Rules

Fish must be killed and gutted when brought to the scales. Bring the guts to the scales in a bucket or trash bag and they will be weighed and added to the cumulative weight. This rule change is in an effort to help the quality of the fish going to the market to the best of our abilities because the buyers are short changing fisherman on tournament fish. We want to help the fisherman regain their power over the buyers to be compensated appropriately and ensure the best quality of fish are being put on the market by being properly taken care of.

PLEASE CARE FOR YOUR CATCH!

 

It’s important to handle fish properly after catching to ensure freshness and quality. Here’s a concise guide on how to process your fish as you mentioned:

1. Bleeding the Fish:

   • Immediately after catching, insert a knife or cut through the gill arch on one side to sever the arteries. This will help to bleed the fish out, improving the quality of the meat.

2. Removing Gills:

   • Once the fish is bled, locate and cut the gills using a sharp knife. This step further helps in reducing the internal temperature and preventing spoilage.

3. Removing Entrails:

   • Make a clean incision along the belly of the fish, from the vent to the head, and carefully remove the entrails. Be cautious not to puncture the stomach or intestines to prevent any contamination.

4. Cooling the Fish:

   • After processing, place the fish on ice or in a cooler to maintain a low internal body temperature quickly. This is crucial for preserving the quality and safety of the fish.

By following these steps promptly, you’ll ensure that the fish remains fresh and safe for consumption.

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2026 Boothbay Region Tuna Challenge Rules
Updated on 08/26/2026

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1. HAVE FUN!!!

2. All boats must be registered to the Boothbay Harbor Tuna

Challenge. The Captain from each registered vessel must be present

to sign in and attend the Captains Meeting on Tuesday September 1st

between 5 and 7 PM. Any vessel that is not signed in prior to 9:00

P.M at the Tournament meeting on that date will not be eligible to fish

for that tournament year. There are 100 available slots for the 2026

Boothbay Harbor Tuna Challenge.

3. General Category Rules apply with the following exceptions:

a) No electric harpoons

b) No aerial reconnaissance allowed

c) All Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (ABT) are to be hooked, fought and brought to boat side only by manually operated rod and reel, hand line, or conventional harpoon. Power driven reels or devices of any kind are prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, motor, hydraulic, or electrically driven devices.

4. It is the responsibility of the tournament participants to obtain and become familiar with tournament rules and all applicable State and Federal laws. A person or vessel is ineligible to obtain or possess any type of award or certification associated with this tournament

unless the fish submitted for consideration is caught legally and under compliance of tournament, State and Federal laws. In the event that one or more rule provisions appear to be in conflict, the most restrictive rule applies and is to be determined by the Tournament Rules Committee. All landed tuna are subject to examination by the Tournament Rules Committee and/or Weigh Master. The Tournament Rules Committee has final and sole authority to resolve questions and/or issues that rise. All committee decisions are final. Protests must be in writing and submitted by the close of scales on Monday September 7th 2026.

5. All entrants must be properly licensed to fish in the General Category under National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regulations. Entrants have the option of selling their catch dockside to the local buyer of their choice at prevailing prices.

6. Fishing may commence at 12:00 a.m. on Wednesday September 2nd 2026 and will conclude at 11:30 P.M on Monday September 7th 2026. There will be NO fishing from 12 am Friday September 4th 2026 and Saturday September 5th 2026

until 12am Monday September 6th 2026 Due to a NMFS shut down days.

Tournament scales will close at 11:30 p.m. on Monday September 7th 2026, and all vessels with fish to be weighed must be tied to the scales dock at Carousel Marina (rafting is acceptable) by that time. Any vessel with a fish to be weighed that is not tied or rafted to the

scales dock by 11:30 p.m. will not be accepted.

7. All hookups should be reported or relayed to the Tournament Weigh Master as soon as possible when the fish is hooked. The Tournament Weigh Masters are available Wednesday and Thursday from 7:00am to 11:30pm, and Sunday and Monday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. A second report or relay to the Weigh Master should be made once

the fish is boated (subdued, tail-roped and hanging from or lying on the deck of the vessel).

8. All ABT are subject to examination by the Boothbay Harbor Tuna

Challenge Rules Committee.

9. All ABT must measure 73 inches curved fork length (CFL) or

greater to be eligible for entry in the Boothbay Harbor Tuna Challenge. In addition, tuna must be gutted before weighing.

10. All eligible fish will be weighed at Carousel Marina and must be delivered on the tournament registered vessel upon which it was boated. (All exceptions will be subject to discussion by the rules committee.) Fish will be weighed by the tail using a tail rope provided by the Boothbay Harbor Tuna Challenge. Innards and gill plates will be weighed separately. Any fish found to have bullet wounds or any unnatural damage will be disqualified (not to include gaff and/or harpoon marks). Please cooperate with the Weigh Master in filling and returning your weigh-in slips. Please do not leave the weigh stand until your slip is filled in and signed. Once signed, you have accepted the weight of your fish as final. In the event of a tie in weight, the first fish weighed by the official Tournament scales will win.

11. The area fisherman are permitted to fish per the Boothbay Harbor

Tuna Challenge rules is the exact same as the federal lobster zone of Area 1. If a fish is caught outside of this area the fish and the captain will be disqualified.

12. Protests shall be called to the attention of the Rules Committee via

radio, by contacting the telephone numbers provided, or in person upon arrival at the dock. Protests must be written in detail and turned into the Rules Committee by 8:30 p.m.

the day of the incident. All decisions made by the Rules Committee are final.

13. If, at any time during the Boothbay Harbor Tuna Challenge, NMFS

declares that the quota is fulfilled, the tournament will be concluded and awards presented that evening. In the event of an early conclusion, please direct all questions/concerns to the Rules Committee.

14. In the event of a NMFS closure during the September 2nd through the September 7th time frame, the tournament Rules Committee will determine future tournament dates.

15. Prize distribution will be awarded for tournament year 2026 as follows:

1st Place: $55,000.00 plus trophy for (1) year

2nd Place: $25,000.00

3rd Place: $15,500.00

4th Place: $4,500.00

5th Place: $2,500.00

Cumulative Weight for tournament 1st Place $30,000.00

Cumulative Weight for tournament 2nd Place $15,000.00

Cumulative Weight for tournament 3rd Place $5,500.00

In the event of NO FISH, all prize money will be added to the 2027Tournament.

If only one (1) fish is landed, $55,000.00 and trophy for (1) year will be

awarded. If less than five (5) fish are caught, all prize winnings will be awarded

proportionately.

16. The disposal of fish is the responsibility of the angler after the Weigh Master releases the fish. DONOT dump fish entrails and/or heads at the marina.

17. When traveling in Boothbay Harbor, the Tournament committee requests that all vessels observe State of Maine rules and regulations. Please obey ‘No Wake Zones’ and be mindful of lobster traps when traveling the inner and outer harbor waters.

18. The address we use for your mailing is the one you provide on your application. If this is not the proper address or if you have a change of address, please notify us immediately at the tournament registration desk.

19. At the request of a boat fighting a fish, all others must stay clear.

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RULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE 

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