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Alantic Blue Marlin
| ATLANTIC BLUE MARLIN Order - Perciformes Family - Istiophoridae Genus - Makaira Species - nigricans |
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Taxonomy
The blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, was first described by Lacepede in 1802. The taxonomic status of the blue marlin is a matter of some debate. Certain authors consider the blue marlin a species with a worldwide distribution in tropical and warm- temperate waters, while other authors consider the blue marlin of the Pacific and Indian oceans a distinct species, Makaira mazara, a conclusion based largely on differences in lateral line structure. The genus name Makaira is derived from the Latin machaera, which means "sword."
Common Names
English language common names include blue marlin, Atlantic blue marlin, billfish, cuban black marlin, marlin, ocean gar, and ocean guard. European common names include abanico (Spanish), aguja (Spanish), castero (Spanish), prieta (Spanish), voladora (Spanish), blauer marlin (German), espadarte-sombra (Portuguese), espadon (French) and makaire bleu (French). In Japan this fish is often referred to as nishikuro and in Africa the common names of the blue marlin include blou marlyn and sulisuli.
Geographical Distribution
The blue marlin is found primarily in the temperate and tropical regions of the Atlantic Ocean. Based on commercial fishing observations, the blue marlin occurs from about 44° N to 30°S.
Size
The white marlin averages around 70 pounds, and the rod-and-reel world record white marlin, caught in the Gulf Stream off Miami Beach in 1938, weighed 161 pounds. The striped marlin, the most abundant of these species, usually tipping the scales at 200 - 300 pounds, with 400 pounders occasionally caught. The world record striper marlin was caught off Balboa, California weighed 692 pounds.
The blue and black marlins rank among the mightiest boned fish in the world, with females often exceeding 1,000 pounds. The world-record black marlin weighing 1,560 pounds was taken off Cabo Blanco, Peru. The all-tackle Atlantic blue marlin record was a 1,282 pound fish caught in the waters of the Virgin Islands. The Pacific blue marlin record is 1,376 pounds and was caught near Kona, Hawaii. The average blue marlin caught by the open water sport fishermen will weigh between 300 and 400 pounds.
