- White marlin
Taxobox
name = White marlin
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Actinopterygii
ordo =Perciformes
familia =Istiophoridae
genus = "Tetrapturus "
species = "T. albidus"
range_
range_map_caption=
binomial = "Tetrapturus albidus"
binomial_authority = Poey, 1860The white marlin is a U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service [http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/concern/ Species of Concern] .Species of Concern are those species about which the U.S. Government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, [http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov National Marine Fisheries Service] , has some concerns regarding status and threats, but for which insufficient information is available to indicate a need to list the species under the U.S. [http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/esa/ Endangered Species Act] (ESA).pecies Description
White marlin are large, elongated fish with a large upper jaw that forms a spear which is round in cross-section. They are dark blue to chocolate-brown in color. Although generally considered to be a rare and solitary species relative to other similar fish, white marlin occur in small groups consisting of several individuals.
Ecology
Average size is 45 to 65 lbs (20-30 kg), with females reaching relatively larger sizes. White marlin preferred habitat is deep blue water over 330 feet. The species is usually migrates to high latitudes in the warm season. They reproduce while in the subtropics; spawning in early summer in deep, oceanic waters. Prey items include a variety of fishes, crustaceans, and cephalopods.
Conservation
White marlin are mostly caught as bycatch in international longline fisheries. However, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) reports indicate that recent international management recommendations have started stabilizing the stock biomass.
Conservation Designation
No conservation designations exist for the species.
tatus Reviews
A new status review was completed by NMFS in December 2007. The decision to remove the white marlin from the species of concern list is still pending.
References
ICCAT 2006. Report of the 2006 ICCAT Billfish stock assessment. SCI-012 2006.http://www.iccat.int/Documents/SCRS/DetRep/DET_whm.pdf
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
