By Melton Williams, Staff ReporterTHE PRIZED 300-pound marlin again proved elusive for anglers at the end of yesterday's second day of the week-long 38th Port Antonio International Marlin tournament.
After another 10 hours, in the waters off Port Antonio, seven marlin were caught. Five were tagged and released and the other two - weighing 88 and 116 pounds - were landed by the boat Free Spirit.
However, in keeping with the rules governing the tournament, the angler and the boat which hauled in the 88lb marlin, will be penalised at the rate of minus two marlin and minus one marlin for the 116lb marlin. These scores can be wiped out if the angler catches three more marlins.
The minimum qualifying length for a landed marlin, measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail, is 99 inches or approximately 300lbs and organisers expect this to be a tall order for the anglers.
Betty Kieffer, the tournament control officer, said in order for conservation of the species, a decision was taken earlier this year to push up the required weight from 100lbs to 300lbs. This limit has been in place since May 24, 1999 for the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent waters.
As a result of the new rule, any marlin measuring less than 99 inches must be tagged and released. The heaviest blue marlin tagged and released yesterday was an estimated 160lbs by David Muschette in his boat Diana. That boat also released the second heaviest, estimated at 150lbs, by angler Courtney Sinclair.
The day's remaining marlins which were tagged and released were hauled in by Raymond Shaw (estimated 115lbs) in his boat Irish Eyes, Regina Lindo (115lbs) in her boat March Anne and Bob Fowler (110lbs) in his boat Bye Pass.
Seventeen boats are contesting the tournament. Today is a rest day.
