Controversial Brunswick shark tournament nixed by judge

A months-long battle over a land-based shark tournament has ended with a Brunswick County judge’s order canceling the tournament.

Back in June, Marty Wright, owner of Mad Kingz Tackle in Southport, announced a week-long, land-based shark fishing tournament that spanned the Brunswick County coastline. Shortly after the announcement, Wright received backlash from leaders in several Brunswick County beach towns. In July, Wright told the StarNews he was simply trying to do something for his customers by hosting a “winner take all” tournament and never expected it would get the attention it did.

“I don’t keep one red cent. It’s all about doing something for my customers,” Wright said at the time.

On September 29, the battle over the tournament continued when Rick Green, attorney for Holden Beach, filed a temporary restraining order to stop it.

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In the complaint, the town referenced advertisements by Mad Kingz Tackle. The first advertisement states participants may “use kayaks to drop bait,” with fishing occurring from the beaches from “Oak Island to Ocean Isle Beach.” A second advertisement stated participants “may use kayaks” and sets the boundaries of the tournament from the “mouth of the Cape Fear River to the South Carolina line.” The second advertisement also stated participants could only fish between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.

“It is well known that cut up fish having a high oil and blood content attract sharks,” the town's complaint reads. “While the rules state that no chumming is allowed, it can be expected that such bait will be dropped close to shore. There is no indication that contestants will be under observation as to whether they adhere to contest rules.”

It also notes while more swimmers would be in the ocean during the original date, October is “a popular time for families to come to the beach and wade/swim in the ocean even at night or early in the morning.”

The Town concluded its complaint by asking the court to grant a permanent injunction or a temporary restraining order requiring the cancelation of the tournament.

An order canceling the tournament was granted by Brunswick County District Court Judge Quintin McGee on October 4.

This was the second time a court order stopped Wright’s tournament. Initially, it was scheduled for the week of July 15-22. Leaders in several Brunswick County beach towns — including Oak Island, Caswell Beach, Ocean Isle Beach and Holden Beach — voiced their opposition.

Holden Beach responded to the announcement by filing a temporary restraining order on July 13 to stop the tournament, and it was granted.

A court order dated July 13, 2022, states while it “recognizes the right of any individual who is licensed to fish the from the coastal shores, the Court finds that the proposed shark fishing contest sponsored by the defendant is inherently dangerous to those individuals visiting Brunswick County beaches as set forth and described in the verified Complaint.”

Following the outcry from town leaders, Wright agreed to move the tournament to the week of October 3-10, outside the peak tourist season. Wright’s counsel filed a motion to dismiss the Town of Holden Beach’s earlier complaint on August 10. The motion challenge’s the town’s authority to regulate fishing along coastal waters and cites that the “Public Trust Doctrine allows for uninterrupted and unobstructed use of ocean beaches.”

Earlier this summer, Patricia Smith, a spokeswoman for the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, told the StarNews the state does not prohibit shark fishing from the beaches, and a fishing tournament license is only required when the catch from the event will be sold.

Amber Wright, manager of MadKingz Tackle and wife of tournament organizer Marty Wright, said they have no plans to fight the recent court order.

“We’re done with it,” she said.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Brunswick judge issues order canceling controversial shark tournament