2024 ALABAMA OPEN SPEARFISHING RODEO RULES

1. Diving boundaries are open to all areas of the Gulf of Mexico from Destin Pass and the west end of Horn Island.

2. Competition begins at 6 a.m. Friday, Sep 6th, 2024 and ends at the close of weigh in 12:00-2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 8th, 2024.

3. Bad Weather Rule: 12 consecutive hours without small craft caution issued by the National Weather Service constitute a valid rodeo.

4. All SCUBA diving contestants must be SCUBA certified and possess a Certification Card.  Contestants must possess all appropriate Alabama state fishing licenses.

5. All fish must be speared by the diver while submerged and must be brought to the beach or boat by the diver who speared it. Fish caught by line or by means other than a spear gun are not eligible.

6. Eligible fish are: Grouper, Snapper, Amberjack, Atlantic Spadefish, Triggerfish, Flounder, & Biggest Lionfish

7. Only rubber powered spearguns loaded by the contestant’s muscle power, will be permitted. Power heads, shark darts, or spears powered by explosive means, chumming, or chemicals, will not be permitted.

8. All fish are subject to autopsy. No frozen fish will be accepted. Any attempt to defraud or cheat in the Rodeo, in any way, will automatically disqualify the offender and all his/her fish.

9. Both male and female contestants may compete. All contestants must enter their own fish unless other arrangements are made prior to the tournament. Divers may win only once place per category.

10. The King and Queen Award will be given to the male and female contestants who shoot the most categories and have the heaviest weight total entered using the following formula. TEN Points per Category and ONE (1) point per POUND, up to Fifty (50) points maximum per category. One fish from each category may be entered toward this award. Fish do not have to place to be counted. A minimum of two contestants must be entered to compete for the Queen Award.

11. Prize table picks will be awarded by order of individual points scored.

12. 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Place Team Awards will be given to the teams accumulating the most points. Points are awarded as follows: 1st place = 5 points, 2nd place = 3 points, 3rd place = 1 point. A team must consist of at least two 2 but not more than 6 divers. (Team award ties will be broken by biggest fish, 2^nd biggest fish, 3^rd biggest fish, etc.)

13. A 1st Place Novice award will be given to the Novice who who shoots the most categories and has the highest weight total entered. One fish per category may be entered toward this award.  Novice = 2 years or less experience.  The Novice will be competing for 1st Place Novice ONLY. TEN Points per Category and ONE (1) point per POUND, up to Fifty (50) points maximum per category.

14. Ties for individual fish categories will split placement & prize money.

15. Winners must be present at the awards ceremony, or notify a Rodeo official personally in advance if a representative is to accept an award on their behalf.

16. All fish weighed in remain the property of the contestant.

17. Divers must state team affiliation on the registration form. No changes will be accepted after the safety meeting.

18. Jackpot entries will be paid for flounder and snapper.

19. All protests must be submitted in writing and given to the President.

Decisions by the President are final.

DIVE SAFE !

By your signed registration and subsequent participation, you, on behalf of yourself, your heirs, personal representatives and assigns, agree to assume all risks of injury or death arising from your activities in connection
therewith and to hold the Officials of the tournament, their agents, fully and completely harmless from any and all claims, demands, actions, damages or otherwise in any way arising from your participation in this contest.