Fishing tournament organizers file suit to protect decision to disqualify winners

MOREHEAD CITY, NC (July 1, 2010) The Crystal Coast Tournament, Inc. Board of Directors filed a legal action yesterday in Carteret County Superior Court seeking a Declaratory Judgment by the Court to confirm the Tournament’s disqualification of the blue marlin caught by the fishing vessel “Citation” on June 14, 2010 and to confirm the fishing vessel “Carnivore” as the winner of the 2010 Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.

The Declaratory Judgment action filed by the Crystal Coast Tournament, Inc. was necessitated by the suit filed by the owners of “Citation” in Dare County. The suit seeks to restrain the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament from awarding any of the top Blue Marlin’s prize money. It also seeks to have the “Citation” declared as the winner of the 2010 Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament and alleges breach of contract by not being declared the “winner”.

The Board of Directors stands by its decision to disqualify the marlin caught by “Citation” as the result of a violation of Tournament rules. The Declaratory Judgment legal action was instituted to insure the integrity of the Tournament for the benefit of all the participants, sponsors, and charities involved. In 2009, the Tournament generated over $100,000 for local charities.

INFORMATION FROM A NEWS RELEASE SENT TO THE WWAY NEWSCHANNEL 3 NEWSROOM…