Black marlin.
(Makaira indica)
Black Marlin (English), White marlin (Japan), Silver marlin (Hawaii).
Black marlin habitats:
This species of marlin lives in the tropical latitudes of the Indian and Pacific oceans.
Marlin is a pelagic fish, i.e. living in the water column. Black marlin prefers to stay at not very great depths (no more than200 meters ), unlike Blue Marlin. It is constantly moving, but the greatest concentration of this fish is still found in coastal areas and surrounding islands. Apparently, this is due to the marlin’s food supply.
Marlin is a heat-loving fish and it is almost impossible to meet it outside tropical latitudes. Although scientists who observed marlin migrations found interesting fact: Several fish rounded the Cape of Good Hope and thus ended up in the Atlantic Ocean. And during migrations, some specimens covered vast distances from Brazil to the Lesser Antilles. True, scientists are inclined to believe that this is the exception rather than the rule and that Black Marlin usually does not travel such long distances.
Description of Black Marlin:
A distinctive feature of the Black Marlin are the pectoral fins, which do not fold along the body, but are always located perpendicular to it. Also, unlike the Blue (Blue) marlin, the body of the Black one is not round in cross-section, but rather strongly flattened from the sides.
The color of the back is blue-black, the sides are silver, the belly is white. Sometimes horizontal blue stripes may appear on the sides of Black Marlin.
Average weight of Black Marlin is 100- 140 kg (females) and 200-230 kg (males). According to the International Fishing Association IGFA, the largest Black Marlin was caught in 1953 off the coast of Peru. His weight was 707.61 kg.
Black marlin is an active predator. Mainly, he hunts tuna, mackerel, coryphen and other fish that he can handle. Also, by studying the contents of the stomachs of caught Black Marlins, scientists concluded that squid, crabs and lobsters also make up a certain share of their menu.
Ways to catch Black Marlin:
Black marlin is one of the fish species included in the Offshore Grand Slam(the so-called “Grand Slam” located offshore, offshore. It includes blue marlin, black marlin and two types of swordfish.)
Of course, Black Marlin is a desirable catch for any angler.
How to hunt this strong and noble fish?
The main method of fishing is sea trolling using various surface baits: some types of wobblers, "octopuses" and tackle from dead fish(mackerel, mackerel, flying fish, etc.). Live fish is also a good bait.
The shape of the body and the strength that nature has generously endowed him with allow him to accelerate to 100 km/h and higher. Combined with the violent temper and explosive nature of this sea predator, fishing it turns into a whole performance with
an endless series of magnificent “candles”, passing along the surface on the tail and high-speed circles wound around the boat.
The fighting process, depending on the size of the fish, can last for hours.
Generally, black marlin hunting is done on a catch-and-release basis.
and if the captive is treated correctly, most of them survive the process of fighting without consequences.
The fact is that the breathing process of marlin is directly related to movement. So, when moving in the ocean, this fish always keeps its mouth slightly open so that water enriched with oxygen passes through the gills.
Otherwise, the fish will die after some time. Taking into account this feature, if the fish is planned to be released, the fishermen do not take it on board, but free it from the bait hooks in the water. At the same time, the boat continues to move at low speed, creating water movement.
Culinary value:
Black marlin meat is highly prized in the cuisines of various countries. In addition to traditional soups and cooking over coals, marlin meat serves as a component of Japanese sushi - kajiki, in the production of which almost
no cooking is used.
Blue (blue) marlin.
(Latin: Makaira nigricans, English: Blue marlin)
The habitat of the Blue Marlin is the tropical waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, as well as in Indian Ocean in the vicinity of Ceylon, Mauritius and the east coast of Africa. Seasonal concentrations of Blue Marlin occur in the southwest Atlantic from January to April, the northwest Atlantic from June to October, the equatorial Pacific from April and November, and the western and central North Pacific from May to October. , and in the Indian Ocean from April to October.
Blue marlin can be found both close to the coast and thousands of kilometers away.
The Blue Marlin is larger than the Black Marlin. It is believed that Weight Limit it can be close to a ton, although only specimens up to726 kg . The Blue Marlin's body length reaches 5 meters . But the average fish caught is usually smaller than Black Marlin and weighs 100- 150 kg.
Distinctive features of the Blue Marlin are the pectoral fins, which are freely pressed against the body of the fish, as well as the dorsal fin, which is high and sharp (not rounded). The back is black, the sides and belly are silvery-white. Sometimes horizontal stripes are visible on the sides, which disappear after the death of the fish. There are no spots on the fins.
Ways to catch Blue Marlin:
Blue marlin lives in the water column and hunts both in the surface layer and at significant depths (over 200 meters ). Its main prey is tuna, flying fish, sardines, coryphaena, squid, etc.
Blue Marlin, like its close relative, Black Marlin, is part of the Offshore Grand Slam(the so-called “Grand Slam” away from the coast, on the seashore.
It includes blue marlin, black marlin and two types of swordfish.)
Catch blue marlin by trolling in surface layers. The bait is large wobblers, octopuses, large streamers ( strip baits) or tackle from live or dead fish.
To attract a predator, a noisy rattle is often used.
Blue marlin is a passionate predator. If the bait comes into his field of vision, then, as a rule, a furious bite follows. When hooked, a Blue Marlin frantically fights for its life, goes into the depths, and then, with lightning speed, jumps out of the water and “dances” on its tail. The fisherman's struggle with the sea giant can last for several hours! Because of these unforgettable moments, thousands of fishermen around the world are ready to spend time, effort and a lot of money!
Blue marlin are usually caught according to the principle "Catch and release"In some regions of the world, restrictions are imposed on catching Blue Marlin.
Culinary value:
Blue marlin meat is highly prized in the cuisines of various countries.
In addition to the Black and Blue marlin, there are several other species of marlin that are of interest to the angler.
Striped marlin.
Tetrapturus audax (Latin), Striped Marlin (English), Red marlin (Japan)
Distributed in tropical and temperate warm waters Indian and Pacific oceans.
Striped marlin is a pelagic fish and seasonal migrations, moving towards the equator during the cold season and returning back during the warm season.
A distinctive feature of the striped marlin is its high dorsal fin, equal to height fish bodies. The pectoral fins fold easily and press tightly. The body is strongly flattened laterally.
The back of the striped marlin is silver-blue, the sides are silver with a blue tint, and the belly is white. On the sides there are horizontal blue stripes that persist even after the death of the fish, which distinguishes the striped marlin from its fellow species.
There are many rainbow spots on the fins.
Striped marlin is an active predator. Its diet includes sardinella, anchovies, mackerel, saury, flying fish, and squid.
Striped Marlin are caught in much the same way as Black and Blue Marlin. Surface wobblers, octopuses, large streamers, live bait and dead fish rigs are used as bait.
Striped marlin are often hooked a short distance from shore.
A distinctive feature of the Striped Marlin is its behavior after the hook. This fish is lighter and more dynamic than its relatives and, once hooked, makes dizzying jumps, “candles” and “tail dancing”. Fishing for Striped Marlin is one of the most spectacular.
White marlin.
Tetrapturus albidus (Latin), White Marlin or spikefish (English)
It is found throughout the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and even the western Mediterranean Sea.
White marlin is a pelagic fish, but can often be found in fairly shallow coastal areas (from20 meters).
White Marlin is similar in appearance to Striped Marlin. It is distinguished from its fellows by more rounded fin tips, a greenish tint on the back and black-purple spots on the dorsal and anal fins. When feeding or jumping, blue vertical stripes may appear on the White Marlin's body.
White marlin can be caught by trolling with the usual baits: surface wobblers, octopuses, large streamers, live bait and rigs made from dead fish, cut fish or squid.
To catch White Marlin, smaller lures and baits are used than for its larger relatives.
Calories, kcal:
Proteins, g:
Carbohydrates, g:
Marlin is not one specific fish, but a family of fish that lives in the tropical and temperate waters of the western Atlantic.
Most known species marlin is the blue marlin, the largest of all marlins. The length of an adult fish can reach 3 meters and weight about 800 kg. There is such a species of marlin as striped marlin, it distinguishing feature- transverse stripes throughout the body (calorizator). There are also black and white species of marlin. The bodies of these fish species are colored accordingly.
Calorie content of marlin
The calorie content of marlin is low, 112 kcal per 100 grams of product.
Composition and beneficial properties of marlin
Marlin is present in fish meat a large number of vitamins, minerals, healthy Omega-3 fats. By regularly consuming fish meat, you can reduce the risk of certain diseases.
Marlin in cooking
In cooking different countries marlin fish meat is highly prized. More often, soups are prepared from this fish and meat is baked over coals. Japanese sushi - kajiki is prepared with marlin fish meat. Moreover, the meat is practically not subjected to heat treatment.
Since fish meat contains little fat, when frying it is important not to overcook it. Grilling fish is the most the best way processing. In this form, the marlin turns out tender and juicy.
Marlin can also be prepared by marinating it and then frying it in oil and in many other ways.
Raw fish meat is reddish in color, while boiled fish is pinkish. Elastic in consistency, pleasant in taste (calorizer). The meat of those species of marlin fish that increased content fat in meat, has a glossy shine, as if it had been coated with varnish.
Marlin fish meat and meat are interchangeable, that is, when preparing sashimi or other fish dishes using raw fish, they can easily replace each other.
Photographer Doug Perrin, who is the winner of the Photographer of the Year award Wildlife British Museum natural history, took some wonderful underwater photos off the coast of Baja California in Mexico.
The first photo is amazing in how the photographer managed to get close to the blue marlin as he baits the poor sardine onto his nose before popping it into his mouth.
The blue marlin (Pacific Blue Marlin) was first described in 1802 as separate species, belonging to the marlin family. There is still debate in scientific circles about the belonging of some subspecies to the class of blue marlin, mainly based on some small distinctive features. But it hardly matters great importance for the sports fisherman.
Regarding great fishing- blue or blue marlin, this is one of the largest known to science bony fish with an elongated, pike-shaped upper jaw. IN Latin name Makaira nigricans the first word comes from machaera, which means "sword". And indeed this one long sword, or a spear, very durable, sharp and round in diameter, is used for hunting, and also serves to cut through water when moving, increasing its speed characteristics.
Marlins are predators that feed in surface waters and capable of making long migrations in search of food in a short period of time. Blue marlin - gambling hunter. Its prey is mainly small tuna and squid. Its menu is also complemented by other sea animals, such as lobsters, crabs and sea turtles. Many professional hunters have repeatedly noted the fact that, even without being hungry, blue marlin attacks its prey simply for the sake of the hunting process. Therefore, if a marlin suddenly appears near the boat, in most cases it will attack the offered bait.
Its habitat is not tied to the coast. Marlins are found both in the shelf zone of continents and islands, and in open ocean thousands of kilometers from the coast.
The body structure of the blue marlin allows it to gain incredible speed in the water, which gives it the ability to hunt even flying fish, inaccessible to most predators. The elongated upper jaw and folding fins create a hydrodynamic body shape that allows it to accelerate to 100 km/h or more, which, combined with the size and strength of the blue marlin, puts it at the very top upper stage in the ocean food chain. It is not without reason that some nationalities use the word “king” in defining this fish. In appearance, it is probably difficult to find a more beautiful fish. A bright blue or light blue back, a shiny silver belly, a sickle-shaped tail and lower fins that look like airplane fenders - all this creates a unique, elite image of this fast and very strong fish.
Blue marlin can reach a length of more than 4 meters and weigh about a ton. In the book of records of the International Fishermen's Association IGFA, specimens of 636 kg in the Atlantic Ocean and 624 kg in the Pacific are registered. The rules for entering caught fish into this book are very strict, so not all records are included in official reports.
In the press and fishing analytics one can find evidence of the capture of trophies that exceed in weight those featured in official statistics, supported only by eyewitness accounts and photographs. But this information can also be trusted, because due to the huge range of its habitat, we most likely have no idea what size a blue marlin can reach somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where fishing boats and large fishing vessels simply do not go.
In most countries, blue marlin fishing is governed by local laws that govern the release of all fish caught. The fisherman usually only has a photo or video clip to remember this trophy. At the same time, if marlin is nevertheless taken as a catch, many fishermen manage to try dishes prepared according to local recipes. Basically, it is cooked on the grill and the gastronomic value of its meat in terms of the balance of proteins and fats, as well as its special taste, is highly appreciated by gourmets.
Marlin hunting has become a special class of fishing that has thousands of fans around the world. For this, people sometimes fly thousands of kilometers and sail the oceans on fishing boats for weeks. Among the famous fans of this fishing is the writer E. Hemingway, who dedicated his famous novel“The Old Man and the Sea”, as well as Cuban leader Fidel Castro. According to rumors, in Cuban waters no one has yet defeated the famous “Commandante” in terms of the number and weight of marlin caught.
Among trophy fishermen there is a concept called “Grand Slam”. This is a kind of fishing gradation, akin to the assignment of a “black belt” in karate. In order to get it, you need to catch it in defined by rules time a certain set of fish and record your catch in one of the specialized clubs of the International Fishing Association IGFA. So, in order to get this gradation in the Offshore Grand Slam club, you need to catch blue marlin, black marlin and sailfish in one day of fishing at sea.
In different clubs, gravitating to certain geographical latitudes and different seas and oceans, the set of fish species may differ, but blue marlin will always be in the first place, as a symbol of real sea fishing. And this is no coincidence. The culmination of the hunt for blue marlin is a spectacular fishing with jumps, mind-blowing “candles” and other acrobatic somersaults. The fight can last for hours and its ending can never be known in advance. A beautiful and powerful fish always fights to the last, allowing the angler to fully experience all the delights and excitement of sea fishing in the Big Game class.
sources
Niramin - Apr 26th, 2016
The famous Atlantic blue marlin or blue marlin (lat. Makaira nigricans) lives in warm waters Atlantic Ocean. Closer to the equator, you can perform a unique fishing feat - catch a blue marlin. After all, in order to become the owner of a “Grand Slam”, not a tennis one, but one that takes place in a fishing environment, among other conditions, it is necessary to catch this particular fish.
There are countries where marlin fishing is quite strictly regulated by local legislation. In some of them, the law requires the entire catch to be released into the wild. But the main thing for a person obsessed with fishing is not to eat the fish, but to defeat it. In the case of blue marlin, the fight will always be long, difficult and interesting.
Judge for yourself, the length of the fish can reach up to 4 meters, and the weight of the beauty can be up to 0.8 tons. Exactly, beauties. Marlins are one of the few animals whose females are much larger than their male relatives. Fish dark of blue color in the upper part of the body and silvery on the sides, with unusually beautiful dorsal fins and a spear-shaped snout, capable of accelerating up to 100 km/h. Some peoples call it the king fish.
The king marlin fish prefers open water and shallow depths. But it can also approach the shore and go deeper. They live in small flocks of about a dozen individuals. The fish is predatory; it is believed that it prefers tuna, crabs and shrimp to everything else.
In the third year of its life, marlin becomes sexually mature, that is, ready to reproduce. The female lays eggs in quite large quantities, about several million eggs. This happens up to 4 times a year.
Blue marlin in the photo:
Photo: Atlantic blue marlin. 
Video: Blue Marlin Action – lots of jumps and fights
Video: Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans)
It is difficult to surprise ordinary people today with automotive technology, but most people have no idea what incredible machines are in the service of humanity today. Rocket technology is very far from Everyday life, personal aircraft are not yet widespread, and people know even less about ships. Meanwhile, among them there are more than interesting specimens. One of them is the semi-submersible cargo ship Blue Marlin, which was created in the Netherlands.
The first floating giants Marlin appeared back in 2001, and two years later the ships were seriously modernized and adapted for large cargoes.
The Blue Marlin has everything for a comfortable stay: Gym, sauna, swimming pool, and at the same time the ship can transport drilling platforms and destroyers.
In order to load an object onto the deck, Blue Marlin goes under water, turning its own deck into a kind of “floating dock” that itself fits the cargo.
The characteristics of the vessel are impressive. The ship's displacement is 91,238 tons. The width of the vessel is 79 meters, length - 275 meters, and draft - 9.5 meters. The Blue Marlin's cruising speed is 12.9 knots.
