contest rules

1. It is only permitted to be  1 team per boat. Each team may have up to 5 team members, and the boat driver is one of the 5 team members. It's only allowed to use 1 fishing-rod per person. 1 spare fishing-rod  per person in the boat is allowed.
    

2. The halibut must be properly hooked (through the mouth). Documentation on the placement of the hook is required for the catch to be approved.
    

3. All halibuts must be released back into the sea for the catch to be approved.
    

4. Fishing with live bait is prohibited, and doing so will cause disqualification. Use lure/pilk/jig with max. 4 hooks. (4 hook tips).
    

5. Only 1 person is allowed to hook and wheel in the catch. The rod cannot be turned over to someone else.
    

6. The halibut must be photographed next to the contest's official ruler/measuring device. The starting number must be visible in the image, and the halibut must be measured from mouth to the middle of the tail. The length of the halibut must be clear in the photo to be approved. Remember that it is the person catching the fish that’s responsible for convincing the competitions judges that the length is correct.
    

7. All halibut over 150 cm must be measured outside the boat. If there is a risk of harming the halibut, or risk for personal injury, the halibut can be lifted into the borat. Contact the competition judges for approval before doing this.
    

8. The minimum approved halibut size is 86 cm.
    

9. Use of down rig is prohibited.

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 10. Immediately after catch-and-release, picture and info on who caught the fish must be sent to the festival                         management.
 

 11. The deadline for reporting a catch must be done by the end of the day. Starting chip and camera must be handed           in no later than one hour after the day ends (time set in program).
 

 12. Any complaints have to be given within one hour after the results are published. The festival managements                    decisions on complaints are final.
 

 13. The 15 best teams from Friday with the 3 longest halibut (total cm) will compete in World Championship Halibut             Fishing, to qualify the team must have caught at least 1 halibut. The remaining teams compete in Halibut Fest.      

                                                                                                            

 14. All teams that participate in the World Championship Halibut Fishing take with them the two longest halibut from         Friday to Saturday. The teams the compete in Halibut Fest take with them the longest halibut from Friday to                     Saturday. 

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 15. All teams should have at least 2 mobile phones on board at all times, so that the management can report on                     weather changes and other important information. The teams can communicate amongst themselves using                 Chanel 72 on the VHF
 

 16. All teams must report to the competition management about which sone they are fishing in at 12 o'clock bosth              Friday and Saturday. 

 

 17. The teams that venture out to Sone 1 during the competition will have 1 hour less fishing time. This is to prevent            dangerous situations when returning to Havøysund. 

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 18. The competition area can be minimized if the weather conditions are rough.

 

 19. If the weather is to bad to go out on one of the competition days this will be removed from the competition. If                both days are cancelled it will be a draw of the prizes between all competitors. Changes in the program will be                given at the captains meeting on Friday / Saturday.

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