Fishing tournament defends disqualifying blue marlin worth $3.5 million

Fishing tournament defends disqualifying blue marlin worth $3.5 million

By Eric Levenson

Source: CNN Newsource

6/21/2023

The president of the Big Rock Blue Marlin tournament on Wednesday defended its controversial decision to disqualify a 619.4-pound blue marlin that would have earned the fishermen about $3.5 million, saying the rules on “mutilation” are there for a reason.

“This rule is there to protect the fish so nobody gets an advantage. When you fight and land this fish, you have fought 100% of the fish,” tournament President Emery Ivey said in a video posted to Facebook. “At (no) time during the fight of the fish did something happen that would give you an advantage over the next guy.”