Sponsors or organizers of fishing tournaments shall apply for a tournament permit no earlier than November 1 and must apply at least 30 days prior to the tournament. The application and any accompanying documents must be forwarded to the department for review, evaluation, and determination using the following criteria:

1. (1) The number of participants;
2. (2) Other approved scheduled events on the same date at the same area;
3. (3) Previous compliance with the tournament process; and

4. (4) The number of participants the access areas can accommodate.

   As a condition of acceptance and issuance of a permit, the department may require special conditions as necessary to protect its resources and the public, including the following:

5. (1) Requiring a safe start area to be designated;
6. (2) Establishing a no-wake zone;
7. (3) Providing for a weigh-in area away from the boat dock and landing;
8. (4) Limiting certain waters to a catch and release tournament only;
9. (5) Requiring tournament limits to be less than the daily creel limit;
10. (6) Designing special parking areas for tournament participants; and

11. (7) Requiring tournaments involving boats to end two hours before sunset.

    The department may not approve a catch and release tournament for salmon or a tournament for walleye, sauger, and walleye/sauger hybrids, where fish are taken into possession and later released, from June 1 through September 15.

Source: 16 SDR 220, effective June 21, 1990; 24 SDR 72, effective November 30, 1997; 33 SDR 107, effective December 27, 2006; 34 SDR 179, effective December 24, 2007; 36 SDR 112, effective January 11, 2010; 47 SDR 27, effective September 15, 2020.

General Authority: SDCL 41-2-18(2) , 32-3A-1(5).

Law Implemented: SDCL 32-3A-1(5).

Prior versions effective: 2010-01-11.