Dear Observer Applicants,
 Thank you for your interest in becoming an ABMT observer. The ABMT's Observer Program along with our "Modified Release" rules format is highly respected and has resulted in the release of thousands of blue marlin. Our observers, many who return year after year, are credited with the program's success. Below you'll find information needed to observe in our tournament. Click on photo to enlarge. Photo - Richard Gibson
UNDERSTANDING ABMT PHILOSOPHY
When reading the ABMT rules, please realize that the tournament was structured around Hemingway's Old Man & The Sea story. Therefore, for the sake of maintaining the purity of the sport... our first priority is to match Man Against Beast with the belief that the angler alone, much like a gladiator, is the sole person to decide if his/her catch (believed to be a potential world record) is to be boated or released. Should the catch weigh in under the existing IGFA record... all credit for the catch is lost.
Maintaining our stated philosophy, the ABMT secondly pits "Anglers against Anglers" in terms of rewarding top prizes - and "teams against teamss" with the operation of a Calcutta. Welcome to the USVI Open/Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament!
WELCOME OBSERVERS!
 We believe that our clients are best served under the watchful eyes of an experienced observer. However, providing an observer on each boat to witness the angler's catch from start to finish is an expensive undertaking. Visiting observers must be housed and provided with meals and transported to and from the marinas on a daily basis. Maintaining high tournament standards for the contestants and earning money for the charity it a challenge!
How we've managed to meet the challenge....
Frankly we've been successful by asking the observers themselves to help subsidize their cost. Can't afford the 'out of pocket' expense? There is the option of finding yourself a sponsor who feels strongly about billfish conservation. You are authorized by the tournament to hang a sponsor banner (location approved) and to place the sponsor's information in our angler bags.
Sponsor Checks are made out to: ABMT. Mail to: ABMT, 6616 Estate Nadir, St. Thomas, VI 00802.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
To observe in an ABMT operated tournament you must be in good standing with the fishing community we serve. All observer applicants must fill out the observer application form - but only new applicants (those who have never served the ABMT before) must obtain the signature of a member of the ABMT BOARD OF CAPTAINS (BOC). This policy stands regardless of the applicant being IGFA or IGFTO certified. See ABMT 'Board of Captains' list here. The issuance "time served" badges (green, silver and gold) documents the observer's ABMT service. To be clear... we are still accepting applications of the newcomers and though we do not require they be IGFTO or IGFA certified - those who are naturally receive additional consideration.
Your application becomes the start of our working file. No one is accepted without an application. Mail to: ABMT, 6616 Estate Nadir, St. Thomas, VI 00802. Scan and email to: loveto@islands.vi. After sending in the application, please follow up with a personal call to insure that we've received it and for a final interview regarding your fishing experience. Call Capt. Jimmy Loveland at 340-775-9500 or cell 340-626-4414. Please do not send your observer donation in advance of being accepted. Note! Please do not submit application until May 1st. Early in the fishing season we have no clue of how many observers will be needed.
OBSERVER APPLICATION CLICK HERE
44th. Annual
USVI Open/Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament
The "Boy Scout" Tournament
Observers must be checked into the host hotel (see hotel options below) on Aug. 13, 2016. You are free of your tournament obligation on August 20, 2016. We will fish Aug. 15-16-17-19, 2016. The observer's mandatory meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Sun. Aug. 14, 2016 at the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club located in Red Hook, across the street from the AYH marina. Advise... To avoid embarrassment when asked for your understanding of a particular rule - study the ABMT rules in advance of your arrival. ABMT Rules
2016 TBA
 The beautiful Ritz Carlton has once again offered our observers a special guest rate! To be clear... this is offered to our observers as an option. The Ritz offer comes on a First Come - First Served (double occupancy) basis due to the limited number of available rooms. Observers not wanting to pay the additional charge (see below rates) will be staying at a resort TBA. You must indicate on your observer application if you wish to stay at the Ritz Carlton and you must receive confirmation of availble space.
OBSERVER FEES
Entry Level - Non-certified - $450 donation. Ritz Carlton option add TBA
IGFA or IGFTO Certified - $400 donation. Ritz Carlton option add TBA
ABMT - GREEN $375 donation (1-5 yrs.) Ritz Carlton option add TBA
ABMT - SILVER $300 (5-10 yrs.) Ritz Carlton option add TBA
ABMT - GOLD $225 (11+yrs.) Ritz Carlton option add TBA
LOCAL RESIDENT (not occupying a room) $0
 Observer fees must be received by Friday, August 5, 2016. Checks are written to: TBA. Fee covers observer's airport transfers, all meals, daily r/t transportation to marinas,entrance to all banquets and hotel accommodations (shared rooms). Flights arriving on Jet Blue, Spirit, Delta, US Airways and American are met by our local ground transportation operator. Flights arriving after 5:30 p.m. are not met by the ground transportation operator - a taxi must be taken to the specified hotel.
A passport is not required for the US Virgin Islands but it is the best document to travel with, especially if you wish to visit the British Virgin Islands on your day off. A birth certificate is suggested if you do not have a passport.
Make checks payable to: ABMT Mail to: ABMT, 6616 Estate Nadir, St. Thomas, VI 00802.
WARNING!
OBSERVER'S MANDATORY 5 DAY CHECK-IN POLICY
A mandatory "check in" is required 5 days prior to the first day of scheduled fishing. The mandatory date is Wednesday, Aug. 10th 2016.  The reason for your checking in is to communicate about the possibility of impending weather (hurricane season will be upon us) or changes in ground transportation and hotel information. Note! If you are a 'no call' on this date we must assume that your plans changed without informing us. You will then be replaced and your observer fee will not be refunded! Call the tournament office (340) 775-9500 and if no answer the Director's cell number is (340) 626-4414. Keep trying...leave no "call me back" voice or text messages! Please mark your calendar now as good communications are vital to the operation of the ABMT.
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