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Fish Photos & Information

Fish, Crustaceans & Cephalopods

Beche De Mer
(Sea Cucumber)

Blue Marlin: Epi-pelagic and oceanic species mostly confined to the waters on the warmer side of the 24°C surface isotherm and known to effect seasonal north-south migrations. Not usually seen close to land masses or islands, unless there is a deep drop-off of the shelf. Remain mostly within the upper 37 m. Believed to form small-scale schools of at most 10 individuals. Larger fish tend to swim solitarily but smaller ones form schools of about 10 individuals. Feed on squids, tuna-like fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods. Also caught with troll lines. The flesh is of good quality and is marketed frozen and prepared as sashimi and sausages in Japan; also utilized fresh.

Dorsal soft rays (total): 40 - 45; Anal soft rays: 18 – 24; Vertebrae: 24. Body elongated and not very compressed; upper jaw produced into a robust but not very long beak; two dorsal fins, the height of the first less then the greatest body depth, short anteriorly, taller in the middle, then becoming shorter posteriorly; pectoral fins falcate and flexible, with 21 to 23 rays; body densely covered with small, embedded scales with 1 or 2 sharp points; back dark blue, with 15 bluish bars across the flanks; belly pale silver; membrane of first dorsal fin blue black, with dark spots. Dark blue above, silvery white below; sometimes with light blue vertical stripes; 1st dorsal fin blackish to dark blue, other fins dark brown with tinges of dark blue in some specimens. Body blue-black dorsally and silvery white ventrally, with about 25 pale, cobalt-coloured stripes, each consisting of round dots or narrow bars (may not always be visible especially in preserved specimens). Bill long, extremely stout and round in cross section. Nape conspicuously elevated. Right and left branchiostegal membranes completely united together, but free from isthmus. No gill rakers. Body densely covered with elongate, thick, bony scales, each often with 1 or 2, sometimes 3, posterior points. Caudal peduncle with strong double keels on each side and a shallow notch on both the dorsal and ventral surfaces.

Angling for Marlin:

Because of their large size and strength, catching marlin demands the use of quality tackle kept in good repair. Trolling with lures and trolling with baits - either live or dead - and fishing at anchor or from a drifting boat with baits, live or dead, accounts for over 90 per cent of the marlin taken in our waters. The best lures are Konahead-style skirted heads that run freely on the leader or trace. A lure of this pattern with a flat or slightly angled head, called a "pusher", trolled a between 7 and 12 knots behind a moving boat, is a proven method of attracting marlin. Suitable live and dead baits range from 15 centimetre yellowtail scad or mullet, through 3 kg striped tuna and 5 kg mackerel tuna to whole 15 kg Spanish mackerel! The choice of baits depends on the location, the strength of tackle, and the ambitions of the angler. Rigging baits for trolling - especially dead baits, which are pulled fairly quickly - is an acquired skill. Many fine marlin have also been taken on live baits of tuna, bonito, salmon or kingfish hooked through the top jaw or bridle rigged and trolled at walking pace near a current line or patch of bait. In lure fishing, the strike is instantaneous, as the drag is usually set at about a quarter to a third of the line's breaking strain. The hook either punches home or misses in the instant of the strike. However, if taken on a bait, marlin should be allowed to turn and run with the bait against minimal resistance for anything between one and 30 seconds before being struck.  

Cooking Blue Marlin:

Blue Marlin - High fat, Low moisture, medium to firm texture.

Marlin of all sizes are fair to good table fish, although the relatively high mercury content of their flesh precludes them from some commercial markets. The striped marlin, with its pinkish orange flesh, is generally considered to be much tastier than either of the other species mentioned.

Microwave Cooking Times for Fish
- Fish fillets – 5 minutes per 500g on medium-high, +50 seconds more for thicker fillets, or until flesh flakes
- Whole fish - Large – 6 minutes/750g on medium
- Whole fish – Small – 3-4 minutes on medium

Commercial Fishing for Blue Marlin:

Blue and black marlins are not landed commercially due to regulations designed to protect the recreational fishery. However, small quantities of striped marlin are still sold in most major centres.

More links about Blue Marlin and Marlin

BILLFISH TAGGING
Billfish, including sailfish, swordfish and marlin, are among the most sought-after gamefish on the planet. Exceedingly beautiful and athletic, the largest of these species can reach lengths over 16 feet, and weights of nearly 2,000 pounds. Despite their popularity among sport anglers, however, much remains to be learned about the basic biology of these fishes.

Tagging studies have demonstrated that they can travel great distances – with one record of an Atlantic blue marlin traveling from off the coast of Delaware to the island of Mauritius off the southeast coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean – a voyage of 9,254 miles. Researchers from the TRCC, utilizing both pop-up satellite tags and fin-mounted SPOT tags, have also demonstrated these animals’ ability to cover great distances quickly – with several tagged blue marlin covering distances of over 2,000 nautical miles in just a few months. This information is from The Tuna Research and Conservation Center