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Other Names : Blue Marlin
Range & Habitat : The blue marlin ranges Gulfwide, near the surface in all blue waters. While this fish can be found almost anywhere, it is most common near weed lines and water temperature breaks, or where diapirs (lumps) or bottom canyons cause current changes.
Identification & Biology : Its body is dark blue to brown on the back and white underneath. About 15 pale blue vertical stripes are spaced on each side. What sets this fish aside from the slab-sided white marlin and long bill spearfish is that its body, especially in the front, is relatively round in cross-section. The front part of its dorsal fin comes to a sharp vertical point compared to the rounded point on the white marlin.
Male blue marlin grow much slower than females, almost never getting larger than 300 pounds, so any blue marlin over this weight is almost certainly a female. They feed on a variety of fish including tuna, bonito, young swordfish, dolphin, and mackerel, as well as squid and octopus. Blue marlin have been reported to use their bill to spear prey fish, as well as stun them. They apparently breed throughout the Atlantic, from July-September in the North Atlantic to February-March in the South Atlantic. Little is known of their spawning behavior in the Gulf of Mexico.
Size : Usually under 400-500 pounds, although this species can grow to over 16 feet in length and nearly 2,000 pounds.
Food Value : Excellent, although usually released alive.
