Big controversy followed the Big Rock Tournament recently held in Morehead City, N.C. The biggest fish, an 883 pound blue marlin, was set to win a big prize of over $1 million, when a little problem got in the way. Rules state that everyone on board must have a North Carolina fishing license. The tournament found out that, although one of the mates on the boat, Citation, had the license by 5:51 p.m., he didn’t have it when they caught they fish at 3:16 p.m. The hired mate called in for the license on the way to weigh in the fish. After conducting interviews and lie detector tests with the crew of Citation, reviewing Big Rock Tournament rules, and discussing the issue with the Division of Marine Fisheries and the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, the tournament ruled that the Citation fish was disqualified, making the next fish at 528.3 pounds the winner.

Since my parents have a beach home near Morehead City, I always enjoy following the Big Rock Tournament. It’s amazing to see the big blue marlins they bring in, and this year was no exception. Citation’s 883 pound fish set a new record for the tournament. That’s gone now, of course, along with money, fame and respect. And I feel for the crew-I really do. Between what I’ve read and the gossip around Morehead these days, it sounds like the mate, a 22-year-old man, was hired and told the captain he had his license. I’m not sure if he was planning to get it later, or if it just slipped his mind, but when they caught this record making, money winning fish, he sure did remember that he had to have a license. On the boat ride back to the dock he called in for the fishing license and all was well until the crew had to take a lie detector test, which is common with all the big money winners at the tournament. The tournament discovered he was lying and days later disqualified the boat’s fish.

I’ve also heard people comment that the tournament shouldn’t have disqualified the boat. What did it matter? The guy without the license didn’t catch the fish. But the rules state that all people on board must have a fishing license. And, again, I feel for the crew and especially the captain, but rules are rules. The captain should’ve asked to physically see all the licenses before he even left the dock. He should’ve had copies. A million dollars was literally on the line, and a $15 fishing license got in the way.

Let’s think about this in terms that maybe will hit home. You’re taking a class and have to do a group project. The professor says that the group with the best project gets a free day out of class. You really want this prize, because your 21st birthday is next Thursday, and it’s a Monday, Wednesday, Friday class at 9 a.m. The project requires a group presentation and for each member to write a seven page paper. The paper is due with the presentation, but the professor won’t look at them until all the presentations-spread out over three days-are over. You’re the group leader, and your group goes on the first day. You ask if everyone has their paper done, and everyone says yes. You do the presentation. Turn in your paper. But one of your group members doesn’t have the paper done. The next day, the person slips in the paper with the rest of the group’s when the professor isn’t looking.

The professor sees all the presentations and grades them. Your group wins, and you can’t wait for Thursday night. But somehow, the professor finds out that that person in your group turned in the paper late. The professor takes away the prize and awards it to the second-place winner.

It’s not fair. You did what was right. You asked the person if the paper was done. It’s not your fault the person lied. But did you physically see the paper? As group leader, did you personally collect all the papers?

Look at it from the second-place winner’s point-of-view. That group did everything correctly. They followed the rules. Why should they lose to a group who didn’t follow the rules?

The decision that the Big Rock Tournament made was a tough one, but it was the right one. That crew, albeit only one person, didn’t follow the rules. It may not be fair to the rest of the crew, but it sure isn’t fair to the rest of the tournament participants. The rules were known-they just weren’t followed.

It’s just a bad situation, though. I feel bad for the crew of the Citation. All week long they thought they won, not only the tournament but the tournament record, and they were left with nothing. I feel bad for the now first-place winner. Yeah, they won about a million dollars, but they’ll always be known as the people who won because the 883 pound blue marlin was disqualified. We can always hope that next year will be better, but is the Big Rock Tournament’s name ruined forever?