TRADE-WINDS ENVIRONMENTAL
STEPHEN SLOAN MEMORIAL
INTERNATIONAL TAG & RELEASE
SHARK TOURNAMENT
OCTOBER 3-5, 2008
MONTAUK, NY


The Fisheries Conservation Foundation is pleased to announce the 2008 TRADE-WINDS ENVIRONMENTAL STEPHEN SLOAN MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL TAG & RELEASE SHARK TOURNAMENT. Although this is the sixth in an annual series of tag-and-release shark tournaments, this year heralds many exciting changes. First, the tournament now has Trade-Winds Environmental as its main sponsor, with its President, Michael O’Reilly, serving as Tournament Director. Second, this tournament has always featured a friendly competition of Brits vs. Yanks, but this year it has been expanded to include entries from around the world. Third, the dates of the tournament have changed from June to October. This new tournament will help the Fisheries Conservation Foundation not only to increase public awareness of the problems facing shark populations, including shark finning and longlining, but also to support ongoing research efforts through conventional and satellite tagging efforts. For more information on this year’s tournament, continue reading below or follow the links on the right.

SHARK CONSERVATION AND TOURNAMENT VIDEO

Our new video, produced in conjunction with Unparalleled Productions, describes FCF’s shark conservation goals, how Stephen Sloan had a vision for a better way to conduct fishing tournaments, and how Trade-Winds Environmental and FCF are setting out to change how shark tournaments are run while promoting the conservation of the ocean’s top predator. TO VIEW THE VIDEO, click here


SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

There will be special events throughout the weekend for families and participants, including a showing of documentaries about shark fishing and conservation, as well as local wine, beer, and fine food tasting. There will also be a series of special guests to speak about shark fishing and conservation efforts.

  • CAPTAIN'S MEETING & BEER, WINE & RUM BASH
    Friday, October 3rd at 7:00 pm
  • TOURNAMENT FISHING DAYS
    Saturday, October 4th at 6 am to 6 pm
    Sunday, October 5th at 6 am to 5 pm
  • LOCAL WINE, BEER & FINE FOOD TASTING EVENT Saturday, October 4th from 1 pm to 9 pm
  • AWARDS DINNER
    Sunday, October 5th at 8:00 pm

ENTRY FEE DETAILS

Registration Fees are due on September 2, 2008
Entry Fee: $1200 Per Team of Four Anglers *
* Registration after September 2 will be $1300 per team

Entry Fee Includes:

  • Participation in the Tournament
  • Awards and prizes
  • Captain's Meeting and Friday Night Rum Bash
  • Awards Dinner for all participants on Sunday night
  • (Awards dinner tickets will be available for sale to guests)

To download the Tournament Registration Form, click here.


BOAT CHARTER INFORMATION

Each team is responsible for making their own arrangements for fishing boats. There are many boats for charter in the Montauk Area. Private boats are acceptable as long as they are over 25 feet.

For more information about boat charters, please contact:

Stret Whitting at 631- 668-4577,
Joe McBride at 631-329-0973 or
Mike O'Reilly / Trade-Winds at 631-289-5500


TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

To download the Tournament Brochure for the schedule of events, rules and regulations, the scoring system, tournament prizes, and entry details, click here.

  • All boats must sail from and return through Lake Montauk each day.
  • Minimum boat length is 25 feet.
  • Each team can have a maximum of four anglers fishing per boat on any day.
  • Each boat will be issued a tournament number, which must be prominently displayed in the port side cabin window.
  • No boat may leave the inlet before 6:00 am, and boats must return by 6:00 pm on Saturday and 5:00 pm on Sunday.
  • In the event of a boat disability, contestants are allowed to transfer to another boat not entered in the Tournament and fish in the name of the original boat.
  • All IGFA tackle rules apply. (Example, use of mammal blood or flesh is strictly prohibited.)
  • Non-offset circle hooks only.
  • No line over 130 lb test can be used. Please make sure if you are using heavy line that it will not test out over 130 lbs. (IGFA class manufacturers stated test).
  • At the committee's discretion, lines & leaders will be tested.
  • Use of de-hookers is mandatory; first 50 boats registered get one free.
  • Any team that brings a shark back to the dock will be automatically disqualified from the rest of the tournament! This is a Tag-and-Release only event.
  • Any team that stabs, bats, sticks or causes any unusual harm to any shark of any species will be disqualified.
  • If we get weathered out for either of the two tournament days, we will fish for bass and bluefish, and prizes will be decided by the total catch of these species.

SCORING SYSTEM

Because this is a 100% tag and release tournament, no sharks will be brought to the dock. Instead, the value of a team's daily catch will be the sum of the point values (provided below) for all sharks legally hooked and landed according to IGFA rules and successfully tagged with an official, tournament-issued dart tag.

Blue Shark - 200 points

Mako Shark - 400 points

Thresher Shark - 600 points

The winning team shall be determined by the total number of points accumulated over the two-day event.