2024 StT/STJ Lionfish Derby FAQ/Event Info

August 16th - 18th, 2024

When is the Derby?

• Hunting takes place on Saturday August 17th, starting at 6am.

When is the Captain's Meeting?

• The Captain's Meeting will take place on Friday August 16th at 6pm AST.

Where is the Captain's Meeting?

• The captains meeting will be held at the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club in Red Hook. Google and Apple maps have a location pin for easy navigation. VIGFC has car parking available, and the location can also be accessed easily by the safari taxi route, or if your are coming from STJ by ferry. Please contact Matthew at 340-208-0738 if you have any questions.  

Is the Captain's Meeting mandatory?

• Yes, the designated team captain is required to attend. For other members of the team, the meeting is optional, but recommended to ensure all the paperwork is in order. If one member of your team does not sign a waiver, they will not be allowed to participate in the 2024 STT/STJ Lionfish Derby.

When is the Awards Ceremony?

• Sunday, August 18th, 12pm - 2pm at the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club

Do I need to register?

• Yes, registration can be completed here.

How do I register?

• Use the registration form here, and complete the information to register your team.
• Ensure you have your team members names, a designated team captain, and all dive certification numbers handy.

What is the cost?

• $50 per person. Each person will receive a SPF 50 long sleeve sun shirt with their registration. These will be distributed at the Captain's Meeting.

Do I need to sign a waiver?

• Yes. Each member of your team must complete a waiver, as well as any spectators that will be on the boat.
• Waivers can be filled out and submitted here.

How can I pay my registration fee?

• Credit Cards will be accepted after completing registration at our new online shop.
• Cash and Check will be accepted at the Captain's Meeting on Friday.
• Venmo @CORE-Foundation | Please include your team name in the memo.
• Paypal: paypal.me/COREUSVI | Please include your team name in the memo. 

What are the rules?

• Please review the rules page to familiarize yourself with the smaller details.

Can I keep my catch?

• Yes. During registration, if you want to keep your catch, please designate your intention with the drop down box. After the event organizers have weighed and measured your catch, you are free to take it home in your own coolers. We will collect all of the data and ensure it is accounted to your team for prize awards.

Where is the weigh station?

• Behind Tap and Still Red Hook, just outside of the American Yacht Harbor gate.

Can I pull into American Yacht Harbor to drop off my catch? 

• Yes, the event will have two slips in American Yacht Harbor for your convenience. Please take your coolers off of the boat and walk them up the dock, and then free up the slip for another team to use. Please do not wait in the slip until your catch is measured, weighed, and counted. 

When do the weigh stations close?

• Weigh stations will close at 4pm. Please have your catch in before the cutoff.

What if I want to free dive?

• Free diving is allowed within the rules of the 2024 STT/STJ Lionfish Derby. You will still be required to fill out a waiver and pay the $50 dollar non refundable registration fee.

How do I know if I am in a protected area?

• Please use this map to determine where VI NPS Waters begin and end. 

Can we have a Boat Captain / Surface Support that stays topside the entire derby and does not hunt?

• Yes, they will be considered a spectator of the event and will still need to register and sign a waiver. Please include their information during team registration. They do not need to pay for the entry fee, but also will not be entitled to an event sun shirt. 

Can we have other spectators on the boat?

• Yes, you may have additional spectators on the boat who are not participating in the hunt. They will required to complete the waiver here.

What is the prize distribution? (subject to increase with additional late sponsorships)

• Commercial
  • Most
    1st - $ 1000 + Zookeeper Gear Package
    2nd - $ 600 + Aquatic Hunt Gear Package and a 1 on 1 session with the owners of Aquatic Hunt
    3rd -  $400 
  • Largest
    $300
  • Smallest
    $300
• Recreational
  • Most
    1st - $ 1000 + Aquatic Hunt Gear Package and a 1 on 1 session with the owners of Aquatic Hunt
    2nd - $ 600 + Zookeeper Gear Package 
    3rd -  $400
  • Largest
    $300
  • Smallest
    $300

What is in a ZooKeeper Gear Package?

• 1 - Blue ZooKeeper
• 1 - Spear
• 2 - Hats
• 2 - Pairs of gloves
• 2 - Red funnels
• 2 - Black funnels
  
  

What is in an Aquatic Hunt Gear Package?

• 1 - 20" Locker
• 1 - Spear
• 2 - Pairs of gloves
• 1 - Lanyard

Will there be a raffle? 

• Yes. The raffle will take place at the awards ceremony on Sunday. There will be a raffle to give away one blue Zookeeper with one extra red funnel and one extra blue funnel. No entry is necessary, as all registered and paid participants in the derby will be eligible for the raffle prize. The names of all of the registered lionfish hunters will be written onto a slip of paper, placed into a hat, and drawn to reveal the winner. 
• You must be present to win.
  
• Additional prizes may be added to the raffle on an ongoing basis.
• Additional entries into the raffle can be purchased for $10 dollars each. 

Can I win first, second and third prize in a single category?

• No. Per the tournament rules, each team is eligible to enter one fish in the Smallest category, one fish into the Largest category, and their total catch number will be used to determine their place for the Most category. The two fish submitted to Largest and Smallest will be counted in the Most entry.

Does that mean I can win in multiple categories?

• Yes! If you have the most, the largest, and the smallest fish, you will be taking home three prizes. 

What if I have more questions?

• Please email Matthew at [email protected] and he will be happy to assist you and your questions about the derby!

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