The fancy yellow truck has been kept in park, the keys not yet handed over to a lucky winner. In yet another bit of controversy for the fishing derby, the giveaway of the Dodge truck slated for this weekend had to be delayed.
The largest coho caught in the first half of the derby was supposed to win the yellow truck that has been prominently parked at the Atlin Terminal for the last three weeks. But the fish that was supposed to net the truck turns out to have been disqualified, leaving the organizers to delay the awarding of the first half lure.
Bruce Wishart speaking on behalf of those at the Great Canadian Fishing Classic would not say why the fish was disqualified, nor who the lucky and then unlucky winner was to have been. The disqualification also began a domino effect of prize redistribution, probably making for a very busy and confusing weekend for all concerned.
It’s expected that they will announce the next potential truck owner on Tuesday.
The Daily News had the latest in what seems like a daily dose of controversy over the derby in it’s Monday edition.
FISH DERBY’S BIG TRUCK PRIZE STAYS PARKED FOR NOW
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Monday, August 21, 2006
Page One
The largest coho caught in the first half of the Great Northern Salmon Classic Derby, that was expected to land a Dodge truck for a fisherman, has been disqualified, say derby officials.
The winner was expected to be announced at the closing of the weigh-in station on Saturday. They now expect to announce the winner of the 2006 Dodge Dakota tomorrow.
“We haven’t announced the winner yet,” said Bruce Wishart, executive director of Tourism Prince Rupert this morning. “The current leading fish was challenged and under the rules and regulations, the judging committee determined it was not an eligible salmon.”
Wishart couldn’t comment any further as to the reason the fish was disqualified, however because the catch was declared ineligible, other prizes will also be redistributed.
The judging committee is made up of five local citizens and one is always on hand during the weigh-in. According to derby rules, the fisherman must also have a qualified witness aged 16 years or older to sign off on their catch, which has to be delivered to the weigh-in station within 24 hours of being caught.
The fishermen can’t be on a commercial fishing vessel which was engaged in commercial fishing or which had any commercial fishing nets or other gear in the water at the time the salmon was caught, the fish cannot have any snag, foul, hook, gaff or net marks on it and cannot have any sing of having been frozen.
Aug 19 marked the halfway point of the six week derby, with the top prize of $100,000 for the largest eligible coho to be awarded upon the close of the derby Sept. 15.
At the halfway mark, Wishart said they are on target as far the numbers of people expected.
“The people we are seeing are coming from the target area but beyond that as well,” he said. For example, yesterday’s winner of the mystery weight draw was from Texas.
The derby is being held to attract rubber tire traffic in order to help boost the tourism season following the sinking of the Queen of the North ferry off Gil Island March 22.
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