NEWS RELEASE #06-292		October 30, 2006   		DNR News (843) 953-3367

GOVERNOR'S CUP BILLFISHING SERIES ANNOUNCES CHANGES, 2007 SCHEDULE

	The South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series has announced
	the dates for its 19th season.

	The 2007 Series will feature five tournaments along the coast
	beginning May 9 at Edisto Marina and finish up July 25 at Bohicket
	Marina. Boats participating in the Series earn points for billfish
	landed, tagged or released. Anglers compete for three major awards:
	Outstanding Billfish, Outstanding Billfish Boat and Outstanding
	Billfish Conservationist.

	The South Carolina Governor's Cup Advisory Board and the Tournament
	Committee met last week and unanimously approved a 110-inch minimum
	size limit for blue marlin being weighed in. Currently, the federal
	size limit for blue marlin is 99 inches. Points awarded for billfish
	releases have also been modified by the Governor's Cup Advisory
	Board. Points earned for white marlin releases will change from 150
	to 200 points.  Blue marlin releases will increase from 300 to 600
	points. Points earned for sailfish released will remain the same for
	the upcoming season, at 100 points.

	For more information on the South Carolina Governor's Cup
	Billfishing Series, contact Tom DuPre of the S.C. Department of
	Natural Resources via e-mail: dupret@dnr.sc.gov. Visit the Web site
	at www.dnr.sc.gov/etc/govcup/govcup.html to learn more about the
	South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series, and to keep up
	with the points' standings.

	Changes have also been rendered for Atlantic highly migratory fish
	set forth by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
	Beginning Jan. 1, 2007, billfish tournament participants in the
	Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Caribbean who use natural bait or
	natural bait and artificial lure combinations will be limited to
	using only circle hooks. This new regulation is part of a larger
	rule finalized this week by NOAA Fisheries Service for the
	conservation of Atlantic highly migratory species-billfish, tunas,
	swordfish and sharks. Tournament participants who use artificial
	baits not in combination with natural baits may continue using the
	traditional J-style fishing hooks since there is a high survival
	rate for fish that are caught and thrown back using this fishing
	method.

	Tournament dates and contacts for the upcoming 2007 19th Annual
	South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series are: May 9-12
	Edisto Marina Billfish Tournament, contact: Deidre Menefee, 19 Forde
	Row, Charleston, SC 29412, (843) 345-0369, Fax 406-4813,
	dpmenefee@aol.com; May 23-26 40th Annual Georgetown Blue Marlin
	Tournament, contact: Ricky Ferdon, PO Box 1704, Georgetown, SC
	29442, (843) 546-1776, Fax 546-7832, glmarina@sc.rr.com,
	www.georgetownlandingmarina.com; June 27-30 Charleston Harbor Resort
	and Marina Billfish Tournament, contact:  Deidre Menefee, 19 Forde
	Row, Charleston, SC 29412, (843) 345-0369, Fax 406-4813,
	dpmenefee@aol.com; July 11-14 HMY/Viking Megadock Billfishing
	Tournament, contact:  K.C. Rennie, PO Box 759, Charleston, SC 29402,
	(843) 278-4914, Fax 577-7704, kcrennie@charlestoncitymarina.com;
	July 25-28 Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament, contact
	Deidre Menefee, 19 Forde Row, Charleston, SC 29412, (843) 345-0369,
	Fax 406-4813, dpmenefee@aol.com.
#