Annual Ucluelet Fishing Derby 2012 Regulations

1. All persons who wish to participate in the Derby must have a valid derby ticket. All tidal water sport fishing regulations must be followed and anglers must have valid salt water fishing licenses with stamp.
2. All fishing is to be conducted in Areas 23-4 to 23-11 inclusive and Areas 123 and 124, subject always to DFO Regulations and Closures. Patrol Boats will be on the Fishing Grounds.
3. All entrants must:
   1. stay a minimum of 50 feet off the Vancouver Island shore
   2. stay a minimum of 30ft away from all other vessels (except derby patrol or DFO vessels)
   3. Not venture outside of the derby fishing boundaries; EXCEPT while transiting to and from their nightly moorage (or trailer) or fuel dock.
4. Fishing shall be from sunrise to sunset each day – no night fishing is allowed. Please remember to allow yourself enough time to get to the official weigh-in station BEFORE closing times. Salmon must be weighed-in on day caught. Each entrant must accompany their salmon to the weigh-in station with derby ticket and license. Fish must be delivered to the weigh-in station by boat, water access only. Weigh-in station hours are 10am to closing times as follows: May - 9:30pm; June - 9:45pm; July - 9:30pm; August - 9:15pm; September - 8:30pm.
5. All persons on a vessel with a valid license must have a derby ticket in order for any fish on that boat to qualify. Derby tickets and licenses for all persons in the boat must be produced at time of weigh-in. The only exception to this rule is a charter operator who has received specific permission from Derby Officials prior to departure.
6. Each weighed fish can only qualify for one prize.
7. Official weigh-in personnel will determine weight to the nearest ounce. They will also document the time of registration. Their decision is final.
8. In the event of a tie, the first fish registered at one of the official weigh scales wins.
9. Prize contending fish in the derby are subject to testing and inspection by Federal Fisheries department officials.
10. No eviscerated (gutted) salmon will be eligible for entry. All registered fish must be cleaned or marked by derby officials immediately after receiving the official weight from the weigh master.
11. To qualify, salmon must be caught and brought to the boat by the entrant, although he or she may receive help in netting or gaffing the catch.
12. Entrants who bring a fish to the official weigh-in station must provide acceptable evidence of a legal catch acceptable to derby officials.
13. Any fish in major prize winning category will be disqualified if found to be foul hooked. Official weigh-in personnel will have final decision.
14. Each entrant agrees to abide by these rules, accept prizes awarded and to accept all decisions and interpretation of these rules by derby officials. FAILURE TO OBSERVE ANY RULE WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION OF ALL ENTRANTS IN THE BOAT.
15. In the event of any dispute, all official derby rulings will be considered final and binding.

ADDITIONAL RULES FOR FISH-OFF 2012

1. Daily fish off boundaries will be announced at the mandatory meeting at the Boat Basin weigh scale, 6am on September 9th, 10th and 11th, 2012. The shotgun start will be at 7am on September 9th. Weigh-in station hours are 7am to 7pm on September 9th & 10th and 7am to 2pm on September 11th.
2. All boats, coolers and fish holds will be inspected daily prior to departure from the Government Dock/Boat Basin.
3. Winners will be announced at 5pm on September 11th at the wind up wild salmon barbeque.
4. Each entrant must use only one rod and reel for each fish-off entry issued.
5. Flags must be visible to Patrol Boats. The number of rods in the water must not exceed the number of flags displayed on the boat.
   
   ***Persons not registered in the derby may accompany entrant, BUT MUST NOT FISH.
6. The top 3 prize-winning fish will be held by derby officials for biological testing to verify that they were caught in compliance with derby rules.
7. Once a fish has been landed the team must call a patrol immediately if they wish to register that fish into the fish-off. Teams will be given an official time upon contacting a patrol vessel to register a fish. This time will be used to determine a winner in the event of a tie. Anglers may continue fishing while waiting for the patrol boat to arrive.
8. When a patrol vessel arrives to verify your fish, you will be asked to measure the fish for length. Do this by laying the fish on top of the measuring tape supplied in your fish-off kit. Measure from the fork in the tail to the tip of the head. You are not required to broadcast your fish length over the radio. Do this person to person with the official on the patrol vessel.
9. The patrol official will ask you to hold up your fish for him to inspect visually. He will want to see that the fish is not in a state of rigor. Fish that are in a state of rigor will not be accepted (unless the time between the call to a patrol vessel and excessive time for the patrol vessel to arrive was the cause).
10. After your fish has been accepted and registered by a patrol official you may continue fishing and weigh that fish later in the day or you can run it into the scales right away. You must contact derby base officials to inform them if your team is coming into the scales to weigh a fish. This can be done by VHF or by cell phone.