NC fishing tournament winner disqualified after judges say the marlin was mutilated
A fishing boat’s six-hour battle to reel in a 619-pound fish was for naught after its winning entry was disqualified Sunday from the 65th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in Morehead City.
Tournament organizers announced Sunday morning they were disqualifying a blue marlin that had been caught by the boat Sensation because it had been mutilated, potentially by a shark. The costly decision means the team will lose up $3.5 million in prize money, according to Carolina Coast Online, and first place will go to another boat that reeled in a marlin weighing 135 pounds less.
The ruling has sparked debate on social media, but Big Rock officials say the decision is consistent with prior ones made over the tournament’s long history.
“The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament follows IGFA (International Game Fish Association) rules regarding mutilated fish as outlined in Rule #23 in the Big Rock Official Rules,” Big Rock said in a statement. “IGFA rules state that the following situation will disqualify a fish: ‘Mutilation to the fish, prior to landing or boating the catch, caused by sharks, other fish, mammals, or propellers that remove or penetrate the flesh.’”
The Big Rock Tournament has grown in popularity and size over the decades, attracting 270 boats this year.
Decision on winner delayed until Sunday
Sensation, which is based in Morehead City, had triumphantly returned with its catch to Big Rock Landing late Saturday night on the final day of the tournament. A large crowd in the thousands was gathered waiting for the weigh-in to confirm the winner, Carolina Coast Online reported.
The crew of the Sensation and the crowd erupted in cheers when it was announced that the marlin weighed 619.4 pounds.
But tournament weight masters also noticed what appeared to be a shark bite on the back side near the head, according to the Jacksonville Daily News.
After a long discussion between Big Rock officials and the crew of the Sensation, it was determined the marlin’s eligibility would be decided Sunday morning.
The disqualification means that the crew from the boat Sushi was declared the winner with a blue marlin weighing 484.5 pounds that had been caught on Friday.
Sushi, which is based in Nags Head, will win $2.77 million from the tournament purse of $5.8 million, the Jacksonville Daily News reported. Sensation would have gotten a bigger payout because it would have also gotten a prize for catching a marlin weighing over 500 pounds.
This story was originally published June 18, 2023 at 3:09 PM.
