2023 St. Croix Lionfish Derby Rules
May 26th - 28th, 2023
Awards Ceremony will be held at Leatherback Brewing Company
2pm - 6pm, May 28th, 2023
| 2023 Lionfish Derby Rules |
OFFICIAL DERBY RULES
1. LIONFISH (Pterois volitans/miles) ELIGIBLE FOR ENTRY, MAY ONLY BE TAKEN DURING THE DERBY. NO PREVIOUSLY CAUGHT OR FROZEN LIONFISH WILL BE ALLOWED. HOWEVER, PLEASE KEEP ALL LIONFISH ON ICE. All lionfish containers may be inspected before hunters leave shore. CORE reserves the right to keep all lionfish presented at scoring stations, for use that may include “lionfish tasting,” research and market development.
2. CAPTAINS MEETING: The Captain's Meeting on May 26th, 2023 at 6:00 PM at Leatherback Brewery is mandatory for the team captains, and all team members are encouraged to attend. The team captain must be one of the four participants in the derby, but does not need to be the captain of the boat. Safe collecting and handling techniques and derby rules and permits will be reviewed.
3. WAIVERS: Every team member must sign the Legal Waiver Form and the Lionfish Understanding of Risk Form. If a team member does not sign the forms and fails to bring the forms to the Captain’s Meeting, the team member will not be considered entered in the Derby, even if registration fees were paid.
4. Only legal means of capture in areas allowing use of those gear types will be allowed. All existing federal, state, and local laws must be followed. State and Federal laws will be strictly enforced. All permits issued at the Captain’s Meeting must be present while participating in this derby.
5. During this single day event only lionfish may be taken by any length pole spear or spear guns less than 24” long with paralyzer tip, hand net or hook and line. No chemicals, traps or other collecting mechanisms are allowed.
6. Only open circuit, regular air SCUBA diving apparatus allowed. Closed circuit and enriched air NITROX are not permitted. All dives must be no decompression and within recreational depth limits.
7. As a “local” derby lionfish may only be taken out of St. Croix waters 3 mile limit.
8. Waters within Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPAs) and Research Only Areas, East End Marine Park, Buck Island National Monument, are off limits. All other existing federal, state, and local laws must be followed. Laws and regulations will be strictly enforced.
9. Teams will be limited to 4 persons. To qualify for prizes, participants must be registered and show proper identification and PADI or equivalent Open Water certification. DAN or equivalent dive insurance is strongly recommended. See www.corevi.org, under the support tab, for information on how to obtain insurance. All participants must sign a Legal Waiver Form and a Lionfish Understanding of Risk Form to be considered registered in the Derby.
10. Non-refundable registration fees are $50 per person, or $200.00 per team of four, with a minimum of two persons per team, and a maximum of four persons per team. Individuals, not participating in the team competition, will pay $50.00 non-refundable deposit. Registration will be open until 6:00 PM May 26th, 2023. All early registrants will receive a Derby sun shirt. Registration and payment of registration fee will be online at www.corevi.org or contact Mike Funk via email at treasurer@corevi.org .
11. Protective gloves should be worn when handling lionfish. Participants are encouraged to carry a thermos bottle on the boat containing hot, but not scalding, water for first aid purposes.
12. Derby hours: 6:00 am until 4:00 pm Saturday May 27th, 2023. All fish must be present at Scoring Stations by 4:00 pm to qualify for prizes. Scoring stations will be attended by DPNR Division of Fish and Wildlife weigh masters whose decisions are final. Weigh stations will be located at Altona Lagoon Boat Ramp, Molasses Pier Boat Ramp, and Frederiksted Fish Market/Boat Ramp.
13. Lionfish may be taken in St. Croix waters (except EEMP no-take zones, research areas & SPA’s) as long as the collection occurs during Derby hours and the fish are present at the Scoring Stations by 4:00 pm. Prizes will be awarded in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places for most lionfish; and for the largest and smallest lionfish.
14. Each team may submit one entry into each category. One fish for Largest, one fish for Smallest, and the total catch count will be used to determine a team’s entry into Most. The fish entered into Largest, and the fish entered into Smallest will count toward the Most total.
14. If fewer than 3 entries are received in any category, the remaining awards will be left as unclaimed.
15. All lionfish must be in whole condition (no missing heads or tails). Largest and smallest fish will be determined by total length of the fish, in millimeters, measuring from tip of snout to tip of tail.
16. Any live lionfish at Scoring Stations may be euthanized prior to being measured.
17. All entrants agree to allow Derby officials, sponsors, CORE executives, CRABBS executives to take and use photos for media and promotional purposes.
18. The Derby takes place regardless of weather conditions. Captains make their own decision about whether to venture out. In the event of a Small Craft Advisory Warning the derby will be cancelled.
19. In the event of a tie, the winning team will be determined by the earliest check in of its lionfish at the Scoring Station.
20. All cash prizes will be awarded to Team Captain by bank check.
21. The Lionfish Derby is an honor system tournament with the captain being responsible for team compliance with the Rules.
22. Anyone found violating Derby Rules by the Derby Officials will be disqualified from receiving any Derby prizes and prohibited from entry in any future derbies.
23. Decisions of the derby officials and Weigh Masters are final. Awards for the 2023 St. Croix Lionfish Derby will be determined by the number of teams entered and additional prizes and raffles will be supplemented by Sponsor’s In-Kind Donations.
24. Scuba gear and other equipment(s) used must be decontaminated at the end of the day by soaking for at least ten (10) minutes in a solution of at least one (1) cup of bleach to five (5) gallons of water.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Matthew at outreach@corevi.org
1. LIONFISH (Pterois volitans/miles) ELIGIBLE FOR ENTRY, MAY ONLY BE TAKEN DURING THE DERBY. NO PREVIOUSLY CAUGHT OR FROZEN LIONFISH WILL BE ALLOWED. HOWEVER, PLEASE KEEP ALL LIONFISH ON ICE. All lionfish containers may be inspected before hunters leave shore. CORE reserves the right to keep all lionfish presented at scoring stations, for use that may include “lionfish tasting,” research and market development.
2. CAPTAINS MEETING: The Captain's Meeting on May 26th, 2023 at 6:00 PM at Leatherback Brewery is mandatory for the team captains, and all team members are encouraged to attend. The team captain must be one of the four participants in the derby, but does not need to be the captain of the boat. Safe collecting and handling techniques and derby rules and permits will be reviewed.
3. WAIVERS: Every team member must sign the Legal Waiver Form and the Lionfish Understanding of Risk Form. If a team member does not sign the forms and fails to bring the forms to the Captain’s Meeting, the team member will not be considered entered in the Derby, even if registration fees were paid.
4. Only legal means of capture in areas allowing use of those gear types will be allowed. All existing federal, state, and local laws must be followed. State and Federal laws will be strictly enforced. All permits issued at the Captain’s Meeting must be present while participating in this derby.
5. During this single day event only lionfish may be taken by any length pole spear or spear guns less than 24” long with paralyzer tip, hand net or hook and line. No chemicals, traps or other collecting mechanisms are allowed.
6. Only open circuit, regular air SCUBA diving apparatus allowed. Closed circuit and enriched air NITROX are not permitted. All dives must be no decompression and within recreational depth limits.
7. As a “local” derby lionfish may only be taken out of St. Croix waters 3 mile limit.
8. Waters within Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPAs) and Research Only Areas, East End Marine Park, Buck Island National Monument, are off limits. All other existing federal, state, and local laws must be followed. Laws and regulations will be strictly enforced.
9. Teams will be limited to 4 persons. To qualify for prizes, participants must be registered and show proper identification and PADI or equivalent Open Water certification. DAN or equivalent dive insurance is strongly recommended. See www.corevi.org, under the support tab, for information on how to obtain insurance. All participants must sign a Legal Waiver Form and a Lionfish Understanding of Risk Form to be considered registered in the Derby.
10. Non-refundable registration fees are $50 per person, or $200.00 per team of four, with a minimum of two persons per team, and a maximum of four persons per team. Individuals, not participating in the team competition, will pay $50.00 non-refundable deposit. Registration will be open until 6:00 PM May 26th, 2023. All early registrants will receive a Derby sun shirt. Registration and payment of registration fee will be online at www.corevi.org or contact Mike Funk via email at treasurer@corevi.org .
11. Protective gloves should be worn when handling lionfish. Participants are encouraged to carry a thermos bottle on the boat containing hot, but not scalding, water for first aid purposes.
12. Derby hours: 6:00 am until 4:00 pm Saturday May 27th, 2023. All fish must be present at Scoring Stations by 4:00 pm to qualify for prizes. Scoring stations will be attended by DPNR Division of Fish and Wildlife weigh masters whose decisions are final. Weigh stations will be located at Altona Lagoon Boat Ramp, Molasses Pier Boat Ramp, and Frederiksted Fish Market/Boat Ramp.
13. Lionfish may be taken in St. Croix waters (except EEMP no-take zones, research areas & SPA’s) as long as the collection occurs during Derby hours and the fish are present at the Scoring Stations by 4:00 pm. Prizes will be awarded in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places for most lionfish; and for the largest and smallest lionfish.
14. Each team may submit one entry into each category. One fish for Largest, one fish for Smallest, and the total catch count will be used to determine a team’s entry into Most. The fish entered into Largest, and the fish entered into Smallest will count toward the Most total.
14. If fewer than 3 entries are received in any category, the remaining awards will be left as unclaimed.
15. All lionfish must be in whole condition (no missing heads or tails). Largest and smallest fish will be determined by total length of the fish, in millimeters, measuring from tip of snout to tip of tail.
16. Any live lionfish at Scoring Stations may be euthanized prior to being measured.
17. All entrants agree to allow Derby officials, sponsors, CORE executives, CRABBS executives to take and use photos for media and promotional purposes.
18. The Derby takes place regardless of weather conditions. Captains make their own decision about whether to venture out. In the event of a Small Craft Advisory Warning the derby will be cancelled.
19. In the event of a tie, the winning team will be determined by the earliest check in of its lionfish at the Scoring Station.
20. All cash prizes will be awarded to Team Captain by bank check.
21. The Lionfish Derby is an honor system tournament with the captain being responsible for team compliance with the Rules.
22. Anyone found violating Derby Rules by the Derby Officials will be disqualified from receiving any Derby prizes and prohibited from entry in any future derbies.
23. Decisions of the derby officials and Weigh Masters are final. Awards for the 2023 St. Croix Lionfish Derby will be determined by the number of teams entered and additional prizes and raffles will be supplemented by Sponsor’s In-Kind Donations.
24. Scuba gear and other equipment(s) used must be decontaminated at the end of the day by soaking for at least ten (10) minutes in a solution of at least one (1) cup of bleach to five (5) gallons of water.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Matthew at outreach@corevi.org
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
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Friends of the St. Croix Lionfish Derby
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Salt River Marina
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Lionfish Hunters of the St. Croix Lionfish Derby
