Rules

The sport fishing club ''BIG GAME CROATIA'', seated in Split, organises an international qualifying big game fishing competition.

The competition is held under the ''Rulebook on the principles and basic elements of the system of sports competitions in sport fishing at sea" (hereinafter: the Rulebook) and the „Rulebook on the conduct of big game fishing competitions"' (hereinafter: the Implementation Rulebook) of 20 December 2014.

The competition is combined (by species): fishing from a drifting boat and fishing from a boat under way (trolling), in accordance with Articles 105 and 106 of the Rulebook.

In ROGOZNICA.

Eligible to compete are members of sport fishing associations / clubs affiliated with the Croatian Federation for Sport Fishing at Sea, or members of any other international fishing federation. Competitors must hold the prescribed, valid fishing licences.

If a team has a chartered boat with a captain who is not a team member — that is, he steers the boat at the discretion of the team leader — in that case he does not have to be a member of a fishing association.

Eligible to compete are competitors who pay, per boat / team, an entry fee of 700 EUR to the account of SRK ''BIG GAME CROATIA'' at Privredna banka Zagreb, IBAN: HR9723400091110456132, until the available places are filled (40 vessels).

The entry fee covers chum, a berth for the vessel and dinners for the team members.

By paying the entry fee, competitors accept these Rules.

The officials are:

• Tonći LUKETA – chief judge (delegate of the Croatian Federation for Sport Fishing at Sea),
• Emanuela RADAN – assistant judge,
• a representative of the organiser (to be appointed at the captains meeting).

OTHER OFFICIALS:

• Competition director: Emanuela RADAN
• Head of protocol: BARBARA ŽAJA
• Official physician: dr. NIVES NONKOVIĆ 022/559-032

The entry form is a form that team leaders are required to complete for their members. By certifying the entry, the responsible person guarantees that the data entered is true.

A competing team numbers at most 4 (four) active competitors per boat. The team is represented by its leader, who alone has the right to communicate with the competition officials under point 4 of these Rules.

Other crew members of the boat who are not entered on the entry form are considered guests.

The organiser, the host and all participants involved in organising the competition disclaim any liability and compensation for damages arising from this competition. Competitors take part at their own full responsibility for themselves, their crew, boat and equipment, for any damage to the same and towards third parties. Each competitor accepts the above by signing the Statement of personal fitness and responsibility to compete prescribed by the Rulebook on the principles and elements of the system of sports competitions in sport fishing at sea of the Croatian Federation.

Each competitor also signs the data subject consent statement prescribed by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs the provision and processing of data and its disclosure to third parties.

The organiser, competitors and officials at the competition bear responsibility for concealing an unauthorised catch if they have information about it. They are required to report such knowledge to the competition officials, who will declare the team's disqualification under the Rulebook and report them to the competent authorities of the Republic of Croatia for legal sanctions.

For competitors without the appropriate annual sport licences, the purchase of daily or multi-day licences for big game fishing tackle is provided for.

One licence, in accordance with the ''Rulebook on Sport and Recreational Fishing'', permits fishing per team with a maximum of 3 (three) sets of fishing tackle.

Approved by the competent ministry. Fishing zones on nautical charts with plotted coordinates will be delivered to team leaders as part of the competition documentation.

The competition is held with owner-operated boats, and the provisions of Article 19 of the Rulebook and all other provisions of the Implementation Rulebook concerning competitions with owner-operated vessels apply.

The following fish species are fished and scored:

Competitors are required to release (carefully removing the hook or cutting the line) rare or accidentally caught specimens of other fish species (sunfish, manta, sea turtle, blue shark, thresher shark etc.).

For (bluefin tuna) they must respect the prescribed lengths-weights for boating fish as well as the daily quotas.

For the species (swordfish, spearfish and albacore) no quotas have been approved. Competitors are required to release caught specimens. Any boating of these fish entails disqualification and legal sanctions.

For the other scored species (mahi-mahi and little tunny) no ban or daily quota is set, and the rule of the minimum length or weight measure prescribed by these Rules applies.

In case of doubt as to which fish species is concerned, the team leader is obliged to contact the judge boat.

The caught fish is at the disposal of the competition organiser.

Scoring is by: points per species (BpV) where a caught specimen is released, or weight points (TB) for specimens boated.

TUNA – CATCH & RELEASE, minimum length 115 cm (length is measured from the hook-up point – the corner of the mouth – to the end of the extended tail fin), scores 240 points per released specimen. A released specimen below the minimum length brings the team no points.

WEIGH-IN – minimum weight 40 kg:

SWORDFISH – CATCH & RELEASE, minimum length 100 cm (length is measured from the lower jaw to the end of the extended tail fin), scores 319 points per released specimen. A released specimen below the minimum length brings the team no points.

SPEARFISH – CATCH & RELEASE, minimum length 100 cm (length is measured from the upper jaw to the end of the extended tail fin), scores 279 points per released specimen. A released specimen below the minimum length brings the team no points.

ALBACORE – CATCH & RELEASE, minimum length 70 cm (length is measured from the hook-up point – the corner of the mouth – to the end of the extended tail fin), scores 55 points per released specimen. A released specimen below the minimum length brings the team no points.

MAHI-MAHI – WEIGH-IN – minimum weight 5 kg, scores 9 points per kg of weight.

LITTLE TUNNY – WEIGH-IN – minimum weight 5 kg, scores 5 points per kilogram of weight.

If a specimen lighter than the prescribed weight is boated, for all the listed species the team is awarded no weight points – negative points are not provided for.

For this competition the number of fishing outfits (rods) is not limited. The only restriction concerns holding sport licences in accordance with point 6 of these Rules.

The initial and final part of the fight with the catch must be recorded, without interruption, up to the release or the boating of the fish. The video recording will be recognised and bring the team points if it complies with the provisions of Articles 89, 90 and 91 of the Implementation Rulebook.

Special notes:

• the INITIAL recording (up to 1 min) must show the competitor fighting the fish, the plotter with coordinates, the time of recording (if the time is not embedded on the plotter itself) and the control tag of the fishing day.
• The recording is sent via WhatsApp to the chief judge and reported over VHF radio on channel 72.
• The FINAL recording (up to 2 min) must allow the released fish to be identified by species, and must show the release and the fish swimming freely away from the vessel.
• if fishing from a boat under way (trolling) with lures, the uninterrupted recording must show the lure being removed, the fish leaving the boat and a shot of the lure (against a light background) with the hooks on the lure rig clearly shown.
• there is no excuse for a poor, interrupted or unclear video recording.
• the camera may be fixed to the boat, or one of the crew members may act as the camera operator.

It is the obligation of every team to have a camera for recording the catch with the following technical characteristics:

• one that records to an "SD memory card" (for easier transfer to a computer),
• one that has the corresponding connectors and cables (a backup means of data transfer),
• recording with mobile phones / tablets (without an "SD memory card") is also allowed; in that case the team must send the video recording during the competition via one of the platforms Viber, WhatsApp or by e-mail, to phone number 091 121 4704, Tonći LUKETA, e-mail: [email protected]

The catch is verified by the officials as follows:

• the official competition documentation is checked and compared: the List of caught specimens (entered by team captains) and the Catch report lists (entered by the chief judge),
• the video recording of the catch is reviewed; the recorded material proves the catch and compliance with the fishing rules in accordance with Articles 88 and 89 of the Rulebook.

The team captain or an authorised member must bring the video recording and be present at its viewing; if they do not attend, they are considered to have withdrawn the catch report and no points will be awarded.

A recognised catch is awarded the corresponding points in accordance with point 10 of these Rules.

Catch verification will be carried out at the end of each fishing day at the time prescribed by the schedule.

The competition is combined and, in accordance with Article 50 of the Implementation Rulebook, the following minimum distances between competing boats are prescribed:

• minimum lateral distance between boats – 2 cables, perpendicular to the direction of drift ("chum trail"),
• minimum distance in the trail – 0.5 NM in the direction of the "chum trail",
• a boat under way must respect the minimum distance from a drifting boat, laterally and in the "chum trail",
• boats under way may approach one another more closely: laterally at least 1 cable, and astern 2 cables.

The conduct of teams (proper or not) while fishing from a drifting boat is governed by Articles 119 to 126, and when fishing from a boat under way, Articles 127 to 134 of the Implementation Rulebook apply.

Fishing from a boat under way must be announced to the chief judge.

In any dispute, only the chief judge of the competition has the authoritative opinion and the final decision.

Quantities for this competition are not limited. Teams are provided with 40 kg of chum (sardines) of equal quality before the start of each competition day (included in the entry fee). The purchase of additional quantities will be made possible before the start of each competition day.

The hosts-organisers undertake to provide teams with the supply (purchase) of chum (sardines or other oily fish) of equal quality before the start of each competition day.

Teams procure bait of their own choice, but in accordance with Article 42 of the Rulebook.

The use of artificial lures is permitted in accordance with the provisions of Article 58 of the Rulebook.

During the competition it is permitted to catch other fish species and use them, whole or in part, for bait or chumming, but the use of LIVE BAIT is prohibited.

The winners will be determined by the highest sum of points achieved over three fishing days. In case of unfavourable fishing weather and the impossibility of holding three fishing days, the results achieved on the days held will be declared the final results of the competition.

Teams with an equal number of points in the daily standings will be ranked by the time of a valid catch (the earlier hook-up — that is, report — time is taken).

Teams with an equal number of points after the second and third fishing day will be ranked by the time of a valid catch by day (priority goes to teams that caught on the first day, then the second, and finally the third). If teams are still tied on points after that, priority goes to the team with the better placing on that fishing day.

Prescribed by these Rules:

Every hook-up must be reported by the team to the judge boat with "fish on" together with the competing boat's number and the boat's position. The leader is required to enter this in the List of caught specimens. The leader is also required to record and report the release or the boating of the fish (for tuna, also report the approximate weight).

The conditional extension of fishing time prescribed by Article 79 of the Implementation Rulebook, in the case of a so-called „late hook-up'', will be 1 hour for the team.

The PERMITTED bluefin tuna catch will be distributed over three fishing days. If the quota provided for a given fishing day is not filled, it carries over to the next; if the quota is exceeded, the excess is deducted from the next fishing day.

Teams will be informed of the daily quotas at the leaders meeting, and of changes to the daily quotas at the certification of the lists.

Until the provided quota is filled, it is permitted to retain one tuna per boat per day. The chief judge of the competition monitors the filling of the daily quota and decides on the entry into force of the ''catch and release'' rule. Any subsequent boating of a tuna entails disqualification and legal sanctions.

DETAILS ESSENTIAL TO THE CONDUCT OF THE COMPETITION:

• certification of the daily start (fishing day) – certified by the chief judge before leaving port,
• distribution of the control tag / wristband for each daily start – at the certification of the daily start,
• communication – via a WhatsApp group and VHF radio on channel 72,
• backup communication by mobile phones,
• the officials' telephone numbers will be published in the competition documentation.

The use of harpoons and fighting posts on the boat during the competition is strictly prohibited.

After a fish is hooked, only one competitor may fight the fish, using a fighting chair or stand-up technique, without assistance. Assistance from other team members is governed by the Implementation Rulebook.

''Late hook-up'': if the team does not manage to bring the catch to the boat within the additional time, it continues the fight to the end and releases the catch by cutting the leader (as close to the hook as possible), but the catch is not recognised. If the team fails or refuses to do so, it will be disqualified from the competition.

The chief judge of the competition, in accordance with the provisions of the Rulebook, for observed or reported irregularities issues warnings and reprimands, or disqualifies teams for one start (fishing day) or for the entire competition.

During the competition, team leaders publicly communicate objections to the conduct of individual teams to the chief judge, orally over the radio. All objections must be resolved at sea or at the latest before the start of the official weigh-in.

Appeals after the weigh-in and catch verification are submitted by team leaders in writing to the competition officials, in accordance with Articles 109 and 110 of the Implementation Rulebook.

The appeal fee is 50.00 euros.

WEDNESDAY

• Arrival in Rogoznica by 14:00 (due to the limited number of places)
• Team verification until 17:00
• Team leaders meeting at 18:00
• Opening ceremony, presentation of teams, entertainment from 20:00

ALL FISHING DAYS

• Inspection of boats and fishing tackle, certification of lists at 07:00
• Common line start marked by a sound signal at 08:00
• Hooks in the water at the earliest at 09:00
• Hooks out of the water at 17:00
• Return to port by 18:30
• Weigh-in of the catch from 18:45
• Catch verification (review of video recordings) from 19:15
• Shared dinner, entertainment at 21:00

SATURDAY (LAST DAY OF THE COMPETITION)

• Hooks out of the water at 16:00
• Return to port by 17:30
• Weigh-in of the catch from 17:45
• Catch verification (review of video recordings) from 18:15
• Prize ceremony, shared dinner, entertainment at 20:30

Alongside the medals, winners are also provided with sponsor prizes.

The winning team earns the right to compete at the OWC CostaRica 2026 invitational tournament.