated in and made a part of the rules of the 2008 Grand Lagoon National:
Angler
A person registered to compete as an Angler.
Angler Fee
A fee paid to Foundation to register as an Angler.
Captain
Captain of a Party Boat.
Cash Awards
Monetary awards for which Anglers are eligible to compete.
Category
Each species of fish eligible for competition is a Category.
Class of Fish
A subdivision of a Category, by way of example … first place, second place and third place.
Crew
Any person employed or otherwise compensated to provide a service on a Party Boat.
Dates and Times
Tournament dates are October 3 through October 5, 2008. Time shown is Central Daylight Savings Time.
Disqualification
Removal of a Boat or Participant from competition in Tournament as a result of a violation of Rules and consequential forfeiture of Cash and Optional Awards and all Fees paid to Foundation or Tournament.
Division
A defined field of competition, by way of example: Big Game, Charter Boat. Tournament shall consist of eight Divisions. Each Division shall be organized and operated as a separate and independent Tournament.
Eligible Fish
Fish eligible for Cash Awards and Optional Awards.
Fishing Days
October 4 and 5, 2008.
Fishing Hours
The hours during Dates and Times when Anglers are permitted to fish.
Foundation
Grand Lagoon National Foundation, Inc., a Florida not-for-profit corporation.
Host Marina
A marina located on the Grand Lagoon at Panama City Beach, Florida, that has contracted with Foundation to provide the location for Tournament and to implement the policies and programs of Foundation.
Junior Angler
An Angler who has not yet reached the fifteenth anniversary of their birth.
Party Boat
A Boat upon which Anglers pay a per person fare to fish and that has been approved by Tournament as a Party Boat
Rules
The rules governing the Tournament.
Rules Committee
A creation of Foundation that is the sole authority of interpretation and enforcement of Rules.
Tag
An identification tag attached to a fish surrendered to the Tournament that contains the name of the Boat from which a fish was caught, the name of the Angler who caught the fish and the species of fish.
Tournament
2008 Grand Lagoon National
Tournament Committee
A creation of Foundation charged with organizing and managing Tournament.
Weigh-in Report
A report prepared by Angler and presented to weigh-master itemizing all fish caught by that Angler and surrendered to Tournament to be weighed.
II. SPIRIT OF THE TOURNAMENT
Rules have been adopted to create a level playing field upon which Anglers may compete fairly for the honors and awards bestowed by Tournament. Anglers are permitted to compete in Tournament in reliance of their reputation for integrity. It is the intent of Foundation that Tournament activities demonstrate respect for the resources of the Gulf of Mexico.
Grand Lagoon National is committed to fair competition, good sportsmanship and the conservation of our natural resources.
III. SPORTSMANSHIP AND LIABILITY
Poor sportsmanship is grounds for Disqualification from this and all future tournaments sponsored, in whole or in part, by Foundation. Registered Participants, on behalf of their invitees, associates, employees, agents and guests, accept the following conditions:
1. Anglers and Crew enter at their own risk.
2. Foundation, Tournament Committee members, Rules Committee members and all persons directly and indirectly connected with the operation of Tournament shall be exempt from any liability for loss, damage, harm or injury suffered by an Angler, Crew, Party Boat owner, vessel or equipment which may occur during Tournament.
3. All awards paid in cash shall be paid by check issued by Foundation and mailed to the winning Angler announced at the awards ceremony. Checks shall be mailed during the week of October 6 and shall be in the amount specified by the Rules; adjusted, if required, to comply with IRS regulations.
IV. COMPLETED TOURNAMENT
One day of fishing by one-half of Party Boats constitutes a completed Tournament.
V. ANGLER FEE AND PARTY BOAT FARES
1. One Division Only – No Boat may compete in more than one Division. Angler may not compete in more than one Division on any Fishing Day.
2. Entry Approval – All entries are subject to the approval on the Tournament Committee.
3. Party Boat Fare - The Angler Fee does not include the fare for transportation and services rendered on a Party Boat. Anglers are responsible for the payment of all customary Party Boat fares and are responsible for their own Party Boat reservations. For information regarding Party Boats and Party Boat fishing reservations visit our website at www.grandlagoonnational.com
4. No Liability - Tournament accepts no responsibility for Party Boats, their services, or performance.
5. Checks and Money Orders - Should be made to the credit of Grand Lagoon National Foundation, Inc.
6. Angler Registration - All Anglers must be registered. No fish will be weighed in the name of a person not registered as an Angler.
7. Payment of Angler Fee - Anglers may register and pay Angler Fee in any of the following manners:
a) Before September 29, by completing the on-line registration form at the Tournament’s website www.grandlagoonnational.com and sending payment by personal or company check to: Grand Lagoon National Foundation, Inc., 1120 West Beach Drive, Panama City, Fl 32401..
b) After September 28, by registering at Tournament and making payment by cash or approved credit card.
c) Credit card charges subject to a 3.5% factoring fee.
d) Fees subject to 6 % sales tax.
e) Taxes - Entry and Angler Fees are subject to 6% sales tax.
VI. SCALES OPEN
Tournament scales will be open for the purpose of weighing competitive fish at Capt. Anderson's Marina during the following Dates and Times:
| Captain Anderson's Marina |
October 4 |
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. |
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October 5 |
3 p.m. – 6 p.m. |
VII. CASH AWARDS
1. Cash Awards shall be made in each Fleet of Competition.
2. Junior Anglers - Junior Angler Awards shall be prizes, but not cash prizes.
3. Open Class of Fish - In the event no fish are weighed in for a given Class of fish, the Cash Award assigned to that Class of fish shall be added equally to Cash Awards of the other fish in the same Category.
4. Open Category - In the event no fish are caught in a given Category, the Cash Award assigned to that Category shall be added to the Cash Awards of fish caught in all other Categories of that Division in an equal manner.
5. Tie by Weight - In the event that fish of identical weight are weighed in the same Category, the first fish weighed shall be determined to be the larger fish.
| Fleet A |
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| Heaviest Fish: |
$500.00 shall be paid to the Angler surrendering the single heaviest Eligible fish. |
| Weigh-in Pool: |
100% of per fish weigh-in charges contributed by Anglers shall be contributed to a Mystery Fish Award pool. The pool shall be divided equally between the Eligible species of fish. |
| Mystery Weight: |
Each species of Eligible fish shall have a mystery weight. A single mystery weight for each Eligible species of fish will be selected in a blind drawing by Miss Ms. Grand Lagoon at the close of scale hours on October 5. The Angler weighing the fish with a weight closest to the weight of the Mystery Fish shall be awarded 100% of the Cash Award assigned to that species of Eligible fish. Only fish of a length of 12 or more inches shall be accepted weigh-in. |
| Fleet B |
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| Heaviest Fish: |
$500.00 shall be paid to the Angler surrendering the single heaviest Eligible fish. |
| Cash Awards Pool: |
$25.00 for each paid Angler will be contributed to a Cash Awards Pool. The Cash Awards Pool will be divided equally between the Eligible species of fish. The money assigned to each Eligible species shall further be assigned 60% to first place winners and 40% to second place winners. Winners shall be determined by heaviest weight of fish. |
| Fleet C |
|
| Heaviest Fish: |
$500.00 shall be paid to the Angler surrendering the single heaviest Eligible fish. |
| Cash Awards Pool: |
$75.00 for each paid Angler will be contributed to a Cash Awards Pool. The Cash Awards Pool will be divided equally between the Eligible species of fish. The money assigned to each Eligible species shall further be assigned 60% to first place winners and 40% to second place winners. Winners shall be determined by heaviest weight of fish. |
VIII. FISHING AND WEIGH-IN RULES
1. Angler Boat Assignment - Anglers shall be registered to fish aboard the specific Party Boat of their choice.
2. Angler at weigh-in - Angler must accompany their fish to weigh-in scale.
3. Condition of fish - Only whole, undamaged fish which are fresh and in edible condition shall be qualified to be weighed. Tournament reserves the right to reject any fish due to poor condition or mutilation. The decision of the weigh-master shall be final.
4. Crew - May not be Anglers or Registered Participants.
5. Equipment - All fish must be caught with rod and reel, hook and line. Electric reels, deck reels, winches, traps, bicycle rigs, cables, harpoons, long lines, entangling devices and nets are not permitted.
6. Fish as Property - All fish surrendered to the Tournament for the purpose of being weighed shall become the property of the Foundation.
7. Fishing Hours - Hours of departure shall be determined by Captain and approved by Rules Committee.
8. Government rules - Captains are responsible for the enforcement of government rules and regulations which may apply to the conduct of Anglers during Tournament.
9. Minimum Weight, Size and Limits - Federal and State regulations shall determine minimum weight, size and bag limits.
10. Polygraphs - At the sole discretion of the Rules Committee, winning Anglers shall be subject to submitting to and successfully passing a polygraph test and signing an affidavit attesting to the circumstances under which their prize fish was caught. Captains must make themselves available, if requested by the Rules Committee, for the purpose of polygraph testing.
11. Protests - All protests must be presented in writing to the Rules Committee and accompanied by a check made to the credit of Foundation in the amount of $250 within one hour of the close of scales. Resolution of all protests will be declared at the Awards ceremony.
12. Publication - All Anglers and Crew consent and authorize Foundation and Tournament Sponsors to use and reproduce names, voices and photographs taken or recorded in conjunction with Tournament activities for promotional and information purposes.
13. Safety - Party Boats must meet all US Coast Guard and Florida safety standards and regulations. Captains must be familiar with all applicable government boating regulations.
14. Same Boat - All fish to be weighed must be brought to the weigh-in dock on the Boat upon which the fish was caught.
15. Scale closing - Party Boats having fish to weigh in must be inside Grand Lagoon waters; specifically, at a location parallel to the entrance to the Bay Point channel by the designated closing hour for the scales.
16. Tags - No fish will be weighed which not have a properly completed weighs-in tag.
17. Weigh-in Limitation - Weigh master reserves the right not to weigh fish that Angler agrees is not in contention for award of Cash or Optional Award.
18. Weigh-in Reports - Anglers shall be responsible for the completion of a Weigh-in Report that shall be presented to the weigh master and shall include an itemization of all fish to be weighed.
IX. OPTIONAL ENTRY FEE AND OPTIONAL AWARDS
1. Optional Angler - Optional Entry Fees will be accepted only in the name of an Angler in Fleet C.
2. Optional Fee - A fee paid by Angler to be eligible for Optional Awards. Optional Awards shall be determined based on Fleet C’s competitive results.
3. Tax - Optional Fees are subject to 6% Florida and local sales tax.
4. Payout - Shall be made in each Class of Competition - Ninety-five percent (95%) of all Optional Fees paid will be distributed in the form of Optional Cash Awards.
5. Optional Entry Fees may be paid at Tournament Headquarters on October 3 between the hours of 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Optional Fee payments will be accepted only in United States Currency, by Cashier’s Check or approved credit card.
6. Categories of Fee and Awards - Optional Jackpot Fees may be paid in one or more of the following Categories: Each Eligible Fish in Division (by species) - $150, $100 and $50.
7. Award Division - Jackpot Awards shall be distributed based on daily fishing results in each Class of Competition with the awards of each Jackpot category divided into first, second and third place according to the following proportions:
First Place 60%, Second Place 25% and Third Place 15%
8. No Fish - In the event that no fish is weighed in by an Optional Angler in a Category eligible for a Optional Awards, 95% of all Optional Fees paid for that Category shall be returned to the Registered Angler who paid an Optional Fee for that Category. In the event no fish are weighed in for a given Class of Fish, the Cash Award assigned to that Class of Fish shall be added equally to Cash Awards of the other fish in the same Category.
9. Rulings - Rules Committee rulings shall be final in all disputes regarding Optional Jackpot Rules
X. OTHER AWARDS
Tournament is not responsible for awards, invitations or prizes offered or presented by third parties.
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