TheLatham Open

Fishing rules

• Only fish caught in accordance with IGFA rules count for the competition.
• Techniques allowed: trolling, jigging and popping.
• All boats must be registered in Tanzania with valid TASEC. Boats and all anglers need a valid fishing licence.
• Juniors must be accompanied by an adult (over 18). Parents pre-sign an indemnity form for each DYC event their child fishes.
• Seven rigged lines maximum. Six anglers maximum per boat; with fewer than six, the skipper can count as an angler.

Released fish

• Every release must be documented on video. Per IGFA, a release is valid once the swivel touches the rod tip or the leader man takes control of the leader.
• Footage must show a time stamp and date, and the registered angler and leader man must be visible.
• On hooking a billfish, notify the nearest boat. Boats in the vicinity keep at least 300 m clear so the angler can fight the fish.
• Videos are validated by the Latham Open judges.

Weighing of fish

• All fish must be weighed on DYC certified scales by the Latham Open judges or the appointed Weigh Master, or they will not count.
• Only the Weigh Master and appointed judges handle the scales.
• Anglers enter their catch on the boat fish sheets (one copy with the skipper, one kept at the club), signed off by the judges.
• Missing data or a missing skipper's signature voids the sheet and disqualifies the catch. Mutilated or rotten fish are disqualified.

Minimum keep size

• All landed fish must be brought to the weighing station. Minimum size is 60 cm, tip to fork. Smaller fish do not count and carry penalties.
• GT under 15 kg do not count.
• Largest Bill Fish award: released fish count. For the same species, first release wins; otherwise the boat with the most release points. If no billfish is landed, the award moves to the Broadbill competition.

Points and release minimums

Any billfish landed below the minimum release weight counts full penalty points as per the minimum weight.

Protests

• Protests must be made in writing to the Fishing Secretary and judges, up to 30 minutes after the weigh station closes.
• Protest fee: 300,000 TZS, refundable if the protest is upheld.
• A fine of 300,000 TZS applies to a team if a protest is upheld against them or their catch. All fees and penalties go to the Fishing Section.

Safety at sea

• Sign your boat out on the Sign Out Register by the Bosun's Office at the top of the ramp, with destination, expected return and number on board.
• Owners who fail to sign out are fined. Boat owners and skippers are responsible for the safety of their boat and crew.
• If a boat is overdue, DYC stays on watch and may send a rescue boat. Any rescue is at the owner's cost.
• A boat giving assistance is not penalised for arriving back late. A boat with issues is disqualified if not back through the inner and outer by 17:00 Sunday.

Radio coverage

• Tune to Channel 67 to reach DYC. Boat-to-boat communication is on Channel 10.
• Good radio and phone coverage across the South Zanzibar Channel.
• No radio or phone coverage at Latham Island. Phone picks up roughly 8 to 10 nm out on Vodacom, about 15 nm on Airtel.
• For safety, every boat is advised to carry a satellite phone.