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Photo of a Striped Marlin

Species profile

Striped Marlin

Kajikia audax

Bony fishIUCN: Near Threatened172 iNat observations

At a glance

Striped Marlin (Kajikia audax) is an IUCN Near Threatened bony-fish species with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.

Confirmed by 2 research-grade iNaturalist observations across the species' range.

Notable details

  • Can grow to 14 feet long and weigh over 400 pounds, with females far larger than males.
  • Found only in the Pacific and Indian Oceans — it never occurs in the Atlantic.
  • Uses its spear-like bill to slash through schools of fish, stunning prey before eating.
  • Highly migratory, traveling thousands of miles across open ocean each year.
  • The vivid blue stripes on its sides fade rapidly after death.

Background

The striped marlin is a species of marlin found globally in tropical to temperate oceans not far from the surface. It is a desirable commercial and game fish, although conservation measures are in place to restrict its commercial landings. An epipelagic predator, it hunts during the day in the top 100 metres (330 ft) or so of the water column, often near the surface. One of its chief prey are…

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Striped Marlin article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.