10^th STEINLAGER I’A LAPO’A FISHING TOURNAMENT

PAGO PAGO GAMEFISHING ASSOCIATION

(PPGFA)

*Please read the following RULES carefully.

ELIGIBILITY

A team may be comprised of any number of anglers but at least two anglers on a team. (for safety a minimum of two is required) Team members must fish together on a registered tournament boat throughout the tournament. Unless approved by the tournament committee.

CONTEST FEES

 For anglers the Entry fee for the 'Open Tournament' is US$100 and includes 1 to 6 below.

For Supporters the fee is US$50. The Supporters package includes 1 and 5 below and entry to daily weigh in and daily prize giving.

ANGLERS PACK

Your angler’s pack will include

   1) Invitation to the Opening Ceremony.

   2) Complimentary Gift Pack.

   3) Tournament T-Shirt and Lavalava.

   4) Set of Rules for the Tournament

   5) Invitation to Closing Ceremony.

   6) Your PPGFA 'Name Tag' (to be worn at all times) which entitles you to:

            a) Free Breakfast for the 3 days of the Tournament

            b) Free transport to and from dock and event locations during the tournament days

            c) Your official entry to the 2009 Steinlager I’a Lapo’a Tournament 

BRIEFING. Day OneBriefing will take place Wednesday May 13th at TBA. All anglers and boat skippers must attend the pre-tournament briefing unless exempted by the tournament committee. All anglers must uplift and sign for their Anglers Pack.

SHOTGUN START FIRST DAY                       

Thursday 14th - All boats must assemble by 6:30am at the designated area in Pago Pago Harbor for the purpose of filming the commencement of the event. The area designated will be announced at the briefing. 

Fishing of all areas is permitted, but all boats must start and finish from Pago Pago and catches must be present at the weigh-station no later than 5:00pm on the Thursday and Friday and 1pm on the Saturday. 

FISHING TIMES 

Thursday 14th. 7:05am - 5pm

Friday 15th.5am - 5pm

Saturday 16th 5am - 1pm

Saturday 16th Awards Ceremony4pm-???

FISHING AREA 

The fishing area for the contest is within the waters of American Samoa. 

FISHING RULES 

The tournament will be fished in accordance with strict I.G.F.A. (  HYPERLINK "http://www.igfa.org" www.igfa.org )and tournament rules. ( HYPERLINK "http://www.ppgfa.com" www.ppgfa.com ) It is the responsibility of the angler to be familiar with and abide by both sets of rules. In the event that these rules clash, tournament rules will prevail. 

TACKLE

For the 2008 tournament, the Organizers have decided that the tournament will be fished by up to and including 80lb/37kg line class.  All tackle for the tournament must be meet I.G.F.A.regulations.

SPECIES

The species eligible for this tournament are: Bill fish (includes Blue Marlin, Black Marlin, Striped Marlin & Sailfish), Yellow fin Tuna, Masimasi, Wahoo, Giant Trevally, and Dogtooth tuna. Tag and release Marlin 150 pts., Tag and release Sailfish 50pts.

MINIMUM WEIGHTS

Bill fish 150lb, Yellow fin Tuna 15lb, Masimasi 15lb, Wahoo 15lb, Sailfish 50lb, Dogtooth Tuna 15lb, Giant Trevally 15lb. 

SCORING

Each catch will be awarded points based on one point per lb of fish weighed irrespective of line weight.

Each anglers points will be collated for team points. 

TAG AND RELEASE

Tag and release of Bill fish only (marlin and sailfish) will be eligible for this tournament. Points will be awarded for each tagged and released fish irrespective of the estimated weight - photographic evidence must be provided, using digital or video camera. An item issued with the tournament pack and specified by the tournament committee each day must be present in the photo’s or video submitted as verification. The tag and release process (i.e. both the tagging and the releasing of the fish) must be shown clearly in the photographs or video. Failure to strictly adhere to these requirements may result in your fish being disallowed.

A catch card must be completed for each tagged and released fish and be handed to the weigh master by 5:00 pm, on the day of tagging. 

CATCHES

All catches must be radioed or phoned to tournament base during round up times giving the species, boat and anglers name. Late hook ups must be radioed or phoned to tournament base; failure to follow these requirements may result in disqualification of the catch. 

WEIGH IN

All fish must be available for presentation at the weigh-station by 5.00pm sharp to be included in that days prize giving. All fish must be weighed on the day of capture. Each angler must complete a 'catch card' declaring his or her catch was made in accordance with tournament rules. The 'catch card' must be handed to the weigh-master at the weigh-station during official weigh in times. The angler must present all tackle (lure and rod), including gaff with which the fish was caught. All fish to be credited to the Pago Pago Game Fishing Association. All lures must be removed before the fish is weighed. If you are fighting a fish on the first or second day of the open tournament and cannot make it back to the weigh-station in time (and provided you had called in and was allowed time to land your fish), then that days catch will be included in the next days catch. This does not apply to the last day of fishing, at which, all fish must be at the weigh-station by 1.00pm. All fish weighed become the property PPGFA. They will be used for sashimi, oka etc and distributed to the tournament sponsors and charities.

COMMUNICATION

All boats must have a V.H.F. radio and tuned to the tournament's designated channel. Mobile phones will also be used by all boats.. Round up times will be 10.00am and 2.00pm each day.

RETURN TO BASE

To account that all vessels have returned each day, at least one team member must report and sign in at tournament headquarters no later than 7.00pm each night. Failure to do so may result in teams being penalized. 

DISCLAIMER

The distribution of prizes within your team is your team's responsibility. Set your ground rules at the start as the Organizers will not be involved in your domestic differences.

SAFETY REGULATIONS

In the interest of safety all boats must carry required safety equipment.

PROTESTS

Any protest concerning the validity of any catch shall be filed in writing signed and handed to the tournament committee by no later than 6.00pm, on the day of the catch. All decisions made by the Tournament Organizers shall be final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into. 

CLARIFICATION OF THE RULES

Before you begin fishing, make sure you are clear on all the rules. If in doubt, ask the officials as no warning will be given. Any competitor who commits a breach of the rules shall be disqualified. The decision of the committee shall be final.

PPGFA reserves the right at its sole discretion to refuse entry into the tournament of any angler or team of anglers or of any boat, fishing craft, or vessel, and its decision concerning same shall be final and no discussions or correspondence will be entertained.