North Carolina boat loses out on $3.5 million at Big Rock Blue Marlin tourney after disqualification for apparent shark bite
A North Carolina boat landed a blue marlin that weighed more than 600 pounds, and the anglers were ready to celebrate $3.5 million in prize money for winning the 65th Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in Morehead City, North Carolina this weekend.
But something was missing: a shark had apparently taken a bite out of the fish. That chunk, noticeable in pictures of the Sensation crew and fish on the docks, forced tournament officials on Sunday to declare a disqualification.
The tournament wrote in a release on its website that “after careful deliberation and discussions” the fish was disqualified per tournament rules. “It was deemed that the fish was mutilated before it was landed or boated and therefore it was disqualified.”
The Sensation’s catch of 619.4 pounds fell off the leaderboard, giving the grand prize to Sushi, a boat docked in Nags Head, North Carolina. Sushi’s blue marlin weighed in at 484.5 pounds and will collect estimated winnings of more than $2.7 million, according to the tournament’s website.
The Sensation’s winnings would have been more than $3.5 million — about $2.7 million for winning the and nearly $740,000 for landing the tournament’s first 500-plus pound catch.
The annual tournament drew 271 boats this year, including many from Hampton Roads and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. A Virginia Beach-docked boat, the Mercenaria, won last year’s tournament and more than $3.4 million with a 572.6-pound blue marlin.
The tournament wrote in explanation of Sunday’s qualification that it follows International Game Fish Association guidelines on mutilated fish, citing Rule No. 23: “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.”
“This decision is consistent with prior decisions made by the tournament in similar circumstances over the last 65 years,” the release said.
Chasin’ A (Cayman Islands) was second with a catch of 479.8 pounds, followed by C- Student (Southside Place, Texas) at 470.2 pounds.
Jami Frankenberry, jami.frankenberry@pilotonline.com. Twitter @JamiVP.
