In our weekly Offshore column this week, the spotlight was on the White Marlin Open out of Ocean City, MD back in August in which the winning white marlin of 76-1/2 pounds ultimately disqualified based on the results of a polygraph exam.
The word of the DQ came on August 23 in an official press release from tournament director Jim Motsko that noted “After much discussion, and providing evidence of the possible violation of the tournament rules, the Judges agreed that the prize would not be awarded to the boat catching the qualifying white marlin, but would, in accordance with the rules of the tournament, be withheld pending the determination of the proper recipient of the prize money.”
Since August 26, the decision on how to proceed with dispensing of the $2.8 million payout has been left to the Circuit Court for Worcester County, MD.
As noted in the September 25, 2016 edition of The Fisherman Magazine (Offshore: Know Before You Go), many coastal tournament directors spell out their own personal requirements like time of fishing, demarcation lines, crew requirements and rules to meet both the state and federal regulations, but allow for the use of all-tackle IGFA rules to apply unless otherwise noted.
Up until 1940, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) noted that there was “no universal code of sporting ethics to guide anglers in their pursuits.” Shortly after IGFA was founded in 1939, its officers immediately set to the task of establishing angling guidelines and requirements for world record catches.
The basic angling guidelines laid out by IGFA in their International Angling Rules are used by fishing tournaments worldwide; while they’re not standard in any and all coastal tournaments in which you might participate, their specific requirements for use of baits, hook, line and gear are practically universal in the offshore tournament world.
Before going through the great time and expense of entering an offshore tournament with varying degrees of big money Calcuttas, it’s critical that the captain and all crew members familiarize themselves with the nuances of the IGFA’s International Angling Rules – the same can be said for those chasing world record fish!
