Big Rock Dispute Settled Out Of Court

The ongoing legal battle over who really won the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament and its nearly $1 million purse in 2010 is over. The case has been settled out of court, according to a statement from E. Brad Evans, a Greenville-based lawyer representing the Big Rock Tournament and Crystal Coast Foundation.

The owners of the boat Citation sued the tournament after getting stripped of its $910,000 in prize money. The crew boated a marlin that weighed in at 883 pounds, a tournament record, on the first day of the 2010 tournament. However, the crew was disqualified after it was revealed the Citation’s first mate did not have a North Carolina fishing license.

The case was headed back to court in Carteret County after being heard by the North Carolina Supreme Court. However, the parties reached an agreement before that could happen.

This is the statement released:
“The parties involved in the Big Rock lawsuit have reached a mutually satisfactory resolution of all matters in dispute between them. Had the 883-pound fish caught by the vessel Citation not been disqualified, it would have been the largest fish weighed in the history of the Big Rock tournament. The parties are pleased that they were able to resolve their differences honorably and amicably. By agreement, the parties will have no further comment on the matter.”