Competition rules written in red text are the rules that apply at the moment (2.3.2024), pending a decision on the final fishing rules for salmon fishing in 2024. The organizer reserves the right to adjust the rules after the final announcement has arrived, even if the registration has already opened.
Current rules for salmon fishing can be found here https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/2638
Departure / arrival:
The team´s boat must be in Käringsund (at the spot the participant got from the organizer or at their own legally arranged spot. Also on trailer in the parking lot is approved) always at the skippers meetings (except Wednesday) because possible inspection of boats will be done after the skipper meeting. Even if the team does not participate in the skipper meeting, the boat must be in place.
Teams that have fish to weigh in must also return by boat to Käringsund at the end of the competition day.
Mooring:
Mooring at / near the competition center is included in the participation fee for all teams. It´s allowed to have the boat on trailer or at other jetties within about 500m distance from the competition center with the permission of the jetty owner. Please inform the organizer at info@alandevent.com latest on Wednesday 5.6.2024 if own arranged spot will be used.
If the team moors their boat in an illegal place the team may be disqualified from the competition!
Crew:
Minimum number of participants per boat is 2, of which two are at least 15 years old. Name for the entire prospective crew is given at registration. If any member of the crew is replaced and / or do not take part in the competition every day, the organizers need to be notified of the changes.
Outsiders aren´t allowed on the boats unless the organizer has approved this.
Skipper: One of the contestants must be appointed skipper of the boat and shall daily be at the boat if nothing else is communicated to the organizers. The organizer must have contact information for the current skipper.
Skippers´meetings:
Skipper meetings aren´t mandatory, but at least one person/ boat is recommended to participate in the skippers´meetings because it´s the participant’s responsibility to get the information given at the skipper’s meetings.
The team´s boat must be in Käringsund (except Wednesday) because possible inspection of boats will be done after the skipper meeting.
Start tag and participation number:
Start-tags with participation number will be hanging on a board at the competition center. The skipper, or a crew member, will get the tag from the organizer at the daily Skippers meeting or at another specified time.The tag must be handed in not later than 7.30 pm at Thursday – Friday and 3 pm at Saturday unless the organizers do not indicate otherwise.*)
If the start-tag is handed in too late no fish can be weigh-in for the contest day in question. Tags must be handed in even though no fish were caught *). NOTE! Finnish time UTC+3 (EEST)
The team must be inside the bay, visible to the organizer from Käringsund Resort’s jetty, no later than 7.30 pm on Thursday – Friday and at 3 pm on Saturday
No later than 7.45pm (Thursday – Friday, Saturday at 3.15pm) the tag must be returned to the organizer or back on the board!
If the start-tag is handed in too late no fish can be weigh-in for the contest day in question. Tags must be handed in even though no fish were caught *)
Stickers with the team’s start number ( finded in the registration package) shall be affixed visible on both sides of the boat.
*) A later time can be agreed on if the team wants to stay out and fish after the end of the competition day. However, the team must follow the security rule (see below) on the obligation to inform the organizer of the delay.
Wind limits:
At wind speeds of 10 m / s the jury will make decisions from case to case if the start is postponed and / or the boats will be called ashore.
The wind will be checked from http://sv.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/vadret-vid-kuststationerna
Shortened / paused contest day:
If the contest for any reason will be shortened / paused the fishing stops at the time the message is sent to the teams. The teams confirms that they have received the message by sending info about how many fish they have at that time. The tag must be handed in latest at the new, given time.
Extended contest day: The organizer also has the right to extend an ongoing fishing day, for example if there is a risk that the following competition day is inhibited due to hard winds.
Reporting and submission of the catch:
The teams must immediately inform the organizer of the catch. More info about via which channel will be used closer to the contest. Only reported fish **) may be weighed in and the organizer has the right to go out with information during the competition what has been caught.
The team’s first two adipose fin-clipped salmon **) are the ones to be reported in and weighed in for the team. For example a team of four participants can´t choose which of possible four adipose-fin clipped salmon caught is weighed in.
Each fish is labeled with tag (obtained from the organizer) by the participants.Teams that have fish to weigh in must also return by boat to Käringsund at the end of the competition day and and submit their catch at the place where they have boat mooring (organizers jetty or guest harbour). If the team has its own arranged mooring the team chooses at which spot they leave their catch.
The catch and the team’s start tag must be on site at the specified location according to the directive under the subheading Start tags and participation number (see higher up in the text!)
Each team may weigh in a maximum of 2 fish / day. Only adipose fin-clipped salmon may be weighed in **)
The team’s first two adipose fin-clipped salmon **) are the ones to be weighed in for the team.
The organizer reserves the right to change the number of fish that may be weighed in during the competition.
**) Sea trout is also an approved competition fish. Read more under Rules for fishing
Each fish is labeled with tag
Weighing of catch:
On Thursday and Friday, the catch is weighed in continuously from 6 pm when it arrives to the weigh-in point. On Friday, the weigh-in starts at approx. 3.15 pm when all catches have arrived to the weigh-in place.
The catch belongs to the team, which takes care of the fish themselves after the weigh- in. If the team isn’t present at the weigh-in the catch is left after weigh-in, marked with the team’s number, at a designated place near the weigh-in point.
Prize ceremony:
If the prize winners do not show up, their prize can be passed onto the next prize winner.
If the contest is interrupted the winner is selected based on completed fishing days/ hours. For a day shall count as a day of fishing, it must consist of min. 4h fishing.
Undistributed prizes can be transferred to the next contest day and / or raffled among the participants.
Times and harbour may be changed during the contest due to weather or other factors.
ALL COMPETITION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK!
The competition jury consists of people from the organizers and representatives from the participants. The competition jury is appointed in advance and presented at the latest at the skipper’s meeting on Wednesday 5 June 2024.
The jury decides on i.a. exclusion or disqualification.
Contestants may be excluded from the contest in case of:
- Violation of rules
- Attempts at cheating when weighing fish
- Threats or violent behavior towards contestants or organizers
Protest:
Participant team is entitled to hand in a written and signed protest no later than 15 minutes after completed weigh-in. Protests cost 30 €, refundable if protest is accepted. The jury is unanimous and its decisions can not be appealed.
Rules for fishing
- It is a trolling contest and therefore the boat has to be in motion all the time during fishing.
- A maximum of 16 rods / teams (incl. extra rods) are allowed in the competition
- It is highly recommended to have flags on large paravanes
- Adipose fin-clipped salmon and trout are included in the contest.
- The minimum measure for fish to be weigh in is 50 cm (trout) – 60 cm (salmon).
Only adipose fin-clipped salmon may be weighed in. - A maximum of 2 fish may be weighed in per team / day.
The team’s first two adipose fin-clipped salmon **) are the ones to be reported in and weighed in for the team. For example a team of four participants can´t choose which of possible four adipose-fin clipped salmon caught is weighed in. - Handover of fish between teams or outside the contest is prohibited.
- Mashing is prohibited.
- Fishing with dead bait fishing is allowed if it takes place under known methods.
Fishing area
The fishing area for the contest are the areas at www.fiskekarta.ax mentioned “Allmänt vatten/ Public water” (light brown / yellow areas). The contestants in the Trollingträff Åland also has the right to fish in the Eckerö-fishingcard area. Contestants may also fish in other fishing license areas, but must buy a fishing license for the area.
NOTE! Fishing during the competition is NOT ALLOWED on SWEDISH WATER!
Note: In all fishing license areas belonging to the Government of Åland, including Signilskär west of Eckerö and Björkör and Big Båtskär south of Lemland, trolling is prohibited.
Teams can´t be disqualified from the competition if they are within these areas but can be penalized by fishing guards.
Coordinates for Signilskär- area
Coordinates for Government of Åland´s all fishing areas can be found here:
https://aland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=be1a3daef2074368a63b77f9cf83047d
Safety
Security rules for Åland for e.g. maritime saftey must be obeyed.
The organizers must have current contact information (= mobile phone number) for all boats.
The organizers phone number is +358405223823
Information that need to get to the participants during the contest will be sent via SMS and VHF (ch77)
The organizers can cancel a contest day due to bad weather, for example hard wind or thunderstorm. Registration fees will not be reimbursed.
For security reasons there must be at least two contestants on each boat. Two contestants must have a minimum age of 15 years.
Participating boats are obligated to inform the organizers via SMS (+358405223823) if the boat will not arrive in Käringsund on time. If failure to inform the organizers of any delay will result in a rescue action, the boat in question will be liable to pay for this rescue action.
Life jackets or flotation suit is mandatory.
Alcoholconsumption and/or BAC ≥ 1 ‰ is prohibited during competition.