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Changes planned for North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Tournament
 The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries will make several changes to its Saltwater Fishing Tournament, popularly called the Citation Program, effective Jan. 1. Changes planned for North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Tournament The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries will make several changes to its Saltwater Fishing Tournament, popularly called the Citation Program, effective Jan. 1. The tournament is not a competition but a longstanding certification program that recognizes outstanding saltwater catches. For 2008, the tournament will institute two new awards for anglers who meet three citation requirements within the tournament year of Jan 1 to Dec. 31. A Billfish Grand Slam will be awarded to anglers who recorded a released or weighed blue marlin, a white marlin, and a sailfish release within the tournament year. An Inshore Grand Slam will be awarded to anglers who recorded a weighed flounder, a weighed or released trout (speckled or gray), and a released red drum within the tournament year. These certificates will be issued to anglers at the end of the tournament year, and the anglers will be recognized using the tournament database. Additionally, minimum citation requirements will change for several fish. Only release citations will be offered for barracuda, jack crevalle, sailfish, tarpon and white marlin. The release size will be 45 inches for barracuda and 32 inches for jack crevalle. Citations will be awarded for the live release of sailfish, tarpon and white marlin of any size. Minimum weight requirements for landed fish will decrease for bluefish, black drum, sheepshead and triggerfish. Minimum release lengths will change for king mackerel, striped bass and bluefin tuna. Added to the citation program for 2008 are tilefish, blackfin tuna, false albacore and Atlantic bonita. Tautog was deleted from the program. These are the first major changes to Saltwater Fishing Tournament requirements in several years. They were initiated by at the request of several anglers. For more information, contact Carole Willis, DMF sport fishing specialist, at (252) 726-7021 or carole.y.willis@ncmail.net. The Official 2008 North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Tournament Minimum Weights Albacore, False RELEASE ONLY (E) Amberjack 50 lbs (H) Atlantic Bonita 8 lbs (B) Barracuda Release ONLY (G) Bass, Black Sea 4 lbs Bluefish 15 lbs Cobia 40lbs (D) Croaker 3 lbs Dolphin 35 lbs Drum, Black 35 lbs (F) Drum, Red RELEASE ONLY (F) Flounder 5 lbs Grouper 20 lbs Jack, Crevalle RELEASE ONLY (C) Mackerel, King 30 lbs (G) Mackerel, Spanish 6 lbs Marlin, Blue 400 lbs (A) Marlin, White RELEASE ONLY (A) Mullet, Sea 1 ½ lbs Pompano 2 lbs Red Porgy (Silver Snapper) 4 lbs Sailfish RELEASE ONLY (A) Shark 150 lbs (I) Sheepshead 8 lbs Snapper, Red 10 lbs Spot 1 lb Striped Bass 35 lbs (G) Tarpon RELEASE ONLY (A) Tilefish, Grey 10 lbs Triggerfish 5 lbs Trout, Gray 5 lbs (B) Trout, Speckled 5 lbs (B) Tuna, Bigeye 100 lbs Tuna, Blackfin 20 lbs Tuna, Bluefin 80 lbs (A) Tuna, Yellowfin 70 lbs Wahoo 40 lbs A = Award for live release of fish, regardless of size B = Award for live release of fish, 24 inches or longer C = Award for live release of fish, 32 inches or longer D = Award for live release of fish, 33 inches or longer E = Award for live release of fish, 34 inches or longer F = Award for live release of fish, 40 inches or longer G = Award for live release of fish, 45 inches or longer H = Award for live release of fish, 50 inches or longer I = Award for live release of fish, 80 inches or longer For more information on the NC Saltwater Fishing Tournament contact Carole Willis or Partha Howell with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries at 800-682-2632 or 252-726-7021. Or Contact them via e-mail Carole.Y.Willis@ncmail.net | Partha.Howell@ncmail.net 
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