Billfishes

_{-- B i l l f i s h e s --} _{click on the question number for the answer}
Q 1.
	Is the sailfish related to the swordfish?
Q 2.
	Is there such a fish as the silver marlin?
Q 3.
	Can a sailfish bend its tail from side to side?
Q 4.
	Recently I saw a charterboat captain put a tag on a sailfish that had just been caught. He then released the fish and said that it was for the University of Miami, I believe. Is this true and why is it being done?
Q 5.
	Do sailfish, marlin and other billfishes always use their bill to spear food?
Q 6.
	What is the best way to distinguish between a blue and white marlin?
Q 7.
	In the March 16th edition of Sea Secrets you told of how the sailfish killed or stunned its prey with its bill. I have seen this gamefish take the bait (lures in this instance) directly in its mouth. I thought I would tell you of this so that you may add it to your other knowledge.
Q 8.
	While talking with a charterboat captain the topic of sailfishing naturally came up. To my surprise he told me, during the course of the conversation, that sailfish are sometimes caught on the bottom while trolling. He further added that the Marine Laboratory recently published an account of a sailfish being caught this way. Is this true?
Q 9.
	How many different species of marlin are there in the world?
Q 10.
	When was the first sailfish landed in Florida? A friend (?) of mine and have almost come to blows over this and would like you to settle it for us.
Q 11.
	Where and when was the first Atlantic sailfish captured? Do they migrate?
Q 12.
	Last week I caught my first sailfish while out on a charter boat from Bakers Haulover. The fish appeared to hit the bait with its bill and swallow it. Does the sailfish always feed in this manner?
Q 13.
	What is the women's world record blue marlin and where was it caught?
Q 14.
	Does the marlin ever spear its prey with its bill?
Q 15.
	Which fish grows to a larger size, the blue or the white marlin?
Q 16.
	Have any tagged sailfish ever been recaptured?
Q 17.
	Will sailfish survive after being hooked and released?
Q 18.
	Are any studies being made on the habits of the marlins?
Q 19.
	What is the longest migration of a tagged sailfish that you have on record?
Q 20.
	Do marlin and sailfish use their "spears" or "bills" in catching food?
Q 21.
	What are the bills or spears of long-snouted fishes derived from? Are they all formed in the same way?
Q 22.
	I have heard from charterboat captains and other anglers that on days when the flying fish are plentiful, the sailfish should be good. Is this true?
Q 23.
	How fast do sailfish grow?
Q 24.
	Last summer I caught a sailfish which bore hook scars in his mouth from a previous catch and release. My fishing partner claims to recognize this fish as one he had released the previous winter. My fish measured 76 inches and weighed 37 pounds; his measured 63 inches and weighed 25 pounds. I say that the fish I caught could not be the one released because sailfish do not grow that fast. Am I right?
Q 25.
	I have been told that miniature breeds of swordfishes and sailfishes are available. Can you tell me if these are ready for distribution to aquarium owners as yet?
Q 26.
	Is it possible to determine the age and sex of a blue marlin from its size and weight?
Q 27.
	In a recent issue of Sea Secrets (January, 1959, Volume 3, Number 1) you stated that blue marlin attain a weight of 2,000 pounds. Can you tell me the circumstances under which a 2,000 pound blue marlin was taken?
Q 28.
	I have observed on many occasions when both blue marlin in the Atlantic and black marlin in the Pacific are brought to the boat their stomachs have been extruded and are hanging out of their mouths. I have been told by guides that marlin frequently do this to regurgitate the contents of their stomachs when they are not hooked. Is it known whether these fish may freely retract their stomachs?
Q 29.
	How large do sailfish grow and what is the main difference between the Atlantic and Pacific variety? Where do these fish spawn and when?
Q 30.
	I have heard that a sailfish originally caught and tagged in 1956 was re-caught in March 1959, about 125 miles from where it was originally caught. During the three years between taggings it grew from 20 pounds to 48 pounds and its length increased from six and one-half feet to seven feet, one inch. Where and by whom was the sailfish originally caught, and where and by whom was it caught the second time? Is this 125 miles the longest travel recorded by a tagged sailfish?
Q 31.
	What is the distribution of the sailfishes?
Q 32.
	Would you please let me have some information concerning the sailfish, such as its yearly life cycle, relationship with other animms, food habits, etc.?
Q 33.
	Could you give me some information on what foods are eaten by the sailfish?
Q 34.
	When and where was the first blue marlin caught on rod and reef?
Q 35.
	Approximately how many blue marlin are boated each year? What percentage of the blue marlin brought to the boat can survive release?
Q 36.
	What are the reasons that Pacific marlin are consistently found on the surface, whereas Atlantic marlin must be "raised" from the depths?
Q 37.
	I recently heard of a 40-pound Mediterranean spearfish being caught off Pompano Beach, Florida, and this is the largest I have heard of being caught in these waters. Can you tell me if larger ones have been caught?
Q 38.
	I am seeking expert opinion as to the actual conservation value of releasing hooked sailfish. Do you feel that such practices help keep the total number of fish more nearly constant? Is there serious loss due to fishing and to natural causes?
Q 39.
	I run a charter boat for sport fishing in the Hawaiian Islands and am trying to find out more about the fish we catch, such as the black marlin, Pacific blue marlin, the striped, and the silver marlin. I would appreciate any information you might be able to furnish concerning these.
Q 40.
	Why is it that Pacific marlin are consistently found on the surface, while Atlantic marlin must often be "raised" from the depths?
Q 41.
	An acquaintance of mine claims he caught a 7 -foot sailfish from a pier on Florida's east coast. According to his story, he was using live bait and light spinning tackle. Is this possible?
Q 42.
	In fishing for blue marlin we have found that 70 per cent of all fish hooked by us were hooked while we were trolling with the current. We have also found that more marlin strikes occur during the period from about two hours after the high tide until the tide is about half way down. Can you give any reasons for this?
Q 43.
	I am enclosing a photograph of a marlin with no bill that I caught in the Bahamas. Have other bill-less billfishes been taken?
Q 44.
	What are the effects, if any, of the lunar cycle on the feeding habits of large gamefishes, such as marlin, sailfish and broadbill swordfish?
Q 45.
	Being interested in the tagging of billfishes for scientific purposes, I was curious to know about the effectiveness of a technique used by a fishing guide in this area. After tagging a sailfish, he uses a mop handle to replace the fish's stomach, which was dislodged and pulled out during its struggles on the line. This guide has performed this operation many times, with no apparent detriment to the fish. Is this operation necessary? Does it harm the fish in any way?
Q 46.
	Does the blue marlin grow larger than the black marlin?
Q 47.
	Could a blue marlin live to be as old as 76 years?
Q 48.
	Are the black marlin and Pacific blue marlin the same species? If not, how can they be told apart? I have heard that the pectoral fin at the black marlin cannot be folded, and that of the blue marlin can. Is this true?
Q 49.
	How deep can a marlin swim? Is it true that a hooked marlin held stationary in the water for a few minutes will die from lack of oxygen?
Q 50.
	During a fishing trip to El Salvador we captured several sailfish and noticed that all of them were infested with some form of parasitic worms dangling from the outside surfaces of their skins. The worms were of varying lengths, averaging about 2 to 5 inches. We attempted to remove several of the worms intact, but they had apparently buried themselves too deeply inside the sailfish for this to be accomplished, so all we could obtain was the portion that was exposed outside the skin. I am wondering if such worms are commonly associated with Pacific sailfish, and also if they have any effect on the health of this fish. One of the fish we caught measured 9 feet 3 inches, and weighed only 80 pounds. From past experience I would have expected a fish this size to weigh 100 pounds or more.
Q 51.
	We caught a small dolphin last weekend and took from its stomach what appears to be a small sailfish. I am sending you this specimen. I have never seen a sailfish this small (about 2 inches long) before. I have never seen one under 50 pounds caught here. We have taken large ones with roe and since they are caught every month of the year, it is only natural to assume they spawn hereabouts, or nearby.
Q 52.
	As an outdoor writer, I do a lot of fishing in the Gulf of California. Except when we are fishing in tournaments, we try to release all sailfish. Recently, while doing this, our guide would snap off the tip of the sailfish's bill (5 or 6 inches) telling us this was his way - his marca - of proving to his superiors that he had actually boated the sails. Apparently some sort of prize is given at the end of the season to the guide who catches the largest number of sails. We would like to know: does the bill grow back? Is the fish crippled so that it can’t feed? Does this mutilation interfere with the sailfish's propulsion?
Q 53.
	I am interested in reading about the Pacific black marlin such as the ones found in the Panama waters. Could you recommend some publications on this matter?
Q 54.
	Can a billfish retract a regurgitated stomach?
Q 55.
	Is it true that Gulf Stream sailfish spawn inshore over rocky parts of the sea bottom?
Q 56.
	What kind of billfishes am I likely to encounter in the Gulf of California during early July? Also, what are the thermal preferences of these fishes?
Q 57.
	Does a sailfish survive after being hooked, tagged, and released by an angler?
Q 58.
	What is the fastest fish in the ocean?
Q 59.
	Is the "sword" of the swordfish made of bone?
Q 60.
	My business partner caught a sailfish off Acapulco, Mexico. Is it the same species found in the Caribbean Sea?
Q 61.
	Last winter while fishing off Manzanillo on the west coast of Mexico, we landed two dead blue marlin weighing between 150 and 300 pounds. Both fish had put on a spectacular 15-minute display of grey hounding and tailwalking before becoming just dead weight on the end of the 30- and 50-pound lines (we were using light tackle because we had not expected to catch large marlin south of Mazatlan). I asked our skipper why the two marlin had died. He said they had suffered a heart attack because they jumped too much on the light tackle, and that this often happens with gamefish such as marlin, sailfish, and tuna. He said we should use heavier tackle so we could get the fish to the boat sooner. However, the bodies of the fish had marks indicating that each had rolled up in the leader. My own theory is that they might have become temporarily tangled and drowned because their forward movement was impaired. What do you think was the cause of the fishes' deaths?


_{-- a n s w e r s a b o u t B i l l f i s h e s --}
	Q&A 1.	Is the sailfish related to the swordfish?
	Yes, although it belongs to a different Family. The sailfish (Istiophorus)of the Family Istiophoridae possesses a similar, if shorter and rounder, "bill"; but also has long, straplike ventral fins and two lateral keels on the tail base, while the swordfish or broadbill (Xiphias), of the Family Xiphiidae lacks the ventral fins entirely and there is but one keel on the tail base. In the swordfish the dorsal fin is recurved and shark-like and the "sword" or "bill" is very long and broad.
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	Q&A 2.	Is there such a fish as the silver marlin? West Palm Beach, Florida
	According to data available, the term "silver marlin" has no actual standing as denoting any separate species of fish. However, young specimens of the black marlin, Makaira nigricans marlina caught at Acapulco, Mexico, are commonly called "silver-marlin", as at that stage they lack the darker coloration of the adult. The black marlin is a Pacific relative of the blue marlin, Makaira nigricans amplana, a popular game fish of the Atlantic.
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	Q&A 3.	Can a sailfish bend its tail from side to side?
	Only to a limited extent. Although most other fishes can vibrate their tails through a fairly wide arc in order to swim forward, the sailfish is provided with bony interlocking processes on the tail vertebrae which fit into one another and tend to restrict any sideways movement. Because of the shape of its widely-forked tail fin, the sailfish is able to travel at high speed by vibrating the tail rapidly in a very narrow arc.
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	Q&A 4.	Recently I saw a charterboat captain put a tag on a sailfish that had just been caught. He then released the fish and said that it was for the University of Miami, I believe. Is this true and why is it being done?
	Yes, sailfish are being tagged off Florida by the Marine Laboratory and the Sailfish Conservation Club in cooperation with the Florida State Board of Conservation. The purpose of this project is (1) to determine whether or not the releasing of fish will improve future fishing; (2) to determine the migratory routes of fish and, roughly, the total population; (3) to determine whether or not there is intermigration between geographical sailfish populations; and (4) to obtain growth rates. This tagging, which is done by interested charterboat captains as a gratuitous service for a better knowledge of Florida's game fish, is a part of a larger scientific study of Florida's most-publicized and spectacular game fish.
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	Q&A 5.	Do sailfish, marlin and other billfishes always use their bill to spear food? Bangor, Maine
	There are differences of opinion regarding this matter, but among most fish guides and anglers there is agreement that the sailfish use their bills to stun or kill their prey. In sailfishing, the line is attached to an outrigger by means of a clothespin which releases the line immediately when the sailfish strikes the bait. This slack in the line allows the bait to become motionless and the sailfish thinks he has either killed or stunned a live fish.
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	Q&A 6.	What is the best way to distinguish between a blue and white marlin? Grollman, Pennsylvania
	The dorsal and anal fins of the blue marlin are pointed, whereas those of the white marlin are rounded. In addition, blue marlin are much larger, specimens weighing less than 100 pounds seldom being taken. By contrast, specimens of white marlin weighing more than this are unusual.
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	Q&A 7.	In the March 16th edition of Sea Secrets you told of how the sailfish killed or stunned its prey with its bill. I have seen this gamefish take the bait (lures in this instance) directly in its mouth. I thought I would tell you of this so that you may add it to your other knowledge. Miami, Florida
	Your kindness in passing along this observation is greatly appreciated. It is true that a sailfish often takes the bait directly in its mouth rather than stunning or killing with its bill. Mr. Gilbert Voss of the Marine Laboratory was for many years a charterboat captain and in a recent publication he describes the various methods that the sailfish employs and has found that in nearly all cases the bait had been crushed between the jaws and that scales were missing from both sides of the body where the jaws had closed over the fish.
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	Q&A 8.	While talking with a charterboat captain the topic of sailfishing naturally came up. To my surprise he told me, during the course of the conversation, that sailfish are sometimes caught on the bottom while trolling. He further added that the Marine Laboratory recently published an account of a sailfish being caught ,this way. Is this true? Miami, Florida
	Yes, the catching of sailfish while bottom trolling is true. This is not common practice, but at the same time it is not considered a rare occurrence. Captain Bob Carpenter of "The Thrill" (a bottom fishing boat) caught a sailfish using a rotten ballyhoo while drift fishing on the bottom, March 29,1954, off Fort Lauderdale. Captain Carpenter informed us that he has seen at least four or five sailfish caught in this manner. The publication that was referred to was the third edition of the Sailfish Newsletter, issued by the Marine Laboratory.
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	Q&A 9.	How many different species of marlin are there in the world? Key West, Florida
	Although the studies required to answer this question adequately are still to be conducted, it is now generally accepted that there are two species in the Atlantic Ocean, Makaira nigricans, the blue marlin, and Makaira albida, the white marlin, and two in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Makaira nigricans marlina, the black marlin, and Makaira mitsukurii, the striped marlin. There is reason to believe that the blue marlin of the Atlantic, or a very close relative, also occurs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
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	Q&A 10.	When was the first sailfish landed in Florida? A friend (?) of mine and have almost come to blows over this and would like you to settle it for us. Miami, Florida
	The Western Atlantic sailfish, Istiophorus americanus, was first described in the scientific literature in 1831, apparently from a short description and a rather poor figure in Piso's "Historia Naturalis Braziliae" published in 1648 at Amsterdam. Hence it was first noticed officially from off the coast ot Brazil. The sailfish was reported along the coast of Cuba by both De la Sagra in 1853 and Poey in 1858 and at Barbados by Schomburgk in 1848. In 1872 one was caught at Newport, Rhode Island. Apparently the first record of its occurrence off Florida was in 1813 when one was captured at Key West. Two other specimens were captured in 1878 between Indian River and Savannah and taken to the latter city, where they aroused much interest. Since the late 1920's, it has become increasingly important as a sport fish along the S. E. Florida coast and in recent years the sailfish has become one of the most popular game fishes of the world.
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	Q&A 11.	Where and when was the first Atlantic sailfish captured? Do they migrate? Miami, Florida
	The Western Atlantic sailfish, Istiophorus americanus, was first described in the literature by Cuvier and Valenciennes in 1831, apparently from a short description and rather poor figure in Piso's "Historia Naturalis Braziliae” published in 1648 at Amsterdam. Both De la Sagra in 1853 and Poey in 1863 mentioned the sailfish as occurring along the coast of Cuba and Schomburgk in 1848 listed it as having been found at Barbados. In 1872 a specimen was taken off Newport, Rhode Island and the skeleton and a painted plaster cast were deposited in the U.S. National Mus811m in Washington, D.C. Apparently the first record of its occurrence off Florida was a specimen caught in 1873, which was brought from Key West to New York City. It has been widely thought that sailfish make long migrations. There is evidence from tagging by the Marine Laboratory of the University of Miami, as part of the research program performed by the State Board of Conservation, that sailfish do not make a spawning migration but, especially in the Florida area. There is a breeding population present the year round. The schooling up of sailfish in certain areas is probably due to weather and temperature conditions or perhaps an availability of food in some cases and is not connected with spawning as far as is known today. An annual northward diffusion of Florida sailfish occurs along the inner edge of the Gulfstream during the summer months. This diffusion may be due to seasonal temperature changes.
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	Q&A 12.	Last week I caught my first sailfish while out on a charter boat from Bakers Haulover. The fish appeared to hit the bait with its bill and swallow it. Does the sailfish always feed in this manner? Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
	The method by which sailfish obtain their food has been a subject of much discussion, and anyone who has been sailfishing with several charterboat captains will have found that there is disagreement even in the manner in which the fish takes a trolling bait. One school of though maintains that the fish strikes the bait with its bill to kill it, the other school maintains that the striking action of the bill is a delusion and that the fish crushes the bait in its jaw. Both probably are right in certain cases. In taking the bait, usually trolled at several knots on the surface, the fish rises behind the bait, and after looking it over, approaches it from the rear. When within striking distance, the bill is seen to rise above the bait and appear to strike at it with a downward or often a sidewise motion. At times this may actually be an attempt to stun or kill the bait directly into its mouth to crush it, and the bill rises over the bait as the sailfish takes the bait in its mouth. An examination by a member of The Marine Laboratory staff of hundreds of baits which have been struck at by sailfish indicates that in nearly all cases tile bait had been partly crushed between the jaws and scales were missing from both sides of the body where the jaws had closed over the bait. Observations of sailfish feeding showed schools of from 6 to 30 individuals milling about small groups of "pilchards" forcing them into compact schools. At short intervals, while the pilchards were kept bunched up by the circling sailfish, a single sailfish would break out of the circle and swim rather slowly directly through the pilchards, thrashing vigorously sideways with its bill, hitting numbers of the small fish and stunning or killing them. After thrashing through the school the sailfish would then turn, swim slowly downwards beneath the school where it would then swim about picking up the dead fish as they sank downwards. Besides such methods of feeding as that described above, sailfish are frequently taken while fishermen are fishing the reefs in deep water with live bait. That this could be a very productive method of catching sailfish, can be inferred by the fact that in tile stomach analysis the false albacore, Euthynnus alletteratus, a favorite live bait, accounted for 7.6% of all the-food found.
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	Q&A 13.	What is the women's world record blue marlin and where was it caught? Miami, Florida
	A blue marlin (Makaira ampla) of 730 pounds which was caught at Cat Cay, Bahamas, by Mrs. Henry Sears in 1939 stands as the All-Tackle Women's World Record in the listings of the International Game Fish Association.
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	Q&A 14.	Does the marlin ever spear its prey with its bill? Miami, Florida
	The precise ways in which the various species of bill fishes are accustomed to make use of their bills in capturing food has often been debated. In the case of the marlin, it has been shown that the bill can be used for spearing its prey. An instance may be cited which occurred on a recent cruise of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service vessel John R. Manning in the yellowfin tuna grounds near the Equator, south of Hawaii. A huge white marlin was captured which was estimated to weigh 1500 pounds, and in its stomach was a newly killed 5 foot long yellowfin tuna weighing 157 pounds. The tuna had been swallowed head first, and it was noted that it had been speared twice completely through the body.
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	Q&A 15.	Which fish grows to a larger size, the blue or the white marlin? Newark, New Jersey
	The blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, reaches a weight of over 700 pounds, and averages about 200 pounds. This is larger than the white marlin, Makaira albida, which reaches little over 150 pounds.
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	Q&A 16.	Have any tagged sailfish ever been recaptured? Brielle, New Jersey
	The Marine Laboratory has records of five sailfish that have been tagged and subsequently recaptured. Four of these fish were at large for 56 to 155 days and traveled a minimum distance of 40 to 66 miles. The fifth recaptured sailfish was tagged by Captain G. C. Whiticar near St. Lucie Inlet, Florida, and was caught again off Boynton Beach, Florida, on February 20,1956. This tagged fish had been free for 26 mouths and had gained 20 pounds in weight and one foot in length. This shows that sailfish caught and released can survive.
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	Q&A 17.	Will sailfish survive after being hooked and released? Freeport, Maine
	We have received reports from the Whiticar Fleet, fishing near Stuart, Florida, that they have on several occasions caught sailfish that had previously been caught and still had the hook and leader in their jaw. They have also caught sailfish with more than one hook and leader attached. Also, our own tagging has proven this. We have recovered 5 tagged sailfish, showing that fish tired out sufficiently to be brought to the boat and held while being tagged, can be released and live. Other species of fish have been caught a second time with previous lures still in the mouth or jaw. The sailfish would have a better chance of survival if the leader is cut off short. A long leader might lash around and damage the fish, especially in its gills. The question remains that if a sailfish is played out and wounded when released that he may not recover immediately and so fall prey to sharks. Or if wounded too severely, it may not recover. In general it is probable that if not too severely played out or wounded the fish will recover and live.
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	Q&A 18.	Are any studies being made on the habits of the marlins? Miami, Florida
	The marlins are being actively studied by several members of the staff of The Marine Laboratory of the University of Miami and other agencies. Considerable progress has been made in identifying the different species taken from Florida waters. The local and worldwide distribution of these species is being investigated together with their feeding and spawning behavior. Field associates of The Marine Laboratory are now working on marlin and swordfish off the coast of South America and others will later continue work in South Africa.
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	Q&A 19.	What is the longest migration of a tagged sailfish that you have on record? Fort Lauderdale, Florida
	The Marine Laboratory of the University of Miami received a report from Captain George B. Makepeace, of Islamorada, Florida, that Mr. H. J. Blum of Cincinnati, Ohio, caught a sailfish on March 9, 1957, approximately six miles northeast of Alligator Reef Light, which is along the Florida Keys. The fish measured 6 feet, 10 inches and weighed 40 pounds. A metal tag was attached to its dorsal fin with the legend 4fr255, Parr Port Aransas, Texas. The records of the Port Aransas Rod and Reel Club (PARR) show that tag #256 was placed on a sailfish off Port Aransas by Mr. Charles Urschel, Jr., on June 8,1955. Thus this fish had traveled at least 850 miles in 433 days, the time between tagging and recapture.
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	Q&A 20.	Do marlin and sailfish use their "spears" or "bills" in catching food? St. Augustine, Florida
	Yes, they do, 'but not in the manner which one would expect. Usually, when approaching a trolled bait, they 'will slap it with the side of the bill. At that time, they may turn and take the bait, but often they swim away with no further interest in it. Smaller fish are apparently swallowed directly, without using the bill.
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	Q&A 21.	What are the bills or spears of long-snouted fishes derived from? Are they all formed in the same way? Key Largo, Florida
	Bills or spears generally represent an elongation of the bones of the foremost part of the head. The number of bones involved in the elongation varies with the group of fish involved, but in general, the bones of the upper jaw, the maxillary and premaxillary, form the major part of the structure. In the half-beaks, it is the lower jaw (the dentary bone) which forms the beak.
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	Q&A 22.	I have heard from charterboat captains and other anglers that on days when the flying fish are plentiful, the sailfish should be good. Is this true? Charleston, South Carolina
	The food habits and preferences of the sailfish have been studied for a number of years at The Marine Laboratory of the University of Miami, where no evidence has been found to support this oft-quoted statement. In a study of the stomach contents of 241 sailfish, only 6 specimens of flying fish were recovered or 1.3 per cent of the total identifiable food species.
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	Q&A 23.	How fast do sailfish grow? Baton Rouge, Louisiana
	Studies of the growth rates of sailfish conducted at The Marine Laboratory of the University of Miami show that a fish hatched in June may reach a length of 56 inches and a weight of seven pounds by November. At the end of one year, the sailfish is about 72 inches long and weighs about 21 pounds; at the end of the second year, about 85 inches long and 43 pounds; at the end of the third year, about 92 inches long and 63 pounds. Apparently few sailfish survive into the fourth year. There is great variation in weight for specimens of the same length, particularly among the larger specimens. For example, a fish 92 inches long may weigh between 42 and 109 pounds. The sailfish appears to be one of the fastest growing fish in Florida waters. It is thought that the danger of depletion through excessive fishing is less for fast growing fish than for fish which grow more slowly, but further studies on this species are necessary before the adequacy of present conservation laws can be determined.
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	Q&A 24.	Last summer I caught a sailfish which bore hook scars in his mouth from a previous catch and release. My fishing partner claims to recognize this fish as one he had released the previous winter. My fish measured 76 inches and weighed 37 pounds; his measured 63 inches and weighed 25 pounds. I say that the fish I caught could not be the one released because sailfish do not grow that fast. Am I right? West Palm Beach, Florida
	Growth rate studies of the sailfish, Istiophorus americanus, indicate that a fish measuring 63 inches in overall length in December could grow to 76 inches by the following June. Weights are more variable. A one-year old sailfish may weigh anywhere from 10-25 pounds; after another six months, it may weigh from 20-48 pounds. In view of this range, if the time is approximately right, you may have caught your friend’s sailfish.
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	Q&A 25.	I have been told that miniature breeds of swordfishes and sailfishes are available. Can you tell me if these are ready for distribution to aquarium owners as yet? East Lansing, Michigan
	The large bi1Ifishes commonly called swordfish and sailfish, which are found in the open sea, have not been kept in captivity. Consequently, no means of selective breeding exists. Since sailfish grow to a length of 10 feet or so and swordfish to twice this length, selective breeding which would result in what could properly be called a "miniature breed" is not possible.
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	Q&A 26.	Is it possible to determine the age and sex of a blue marlin from its size and weight? Cumberland, Maryland
	Thus far there is no certain means for sexing blue marlin, or any other marlin, externally. There is some indication, in the Atlantic blue marlin, that all individuals over about 350 pounds are females. If this be true, there is a very considerable size difference with sex in this species, for blue marlin attain a weight of 2,000 pounds. Recently, in Panama, several blue marlin of approximately 500 pounds were examined, one of which was a male.
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	Q&A 27.	In a recent issue of Sea Secrets (January, 1959, Volume 3, Number 1) you stated that blue marlin attain a weight of 2,000 pounds. Can you tell me the circumstances under which a 2,000 pound blue marlin was taken? Welcome, Maryland
	The largest marlin caught on rod and reel was a 1,560 pound black marlin, taken off Peru, although most large blue marlins caught on rod and reel are in the 700-800 pound category. However, commercial catches include much larger fishes. The record blue marlin, taken at Cuba, weighed approximately 2,000 pounds, and several fishes weighing about 1,700-1,800 pounds have been caught in Hawaii. It seems likely, therefore, that both kinds of marlin reach a maximum size of about 2,000 pounds.
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	Q&A 28.	I have observed on many occasions when both blue marlin in the Atlantic and black marlin in the Pacific are brought to the boat their stomachs have been extruded and are hanging out of their mouths. I have been told by guides that marlin frequently do this to regurgitate the contents of their stomachs when they are not hooked. Is it known whether these fish may freely retract their stomachs? New York, New York
	Marlin, and other of the billfishes, have been observed on numerous occasions throwing their stomachs while being fought by anglers. The stomachs of these fishes were easily seen when the fish jumped, but the stomachs usually had retracted by the time the fish were brought alongside the boat. It is believed that this action in no way injures the fish and presumably it uses this mechanism in its ordinary life habits. Whether they do this frequently and to what end is not certain. It is certain, however, that such behaviour is employed at other times and not only when the fish is hooked.
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	Q&A 29.	How large do sailfish grow and what is the main difference between the Atlantic and Pacific variety? Where do these fish spawn and when? Fort Lauderdale, Florida
	The world record for Atlantic sailfish is 123 pounds, caught off Walker Cay, Bahamas, on April 25, 1950. The average weight for the Atlantic fish is much smaller, somewhere between 40 and 60 pounds. In the Pacific the sailfish reaches a larger size, averaging somewhere around or slightly in excess of 100 pounds. The record is 221 pounds, caught off the Galapagos Islands on February 12, 1947. It is not known whether the various populations of sailfish around the world represent one widespread species or whether there are several kinds involved. Other than size, no major difference has been shown between sailfish from the Gulf of Panama and the Florida region, for example. Spawning in the Florida areas supposedly occurs during May and June, but ripe fish have been found in other regions, such as the Gulf of Mexico, during early August. Ripe specimens were examined in the Gulf of Panama in early November. There does not seem to be any concentrated spawning area and ripe sailfish may be expected throughout the tropics, either twenty to thirty miles offshore or fairly close to land.
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	Q&A 30.	I have heard that a sailfish originally caught and tagged in 1956 was re-caught in March 1959, about 125 miles from where it was originally caught. During the three years between taggings it grew from 20 pounds to 48 pounds and its length increased from six and one-half feet to seven feet, one inch. Where and by whom was the sailfish originally caught, and where and by whom was it caught the second time? Is this 125 miles the longest travel recorded by a tagged sailfish? Atlanta, Georgia
	The sailfish was caught and tagged originally by Mrs. Margaret G. Ranney, Cincinnati, Ohio, from the charter boat Bilbon, Capt. Bill Smith, off Alligator Reef, Monroe County, Fla. It was re-caught off Delray Beach, Fla., by Ross McClure, Dayton, Ohio, while fishing from the cruiser Shirley Marie, Capt. Fred C. Voss, ill. The date of the original capture and tagging was Feb. 19, 1956. The re-capture was on Feb. 12,. 1959. Thus, the sailfish was at liberty for 1,088 days. Distance between first capture and final catch was 145 miles. Length and weight data on this fish was not precise enough for proper interpretation of growth rate. The longest distance recorded by a tagged sailfish was one that was originally caught and tagged on June 8, 1955, off Port Aransas, Tex., by Charles F. Urschel of San Antonio, Tex., a member of the Port Aransas Rod and Reel Club. The fish was re-caught 433 days later, on March 9, 1957, by H. J. Blum of Cincinnati, Ohio, while fishing off Alligator Reef from the cruiser Always, Capt. George Makepiece, Islamorada, Fla. The shortest distance between the point of tagging and re-capture is approximately 900 miles.
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	Q&A 31.	What is the distribution of the sailfishes? Ocala, Florida
	Sailfishes occur around the world in tropical and subtropical waters, extending into higher latitudes in the warmer months of the year. How many species are involved, if more than one, is unknown at this time.
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	Q&A 32.	Would you please let me have some information concerning the sailfish, such as its yearly life cycle, relationship with other animms, food habits, etc.? Bellevile, New Jersey
	Lack of space prevents fully answering your questions. However, a good paper on this subject, by Dr. Gilbert L. Voss, appeared in the National Geographic Magazine, 1956, Vol. 109, No.6, entitled "Solving Life Secrets of the Sailfish." Several articles on the growth of sailfish appeared in the Bulletin of Marine Science of the Gulf and Caribbean. These articles were written by Voss and DeSylva. This scientific journal should be available in 1ibraries in the New York area. Additional references may be found by consulting the literature cited in sections of these papers.
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	Q&A 33.	Could you give me some information on what foods are eaten by the sailfish? Sandusky, Ohio
	Adult sailfish feed mainly on other fishes. The particular food item, like that of most other large marine fishes, is determined largely by availability. Thus, the adult sailfish will feed on a great variety of other fishes, such as mackerels, small tunas, halfbeaks, flying fishes, needlefishes, snake mackerels, jacks, triggerfishes, et cetera, along with squids. Whatever food species is most abundant in the area at the time shows up in the stomach contents in greatest number. Very small sailfish feed on small crustaceans, most frequently copepods.
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	Q&A 34.	When and where was the first blue marlin caught on rod and reef? Abaco, Bahamas
	Probably the first blue marlin was caught on rod and reel in New Zealand, since sport fishing for marlin was carried on there before it was in most other areas. Marlin fishing by sportsmen started in earnest in that area during the 1924-25 season, when ninety-two marlin were caught. Even so, the existence of the blue marlin was not recognized in New Zealand waters until the 1950's. In the late 1940's some of the guides and charter boat captains recognized that they were catching a marlin different from the known striped marlin arid black marlin. On February 4, 1948, E.V.W. Anderson of Hastings, New Zealand, caught a blue marlin weighing 484 pounds at Mayor Island. Although this marlin was sent to the Auckland Institute and Museum and was measured and examined by Dr. A. W. Powell, it was not described in any publication. It was not until April, 1960, that the blue marlin was first identified and described in New Zealand-by Dr. J. Moreland of the Dominion Museum, from a specimen caught in northeast New Zealand waters. Colonel John K. Howard of the University of Miami Institute of Marine Science knows of two blue marlin that were caught off Miami early in the season of 1926 - one on Captain Bill Peters' boat, the other on Captain Bill Spooner's. Taxidermist and I.O.F. trustee Al Pflueger remembered the incident perfectly because there was some debate as to what the fish were. The fish were also examined by Captain Tommy Gifford, whom Pflueger believes suggested the name "blue marlin." About a week later Captain Bill Fagan brought a small blue marlin from Bimini to Miami. In 1930 Zane Grey caught “a giant Tahitian striped marlin” weighing 1,040 pounds which was badly mutilated by sharks. No striped marlin of such size and weight has ever been caught and recorded; and parts of Grey's description of the fish (its high dorsal fin, the roundness and symmetry of the body) point to its having been a blue marlin. On August 18, 1931, A. Hamann boated a marlin 13 feet 5 inches long weighing 696.pounds:bfl'BaIboa; Ca1ifomia. Although this fish was accepted as a striped marlin by the International Game Fish Association, good photographs clearly indicate that it was a blue marlin. It would appear that the first blue marlin caught on rod acnd reel that can be definitely identified as such was Hamann's.
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	Q&A 35.	Approximately how many blue marlin are boated each year? What percentage of the blue marlin brought to the boat can survive release? Abaco, Bahamas
	To our knowledge there are no complete figures for the catch of blue marlin by sport fishermen covering the various places where this fish is taken in the Atlantic and Pacific. The powers of recovery of fishes are great. Provided they are not hooked very deep or the gills are not injured, a large percentage of released blue marlin can survive release. However, if the fish are exhausted before being brought to the boat and tagged, on being released they may not be able to avoid sharks if there are many in the area. No reliable information is available on the rate of survival of released marlin.
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	Q&A 36.	What are the reasons that Pacific marlin are consistently found on the surface, whereas Atlantic marlin must be "raised" from the depths? New Orleans, Louisiana
	There are probably several points involved in this, perhaps the most important of which is the food of the marlin. In the Atlantic we have found that most of the food in the captured marlins stomachs are not typically surface-dwelling forms, and we generally believe that Atlantic marlins feed rather deeply. On the other hand, in the Pacific we have found typically surface-dwelling forms in the stomachs and in some instances, some mid-depth forms. In certain areas of the Pacific, "up-welling" of deep waters brings nutrients to the surface, and in other areas, prevailing winds are offshore and likewise bring nutrients to the surface; thus, plankton production occurs which in turn serves as the basis for the food chain for marlins and other large marine animals. If you do much fishing in either the Atlantic or Pacific, it would be of considerable interest to us if you kept a record of times, dates, places and other incidental information with the strikes you get from marlin, so that it might be possible to compare these on a more definitive basis. Certainly your observations are of interest and bear looking into more carefully. VALUABLE INFORMATION Members and readers of Sea Secrets do not seem to be in agreement with member H.H. of New Orleans, Louisiana whose question regarding surface presence of marlin in the Pacific as opposed to the necessity of "raising" the Atlantic species from the depths appeared in the March issue of Sea Secrets (Volume 7, Number 3). Members J.K.H. of Miami, Florida (who has fished all over the world), and E.H.S. of Providence, Rhode Island, both state that they have always fished successfully for marlin by surface trolling, but that the majority of marlin taken commercially are taken by long line fishing and at some depth. Their writings suggest two things: no essential difference exists between the Atlantic and Pacific marlin; the need for more cooperative reports from sports fishermen.
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	Q&A 37.	I recently heard of a 40-pound Mediterranean spearfish being caught off Pompano Beach, Florida, and this is the largest I have heard of being caught in these waters. Can you tell me if larger ones have been caught? Boca Raton, Florida
	The longbill spearfish common in these waters is closely related to, but not the same as, the Mediterranean spearfish. The largest on record was about 67 pounds. Probably this species does not reach 100 pounds.
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	Q&A 38.	I am seeking expert opinion as to the actual conservation value of releasing hooked sailfish. Do you feel that such practices help keep the total number of fish more nearly constant? Is there serious loss due to fishing and to natural causes? West Palm Beach, Florida
	We are aware of the efforts of anglers and conservationists to promote wise use of out natural resources. The sailfish is one species which has been subjected to a great deal of angling pressure by numerous tourists and residents alike and therefore public sentiment is behind the efforts to have sailfish released to conserve stocks. As far as is known, the wholesale releasing of sailfish has little actual value in conserving the species. Research has shown that most of these fish live only three or four years, and that most of those caught and tagged are at an age where they are destined to live only a short time before natural death occurs. For this reason it is suggested that anglers cooperating on this program concentrate on tagging small sailfish caught during fall and early winter.
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	Q&A 39.	I run a charter boat for sport fishing in the Hawaiian Islands and am trying to find out more about the fish we catch, such as the black marlin, Pacific blue marlin, the striped, and the silver marlin. I would appreciate any information you might be able to furnish concerning these. Kailua Kana, Hawaii
	The question of the silver marlin is an old one. We have yet to see anything but five types of billfishes in the Pacific: the blue marlin, the black marlin, the striped marlin, the shortbill spearfish, and the sailfish. Scientists from the Institute of Marine Science of the University of Miami who have visited the Hawaiian Islands and examined a number of marlins in Honolulu found only black, striped, and blue marlins. At most fishing spots (there are a few exceptions) one of the two big marlins is clearly commoner than the other. The common species is usually correctly identified as either black or blue and the rarer is often saddled with silver. A little "silver" studied at Kona, Hawaii, was a black. It is believed that the fish that Zane Grey intended when he tagged it "silver" at Tahiti was the blue marlin. Unfortunately the specimen from Tahiti that came to the attention of Nichols and LaMonte and which they formally named tahitiensis and called silver marlin is quite clearly a black marlin. According to the rules of scientific nomenclature tahitiensis is forever buried in the synonymy of the black marlin for which the earliest correct name is Makaira indica. We have never been able to make much out of coloration, for the species are so changeable. The bars of the striped marlin are quite prominent but they are also prominent in the blue at times. At the same time we do agree that these marlins can often be identified when they jump.
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	Q&A 40.	Why is it that Pacific marlin are consistently found on the surface, while Atlantic marlin must often be "raised" from the depths? New Orleans, Louisiana
	Several factors are involved, the most important probably being the food supply of the marlins. In the Atlantic scientists have found that most of the food captured in marlins' stomachs is not typically surface-dwelling forms, so we feel that Atlantic marlins feed rather deep. Pacific forms, on the other hand, usually have a preponderance of surface-dwelling animals in their stomachs.
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	Q&A 41.	An acquaintance of mine claims he caught a 7 -foot sailfish from a pier on Florida's east coast. According to his story, he was using live bait and light spinning tackle. Is this possible? Newark, New Jersey
	Sailfish and other "blue water" game fishes are occasionally taken by anglers on piers from Miami Beach to Juno Beach. Along this stretch of Florida's east coast, the Gulf Stream runs close to shore, and unusual wind conditions sometimes bring pelagic animals virtually into the surf. The most productive pier for sailfishing is the Lake Worth Fishing Pier, at Lake Worth, Florida. During the past six years more than 400 sailfish and at least one white marlin have been hooked from this pier. Most were hooked on live blue runners or goggle-eyes (both small members of the jack family) and many of these were landed on spinning tackle. The most active single day was March 6, 1966, when 15 sailfish were hooked and 3 were landed.
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	Q&A 42.	In fishing for blue marlin we have found that 70 per cent of all fish hooked by us were hooked while we were trolling with the current. We have also found that more marlin strikes occur during the period from about two hours after the high tide until the tide is about half way down. Can you give any reasons for this? Montego Bay, Jamaica
	Insufficient scientific data have been obtained to date to establish a definite correlation between the hooking of marlin and the direction a boat is trolling in relation to a current. Scientists at the Institute of Marine Science, University of Miami, are interested in this matter, however, and will welcome any reports from anglers. Studies are also in progress involving the possible influence of tides upon the feeding behavior of billfishes. There are some indications from Japanese studies that tunas tend to feed on a flood tide.
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	Q&A 43.	I am enclosing a photograph of a marlin with no bill that I caught in the Bahamas. Have other bill-less billfishes been taken? Chicago, Illinois
	Through the help of anglers all over the world, the Foundation has accumulated a number of photographs and bits of information concerning marlins with split bills, bent bills and no bills at all. Deformities of these types do not appear to be uncommon. Whether such deformities are genetic or occur as results of injuries is not known. Interestingly, the lack of a bill does not seem to hamper billfishes in their feeding. Deformed specimens examined by scientists have been healthy and well fed. Although marlins may use their bills to stun prey before swallowing it, most fishes found in marlin stomachs show no indication of having been hit by a bill. Marlins can apparently swim at such high speeds that they can swallow their prey with little or no effort.
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	Q&A 44.	What are the effects, if any, of the lunar cycle on the feeding habits of large gamefishes, such as marlin, sailfish and broadbill swordfish? San Diego, California
	The relationship of the lunar cycle to the feeding habits of large gamefishes has not been specifically studied. Two papers, however, have reported variations in the catch rate of billfishes in connection with the lunar cycle; presumably catch rate is associated with the willingness of fish to feed. Both papers, one from Puerto Rican waters, the other from the Atlantic off Brazil, record high catches during the first and third quarters of the moon. This may be related to the movement of plankton, upon which .the prey of the billfishes, such as small tunas, feed. Dr. Donald P. de Sylva of Miami's Institute of Marine Sciences is currently engaged in a survey of billfish and tuna catches in the western Hemisphere, which may in the future enable scientists to supply more definite answers to questions such as this.
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	Q&A 45.	Being interested in the tagging of billfishes for scientific purposes, I was curious to know about the effectiveness of a technique used by a fishing guide in this area. After tagging a sailfish, he uses a mop handle to replace the fish's stomach, which was dislodged and pulled out during its struggles on the line. This guide has performed this operation many times, with no apparent detriment to the fish. Is this operation necessary? Does it harm the fish in any way? Corpus Christi, Texas
	Billfish regularly regurgitate their stomachs when fighting hook and line, and afterward swallow them with apparent ease. Thus there would seem to be no real necessity for the practice you describe. However, the mop handle might contain rough places or splinters, which could penetrate or otherwise damage the stomach and do the fish serious harm.
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	Q&A 46.	Does the blue marlin grow larger than the black marlin? Miami, Florida
	The average blue marlin and black marlin grow to the same size. The largest marlin caught on rod and reel was a 1,560-pound black marlin taken off Peru. Although most large blue marlins caught on rod and reel are in the 700 to 800 pound category, the record blue marlin was taken at Cuba and weighed approximately 2,000 pounds. Several fishes weighing about 1,700 to 1,800 pounds have been caught in Hawaii. It seems likely, therefore, that both kinds of marlin reach a maximum size of about 2,000 pounds.
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	Q&A 47.	Could a blue marlin live to be as old as 76 years? Cleveland, Ohio
	The largest blue marlin ever aged weighed 810 pounds and seemed to be no older than 14 years. The estimate was based on the number of rings in the pectoral spine, and is only approximate. If it is accepted as true, however, then marlin of about 2,000 pounds, which are known to exist, may be over 20 years old. Still, it seems unlikely that marlin normally exceed 20 years of age, for fast-growing fish such as marlin do not seem to live very long. Most fish live to an age of less than ten years. A few, such as carp, have been known to reach 80 years in aquaria, but these are most unusual.
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	Q&A 48.	Are the black marlin and Pacific blue marlin the same species? If not, how can they be told apart? I have heard that the pectoral fin at the black marlin cannot be folded, and that of the blue marlin can. Is this true? Los Barriles, Mexico
	Published literature describes the black marlin (Makaira indica) as occurring only in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Pacific blue marlin is the same species as the Atlantic blue marlin (Makaira ampla), the different common names being recognized by the International Game Fish Association for record keeping purposes. As for differentiation, the adult blue marlin has a lateral line that forms a joint network and is difficult to see, whereas it is a single, easily-seen canal in the black marlin. The pectoral fin of the blue marlin can be folded fiat against the body, while in the black marlin the fin is rigid and must be broken to be folded. However, Australian anglers have recently reported that small black marlin (under 50 pounds) may have pectoral fins that can be easily depressed.
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	Q&A 49.	How deep can a marlin swim? Is it true that a hooked marlin held stationary in the water for a few minutes will die from lack of oxygen? San Diego, California
	Marlin have been hooked as deep as 330 feet, and they probably go deeper than that. Swordfish (Xiphias) have been retrieved from telephone cables off Bermuda that were lying at 3,200 feet. Most pelagic fish such as marlin require a great deal of oxygen, and it is likely that if a marlin were prevented from pumping water over its gills, which it does while swimming, it would probably die from lack of oxygen in a short time.
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	Q&A 50.	During a fishing trip to El Salvador we captured several sailfish and noticed that all of them were infested with some form of parasitic worms dangling from the outside surfaces of their skins. The worms were of varying lengths, averaging about 2 to 5 inches. We attempted to remove several of the worms intact, but they had apparently buried themselves too deeply inside the sailfish for this to be accomplished, so all we could obtain was the portion that was exposed outside the skin. I am wondering if such worms are commonly associated with Pacific sailfish, and also if they have any effect on the health of this fish. One of the fish we caught measured 9 feet 3 inches, and weighed only 80 pounds. From past experience I would have expected a fish this size to weigh 100 pounds or more. New Orleans, Louisiana
	The parasites you saw were specialized parasitic copepods, probably of the genus Penella. Members of the order Lernaeopodoida, and commonly called fish lice, these crustaceans are often seen as external parasites on freshwater and marine fishes. Their segmentation and thoracic appendages are reduced or absent (hence the wormlike appearance) and their mouthparts are specialized for gripping the skin of the host. On the basis of known rates of infestation, it seems unlikely that these parasites significantly decrease the body weights of fish.
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	Q&A 51.	We caught a small dolphin last weekend and took from its stomach what appears to be a small sailfish. I am sending you this specimen. I have never see