The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament's board of directors filed a legal action Wednesday in Carteret County Superior Court asking the court to back up their decision to disqualify a record-breaking catch in last month's fishing competition.
In a news release issued Thursday, Crystal Coast Tournament, Inc. said the request for a declaratory judgment was filed in response to a suit filed in Dare County by the owners of Citation, the fishing vessel that landed a tournament record-setting 883-pound blue marlin. The Citation crew's win was disqualified after it was determined that a crew member, Peter Martin Wann, 22, did not have the required North Carolina coastal recreational fishing license when the sailfish was caught, and the second-place finishers aboard the Carnivore were bumped up to receive a first prize totaling $999,453.
The Citation owners' suit seeks to stop the Big Rock Blue Marlin tournament from awarding any of the top prize money and to have the Citation declared the winner.
