Changes Planned for North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Tournament By North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
Published: December 21, 2007
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EmailThe N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will make several changes to its Saltwater Fishing Tournament, popularly called the Citation Program, effective Jan. 1.
The tournament is not a competition but a longstanding certification program that recognizes outstanding saltwater catches. For 2008, the tournament will institute two new awards for anglers who meet three citation requirements within the tournament year of Jan 1 to Dec. 31.
A Billfish Grand Slam will be awarded to anglers who recorded a released or weighed blue marlin, a white marlin, and a sailfish release within the tournament year.
An Inshore Grand Slam will be awarded to anglers who recorded a weighed flounder, a weighed or released trout (speckled or gray), and a released red drum within the tournament year.
These certificates will be issued to anglers at the end of the tournament year, and the anglers will be recognized using the tournament database.
Additionally, minimum citation requirements will change for several fish.
Only release citations will be offered for barracuda, jack crevalle, sailfish, tarpon and white marlin. The release size will be 45 inches for barracuda and 32 inches for jack crevalle. Citations will be awarded for the live release of sailfish, tarpon and white marlin of any size.
Minimum weight requirements for landed fish will decrease for bluefish, black drum, sheepshead and triggerfish. Minimum release lengths will change for king mackerel, striped bass and bluefin tuna.
Added to the citation program for 2008 are tilefish, blackfin tuna, false albacore and Atlantic bonita. Tautog was deleted from the program.
These are the first major changes to Saltwater Fishing Tournament requirements in several years. They were initiated by at the request of several anglers.
For more information, contact Carole Willis, DMF sport fishing specialist, at (252) 726-7021 or carole.y.willis@ncmail.net. A list of 2008 requirements is below.
2008 Weights and Releases Lengths for the
NC Saltwater Fishing Tournament
Albacore, False RELEASE ONLY (34 in)
Amberjack 50 lbs (50 in)
Atlantic Bonita 8 lbs (24 in)
Barracuda RELEASE ONLY (45 in)
Bass, Black Sea 4 lbs
Bluefish 15 lbs
Cobia 40lbs (33 in)
Croaker 3 lbs
Dolphin 35 lbs
Drum, Black 35 lbs (40 in)
Drum, Red RELEASE ONLY (40 in)
Flounder 5 lbs
Grouper 20 lbs
Jack, Crevalle RELEASE ONLY (32 in)
Mackerel, King 30 lbs (45 in)
Mackerel, Spanish 6 lbs
Marlin, Blue 400 lbs (any length)
Marlin, White RELEASE ONLY (any length)
Mullet, Sea 1 ½ lbs
Pompano 2 lbs
Porgy (Silver Snapper) 4 lbs
Sailfish RELEASE ONLY (any length)
Shark 150 lbs (80 in)
Sheepshead 8 lbs
Snapper, Red 10 lbs
Spot 1 lb
Striped Bass 35 lbs (45 in)
Tarpon RELEASE ONLY (any length)
Tilefish 10 lbs
Triggerfish 5 lbs
Trout, Gray 5 lbs (24 in)
Trout, Speckled 5 lbs (24 in)
Tuna, Bigeye 100 lbs
Tuna, Blackfin 20 lbs
Tuna, Bluefin 80 lbs (any length)
Tuna, Yellowfin 70 lbs
Wahoo 40 lbs
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