The Virginian-Pilot
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MOREHEAD CITY, N.C.
Officials with the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in Morehead City, N.C., announced Monday that they are holding off on a decision about the results of the event, which concluded Saturday.
Tournament officials withheld payment to the winning team after it failed a polygraph test - issued to several team members after the event.
In question is a tournament rule that requires everyone - including the captain and mates - to have a North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing License.
A mate on the Hatteras-based Citation didn't have a required license, but tournament officials are looking into whether the unnamed mate had been issued the license in time to comply with tournament rules.
A spokes person with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries on Monday identified the mate as 22-year-old Peter Wann of Alexandria. On Sunday Wann was cited for fishing without a license - which carries a $35 fine and $125 in court costs.
“The mate in question was cited Sunday after the Big Rock had notified our marine patrol that there were some concerns,” NCDMF spokes person Patricia Smith told the Raleigh News and Observer.
Tournament director Crystal Watters said Monday that tournament officials are working to solve the situation.
"We have been in contact with the Division of Marine Fisheries, as well as the North Carolina Attorney General's Office," Watters said in a press release Monday. "We are exercising due diligence in this investigation, so to protect our participants, sponsors and charities."
A ruling against the team would result in the loss of a little more than $1.2 million in winnings - $318,750 instantly awarded Monday for catching a tournament-record 883-pound blue marlin, and an additional $912,825 for winning the overall blue marlin division.
The license in question costs $15 for North Carolina residents and $30 for nonresidents.
Andy Thomasson of Richmond caught the fish - his first blue marlin. After the announcement he told the Jacksonville (N.C.) Daily News: "We didn't do anything wrong. But one of our people did. He failed to get a fishing license, but we didn't know it."
If the team on Citation, a vessel partly owned by Michael Topp, is disqualified, runner-up Carnivore, out of Cape Carteret, N.C., would take the big money on a 528-pound blue marlin brought in by angler John Parks of Jacksonville.
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Know and follow the rules!
The captain should be responsible for making sure everyone on the boat has his license. They should have to produce it, not just state it. Afterall, there is over a million dollars at stake here! Rules must be followed. Why would anyone buy a license, if they were allowed to buy one after the fact(if they won). I just wonder if he lied to the rest of the crew about having a license, or didn't they check before going out.
I'm sorry but it is right in
I'm sorry but it is right in the tournament rules that everyone on board needs a license. I would disqualify that team and award it to the second place team if I was in charge.
Yes, you can eat them:
Yes, you can eat them:
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Marlin
good gracious
Was the fish attracted to the guy who didnt have a license, is that why he got caught....the fish thought the guy wouldnt hurt him if he didnt have a license.
Give the damn guy his money if the won the tournament. If there is a penalty for fishing without a license then fine the guy.
I cant believe anyone would write about this, must be slow day in the office
Fish
Polygraph???
Do you have a license? If so, pull it out of your wallet and show it to the man. How hard is this?
I suspect
I suspect they were looking for actual cheating and this just happened to pop up. With that much money involved, you know someone is going to try to scam it eventually.
NC provides a "Block of 10"
NC provides a "Block of 10" licenses to boat owners or business owners of boats that covers all anglers fishing from that boat. There are stipulations to that $150 license in that the boat must be over 23 feet in length and either registered with NC or with the Coast Guard as a documented vessel. The license is valid for 10 days.
For the chance to win such a grand prize, wouldn't one think (to be on the safest side possible) that the boat owner/captain would have purchased one of these to cover all on the boat....just in case?
Rules
I beleive the consern here deals with the tournament rules...not N C game an fishery rules/laws.
Lie Detector and Fishing in
Lie Detector and Fishing in the same sentence. Now that's funny!