| Blue Marlin - (Makaira mazara ) | ||
| Maximum weight: | 2,600 lbs |
 |
| I.G.F.A. record: | 1,400 lb lbs on 130 lb | |
| Temperature range: | 20°C to 27°C
|
|
| Identifying features: | Back is a dark blue with light blue stripes. These stripes consist of small dots and bars. Belly is a silver white. Lateral line generally does not show in adults. | |
| Typical location: | Blue Marlin are considered to be amongst the apex predators, living at the top of the open ocean food chain. They travel the length and breadth of the oceans of the world. They are the world's least studied pelagic fishes.They forage near the surface in warm mixed layers of temperate and tropical seas. They feed on an assortment of epipelagic organisms. Acoustic telemetry indicates Blue Marlin prefer the surface lens of the water column and remain above the thermo cline most of the time. Blue Marlin are often caught along the continental shelf drop off, ocean mountains and canyons, current and weed lines. Gatherings of bait schools such as tuna, dorada and squid are likely Blue Marlin haunts. | |