Black marlin (recently reclassified as Istiompax indica, after formerly being known as Makaira indica) are considered by many authorities to be amongst the world’s premiere game fish. They certainly have size on their side, with the all tackle world record black marlin weighing in at 1560lb (707.6kg) taken by Alfred Glassell way back in 1953 off Cabo Blanco, Peru. Experienced skippers have reported seeing, and sometimes becoming connected to, black marlin that were probably even larger than Glassell’s catch, perhaps even approaching the size of some of the biggest blue marlin (Makaira nigricans). The latter have been caught on rod and reel up to 819 kg and are known to grow to at least 900 kg and possibly over a tonne, based on commercial catches of fish over this size.
Genetic evidence suggests that black marlin are more closely related to striped/white marlin than blue marlin, the latter being more closely related to sailfish. Compared to other marlin, black marlin are more solidly built with a relatively short bill and a lower, rounded dorsal fin. Black marlin can also be easily distinguished from other marlins as they are the only marlin that have rigid pectoral fins that cannot be folded flat against the body.
This oceanic pelagic species is distributed throughout the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans and is found in surface waters above the thermocline at temperatures from 15 to 30°C. A few days ago 6 Black Marlins were spotted between Gili Meno and Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia. Black marlin migrate huge distances and relatively small tagged fish have been recaptured after travelling over 8000 km. Occasionally they will enter temperate waters, and small numbers sometimes stray into the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Cape of Good Hope, although the existence of Atlantic breeding stocks is unlikely. Despite their oceanic environment, large back marlin can sometimes be encountered very close to land, particularly near offshore islands and coral reefs, while juveniles commonly range closer inshore and can even be caught by landbased game anglers at specific locations when conditions are right.
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