2021 MidAtlantic Cup Rules
1.
Entry fee: $2,000 per boat (each boat is referred to as
“Participant”).
2.
Optional MidAtlantic Cup
Calcutta: $3,000 per
Participant (the “MidAtlantic Cup Calcutta or MACC”)
3.
Payment and Acceptance of Entry
Fee: Payment can be made by
standard commercial means either by mail, wire transfer or over the internet. After June 18, 2021, only internet credit card payments and
cash (US currency only) will be accepted. All funds
must be available without restriction to South Jersey Tournaments on or before 5:00pm, July 3, 2021 (unless
otherwise stated, all times in the Rules refer to US EST). Each
Participant must receive a confirmation number prior to July 4 which shall
confirm Participant’s entry into the Tournament.
4.
Revocation of Entry: South Jersey Tournaments reserves the right in its sole and
absolute discretion, to reject or revoke participation by any Participant for
any reason. Revocation may be communicated or sent to Participant by
phone, fax or email and is effective when sent by South Jersey Tournaments.
5.
Withdrawal: Refunds will only be made for withdrawals if a written
withdrawal and refund notice signed by the Participant is received by South
Jersey Tournaments on or before 5:00pm, July 3, 2021.
6.
Qualifying fish: The qualifying length for Blue Marlin is 106 inches
(LJFL). All fish below the qualifying length and those fish not expected to be
the heaviest shall be released.
7.
Qualifying fish being weighed: Blue Marlin that meet the minimum length must be brought,
aboard the boat on which it was caught, to an Official weigh station of The
MidAtlantic Cup to be weighed. The fish
must be available by midnight.
8.
Winning fish: The winning fish will
be the heaviest qualifying blue marlin caught in accordance with these
Tournament Rules.
9.
IGFA and Government
Rules: Subject to the express
modifications set forth in these Tournament Rules, each Participant shall
comply with the IGFA rules which can be viewed at www.igfa.org under “Fishing,”
and with all applicable government fisheries regulations. Tournament Anglers
MUST use only non-offset circle hooks when deploying natural bait or natural
bait artificial lure combinations. Tournament anglers may deploy “J” hooks with
artificial lures.
10.
Boundaries: There are no boundaries for this tournament.
11.
Prize Money and
Distribution: Prize money is awarded
for first place only in this winner takes all tournament to the Participant
catching the heaviest qualifying blue marlin. Prize money shall be equal to 80%
of Tournament Entry Fees (the “Prize Money”). The Prize Money will be
distributed to the “Payee” designated in writing by Participant. IN THE EVENT THAT A QUALIFYING FISH IS NOT CAUGHT, THE TOURNAMENT
PRIZE MONEY (TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEES MINUS 20%) WILL BE ROLLED OVER AND ADDED TO
THE PRIZE MONEY FOR THE 2022 TOURNAMENT. Reentry and payment of the
2022 Tournament Entry Fee will be required to participate in the 2022
MidAtlantic Cup.
12.
MidAtlantic Cup Calutta: Entry in the MidAtlantic Cup Calcutta is optional, and all
Tournament Rules will apply. The winning MACC Participant will be the MACC
Participant catching the heaviest qualifying blue marlin. The MACC is a winner
takes all event with prize money equal to the total MACC entry fees minus 20%
(the “MACC” Prize Money”). The MACC Prize Money will be distributed to the
“Payee” designated in writing by Participant. If there is no MACC winner, 80%
of the MACC entry fees will be refunded.
13.
Departure: Boats may depart at any time to be able to reach the
fishing grounds.
14.
Fishing hours: Lines in the water at 8:30am and out of the water at 4:30pm in
the Participant’s local time zone. Boats may catch bait prior to lines
in. If a hookup is reported to MidAtlantic Cup headquarters prior to lines
out and the angler reasonably believes that the marlin is the winning fish, the
angler may continue fighting the marlin.
15.
Video: South Jersey Tournaments reserves the right to require
the winning team to provide a video of boated fish along with continuous
video of GPS time and date to verify fish was caught during tournament
hours.
16.
Polygraph: South Jersey Tournaments reserves the right to require
that the angler and/or any members of the crew pass a polygraph test,
administered in the manner determined by South Jersey Tournaments, in order to
collect the Prize Money. All tests or other verification costs incurred by
South Jersey Tournaments shall be paid out of the Prize Money.
17.
Determination and Verification
of Fish Size: Fish
weight as well as length (as measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork
of the tail) and girth (the “Weight and Measurements”) shall be taken by a
qualified weigh master approved by South Jersey Tournaments. At least two
independent witnesses are required to witness the taking of the Weight and
Measurements. The Weight and Measurements along with photos taken to verify the
Weight and Measurements and the witnesses’ names and contact information shall
be submitted to South Jersey Tournaments as soon as reasonably possible, but no
later than noon, July 5. An observer approved by South Jersey Tournaments may
be required for any Participant fishing in a remote area where there are no
other Participants (the “Remote Area”). South Jersey Tournaments shall have the
right to refuse any entry if it believes that adequate verification procedures
are not available in the Remote Area to modify verification compliances and
procedures in its sole discretion.
18.
Fishing line
requirements. Fishing Line Requirements: Any
line (monofilament, Dacron or braided line) with a manufacturer’s stated
breaking strength of 100 pounds or less; also accepted is any line labeled as
“IGFA-rated or Tournament-rated” with a breaking strength of 130 pounds or
less. Backing of ANY SIZE is permitted as long as the top shot does not exceed
130lb. test IGFA or 100lb manufacturers stated. IGFA Top Shot & backing
rule.
The catch shall be
classified under the breaking strength of the first five meters of line
directly preceding the double line, leader or hook. This section must be
comprised of a single, homogenous piece of line.”
19.
Reporting: Participants shall use their best effort to report, as
soon as possible, when a fish is hooked and then when any large blue marlin is
boated and the estimated weight of the fish. South Jersey Tournaments may
provide Tournament day activity on The MidAtlantic Cup website, or through
Twitter or Facebook, as it occurs throughout the day, however, in no event
shall South Jersey Tournaments have any liability for any such information that
may later turn out to be inaccurate or false.
20.
Adverse Conditions: It is the responsibility of each Participant to decide in
advance whether to fish on July 4. Participants shall not be entitled to
refunds for the Tournament unless Participant complies with the refund
rules set forth above. Participant shall not be entitled to a refund after the
refund deadline due to the inability of Participant to fish on July 4 for any
reason, including, but not limited to bad weather, adverse sea conditions,
other acts of God, mechanical or physical conditions or other similar
conditions or events.
21.
Dispute Resolution: In order for any dispute or protest to be considered it
must be submitted to South Jersey Tournaments prior to 5:00pm on July 5, 2021.
Any dispute shall be determined and resolved by the sole and absolute
discretion of South Jersey Tournaments rules committee and said determination
and/or resolution shall be final and binding.
22.
Indemnification: Anglers/ crews/boat owner and guests of Participant
(collectively “Participating Parties”) enter the Tournament at their own risk,
individually and collectively, and assume all risks which might occur.
Participating Parties hereby release and forever discharge South Jersey
Tournaments and their agents, employees, representatives, attorneys,
shareholders, officers, directors, assigns, heirs and successors-in-interest
from and against any and all claims, demands, obligations and causes of action,
which Participating Parties may have arising out of or in any way connected
with their participation in the Tournament.
23.
Jurisdiction: In the event of any litigation arising out of the
Tournament, participant hereby consents to the jurisdiction of the New Jersey
courts with venue in Cape May County, New Jersey.
24.
Consent to Rules and Failure to
Abide by the Rules: Submission of
your entry into the Tournament constitutes your acceptance of the Rules and
your agreement to abide by the Rules. Failure to abide by the Rules shall
constitute disqualification.
25.
Consent to use Photo: Participants consent to South Jersey Tournaments’ use
their photos and any likeness in future publication or commercial use.