OCEAN CITY- For the second straight year, poor weather and rough seas conspired to keep the participant total down for the 33rd Annual Ocean City Shark Tournament, but while there were no qualifiers weighed at the scale over the course of the four-day event, there was a decent number of releases and big crowds at the host Ocean City Fishing Center.

The Ocean City Fishing Center has hosted the shark tournament for over three decades and in most years, sharks of all species and sizes are weighed at the scale. However, in each of the last two years, the weather has put a damper on the event somewhat. With the ominous forecast, just about a dozen boats entered this year and no qualifying sharks were weighed.

Nonetheless, the registered boats did get their fishing days in and there were a considerable number of shark releases. The crew on the “Intimidator” took first place in the release division with 38 total points including 30 collected on Saturday and another eight on Sunday. On Saturday, the “Intimidator” released three hammerheads, three makos, a tiger shark and a sandbar shark.

Angler Charles Dewitt took first place in the Junior Division with one mako release and one spinner release. Mason Howell was second with one tiger shark release, while Noah Morris was third with one mako release. The only qualifying fish actually weighed at the scale was a 12.9-pound bluefish brought in by the “No Limits” on Sunday.