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.
Blue marlin is a fish that attracts attention with its unusual appearance. It seems that everything about her is the same as for ordinary fish, only her “nose” is very big! Atlantic blue marlin is a representative of the class of ray-finned fish.
It belongs to the sailfish family, which is part of the perciformes order. The genus to which this fish belongs is called marlin.
This fish began to be called due to the long growth on its muzzle, which resembles a pile (this is a working tool for rigging work). And translated into English language this tool is called marlinspike. This is where the name “marlin” comes from.
What does marlin fish look like?
It is immediately worth noting that among representatives of this species, females are much larger than males - as much as 4 times! Body weight sometimes reaches 800 kilograms. Maximum length The length of these fish, recorded by researchers, is 5 meters.
The color of the blue marlin is multi-colored: the dorsal part has a blackish-blue tint, the belly of the fish is silvery-white. Each side of the marlin is decorated with fifteen stripes formed by small dots. These strips are located vertically.
The nose part formed by the spear is very strong. Marlin's teeth look like a file - they are quite frequent and small.
Where do Atlantic marlin live?
Its territory of residence is the waters of the western Atlantic temperate climate zone. At times marlin is found in warm waters Pacific Ocean. Its usual temperature, suitable for normal life, is from +22 to +30 degrees.
How does marlin fish behave in its natural environment? What are the characteristics of her behavior?
All blue marlin are predators. They get their food in the upper layers of water. But these representatives of the sailfish family prefer to live away from the shore.
Atlantic marlin is not a schooling fish, preferring to swim and hunt alone. Although flocks still form, this happens extremely rarely.
A school of blue marlin gathered for a feast. The reason is a school of herring. In the open waters, blue marlins are true racers. Thanks to the special streamlined body structure and fins folded into special recesses, they are able to swim at very high speeds.
Marlins do not stay in one place; they are prone to constant migrations. The main directions of their migrations are movements from Caribbean Islands to the coast of Venezuela and from the Virgin Islands to the coast of Africa.
What constitutes the main diet of Atlantic marlin?
Marlins are predatory fish. Their main food is tuna and mackerel. In addition, they can use various cephalopods. Marlins special way hunting: they accelerate at high speed towards a school of fish, swim sharply through it, and then return and quickly swallow the frightened fish.
How do marlins reproduce?
The mating season for these fish falls at the end of summer - beginning of autumn. During one breeding season, females can lay eggs 4 times. Just one female lays about 7 million eggs in one season. The size of one egg is approximately 1 millimeter in diameter. After birth, small marlins are carried by ocean currents to different places.
When the young are 2–4 years old, the individuals become sexually mature and are able to continue reproducing offspring.
Female blue marlins live in the wild for about 27 years, while males have a shorter lifespan by almost 10 years.
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 biggest 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. By appearance It's probably hard to find 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
Marlins - genus predatory fish the marlin family (sailfish), living in the oceans of the tropics and subtropics. The name is translated from Greek and Latin language like a dagger. Marlin fish is of considerable value in sport fishing. And her extraordinary taste qualities and high the nutritional value ensured her popularity in different parts of the world.
Description and features
The fish has a long xiphoid process, which is a transformed upper jaw. With its help, she hunts smaller fish and squid. The dorsal fin looks like a sail. The spine has 24 vertebrae. The teeth are small. When hunting, marlin can turn from dark blue to bright blue due to iridophores (pigment cells that reflect light). Sensory receptors of the lateral line (neuromasts) are good indicator water movements are better expressed in young animals.
Females are 4 times larger than males. Their weight usually exceeds 500 kg, and their length is 2-3 meters. There is information about a giant fish weighing 820 kg and 5 meters long.
This predator is capable of reaching speeds of up to 130 km/h thanks to some interesting features:
- The body of the fish is flattened on the sides. The shape is well streamlined;
- The fish can hide its ventral, pectoral and anal fins in recesses in its body. Resistance when moving in water is significantly reduced;
- A sharp long spear on the head perfectly cuts through the water.
The International Conservation Organization has given the marlin a "Vulnerable" status. Thousands of tons of this fish are caught annually in the Caribbean alone. Longline fishing causes the greatest damage to marlin numbers. In the USA, a law was passed according to which all ships must release this fish at a certain distance from the shore. But, unfortunately, due to the injuries received during capture, marlins have almost no chance of survival.
Spread and maturation
The most numerous species of marlin is the Atlantic blue. He is honored to adorn the coat of arms of the Bahamas. It lives in the western Atlantic Ocean, preferring temperatures above 23 degrees. Migrates seasonally along long routes.
Puberty occurs around 3 years of age. Females spawn several times per season, producing 7 million eggs 1 mm in size, which have a very low survival rate. The dark blue larvae grow at high speed. The larvae feed on zooplankton. The large and concave dorsal fin of young fish decreases relative to body height with age. Females live up to 27 years, males 10 years less. Predators prefer a solitary lifestyle; packs are a rare phenomenon.
Apart from the man Only certain types of sharks can hunt marlin- white and mako. Sticking fish are sometimes found on the gills.
Gourmet fish dishes
Fish meat is perfect for boiling, frying, barbecuing, salting and smoking. The Japanese prefer raw marlin in their national dish, sashimi.
Baked marlin with herbs
WITH unique taste marlin goes well with lemon sauce and herbs. To prepare baked marlin you need to take:
- Fish fillet - 1 kg;
- Olive oil- 150 ml;
- Lemon - 2 pcs.;
- Mint - 4 sprigs;
- Dill - 2 bunches;
- Parsley - 2 bunches;
- Water - 2 tbsp. l.;
- Salt.
Salt the fish pieces and add a little lemon juice. Bake for 40-50 minutes, optionally in foil. Pour in a sauce made from herbs, oil, water, salt, lemon zest and juice.
Steak with vegetables and mushrooms
The degree of steak frying is not for everyone:
- The meat is cooked to the maximum, practically not releasing juice, for 10 minutes at high temperature and finished in the oven;
- Uncooked cooks for 2-3 minutes and remains red inside;
- The steak becomes medium-rare after 5-6 minutes of processing. Its juice is pinkish.
So as not to interrupt your own unique aroma Marlin, you shouldn’t overuse spices. To cook a steak you will need:
In a heated, oiled frying pan, fry the pieces of fish to the desired degree. Fry vegetables with mushrooms, add salt, in a frying pan or grill until golden brown. Shortly before readiness you can add soy sauce. It should be served hot.
Fish soup, salting and smoking
To prepare a tasty and rich fish soup, the tail should be cut crosswise into pieces of several centimeters, the fins and head should be divided into 2 parts. Bring water to a boil with several cut onions, add salt and black peppercorns. Boil the fish in this water for 10 minutes after boiling.
To salt, cut the fish into pieces 10 by 30 cm and rub with fine salt. Wrap in a clean cloth and place in the refrigerator. Turn over the next day. On the fourth day you can use it.
To smoke, soak bars measuring 15 by 30 cm in a salty solution of medium strength for 5 hours. Smoking tied with twine.
Marlin is representative enough large family marlinidae, which, in turn, belong to the order Perciformes. This fish is known for its interesting features, which include the special structure of the muzzle, similar in structure to the muzzle of the swordtail and the ability to develop speeds under water of more than 110 kilometers per hour.
Appearance and varieties
Representatives of marlinidae have a powerful, slightly laterally flattened body. The fish has a spear-shaped snout, round in cross section. The jaws and palatine bones are equipped with small saw-shaped teeth. Billfish have 2 dorsal fins, which are located relatively close to each other. The body height of billfish can be up to 4.5 times its length.
In nature, there are several varieties of the marlin family: black marlin, blue marlin, which is also called blue marlin and Indo-Pacific. Below will be a brief descriptive description of each variety accompanied by photos and videos.
Black marlin is a large representative of its family. Black marlin have a spear-shaped upper jaw. Black marlin has an elongated body, which is covered with small oblong scales, entirely hidden in the skin. Feature of this species are the pectoral fins, which the black marlin cannot press to its body. Black marlin can grow up to 3 meters in length and weigh more than 700 tons of kilograms.
Blue or blue marlin is a representative of its family with one interesting feature. The maximum size of males is more than 4 times smaller sizes females For example, it is rare to find males weighing more than 160 kilograms, while females can gain weight over 540 kilograms. Blue marlin have bony rays that support its fins. The body is colored dark blue on the back and silver on the sides.
Distribution and habitats
This fish is an inhabitant of the ocean depths. For habitat it prefers water temperatures above 23 degrees Celsius. As a rule, marlins are found in open waters, but rarely enter continental shallow waters and shelf areas. The fish does not form numerous aggregations, however, it does not lead a solitary lifestyle. Marlins usually gather in small groups. Which include up to 10 individuals.
This fish is found in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Most individuals prefer to live along the equator line. Very often it can be found almost at the surface of the water, at a depth of up to 50 meters. However, some sources contain information that it can easily dive to a depth of more than 1800 meters.
Diet
As a rule, the fish's menu includes epipelagids, however, marlin can also feed on deep-sea representatives, such as, for example, luminous anchovies. Also eats large pelagic fish. A special delicacy is tuna, large squid, swimming crab and shrimp.
Near the Hawaiian Islands, fishermen discovered big-eye tuna in the stomach of a caught marlin. The victim weighed more than 28 kilograms. At the same time, the young marlin itself, taking into account the weight of the victim, was 340 kilograms. Some sources provide information that the Indo-Pacific marlin uses its rostrum to stun its prey.
Reproduction
Marlin reaches sexual maturity in the third year of life. Before the first spawning, females can weigh as little as 44 kilograms, while young males can weigh up to 61 kilograms. Spawning takes place from August to November. Some females can spawn up to 4 times per season. The average female can lay up to 7 million eggs.
The diameter of the eggs is only 1 millimeter. With such fecundity, there is a high mortality rate of eggs and larvae, which is characteristic of all animals with high fecundity. Planktonic juveniles and marlin larvae move across the ocean in ocean currents. Most often, larvae are found in the Atlantic, near Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. Jamaica, the Bahamas and off the coast of Brazil.
Marlin larvae develop extremely quickly. The average growth rate is up to 16 millimeters per day. A marlin was caught in the Bahamas area with a body length of more than 250 millimeters and only 42 days old. The sides of the young animals are painted with a bluish tint, and the belly is White color. The color of the caudal fin and caudal peduncle is light in color.
Catching marlin is every angler's dream. Today, marlin fishing is one of the active rest. This giant is a very strong and persistent fish. Fighting with him will bring indescribable delight to anyone, even an avid fisherman.
Caught marlin
