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Exploring the beautiful nature of California


Marine Fish: Marlin


Fishes are aquatic vertebrates that have fins, gills and scales. Gills are the part of the respiratory system that provide surface area for exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide under water.

Fish are ectotherms, commonly referred to as 'cold-blooded', meaning their temperature is regulated by the temperature of their environment. They have a range of diets, being herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores. Some fish reproduce by laying eggs, while others reproduce by bearing live young.

California fish species reside in freshwater and coastal/marine waters. Coastal, or marine fish are an abundant and valuable resource. However, the ocean's supply is not limitless, and therefore careful planning and education must be undertaken to ensure the sustainability of the world's largest food source.
marlin are a great catch for sportmen fishermen in California Blue marlin are possibly the most sought-after marlin species. Beautiful in form, capable of spectacular fighting ability and having the potential to reach great sizes, blue marlin have inspired and continue to inspire the dedicated pursuit of thousands of skippers, crews and anglers.

The blue marlin is the largest billfish. The upper jaw forms a large bill. The body is cylindrical from anal fin forward. Two dorsal fins are present; the first dorsal fin is high and slopes steeply posteriorly, while the second is small. The caudal peduncle has keels. The lateral line forms a large net-like pattern of hexagons canvassing the sides of the fish. The pelvic fins are slender. The lateral keels on the caudal peduncle assist in making this fish a powerful swimmer of great speed and stamina. Grooves for the pelvic fins improve hydrodynamics.

The blue marlin can reach a length of 14 feet  and a weight of one ton. Females are generally much larger than males.
Blue marlins prey on pelagic fishes including the dolphin, mackerels, and tunas. Predators of the blue marlin include the white shark. Blue marlin in the eastern Pacific migrate as far north as Southern California and as far south as northern Peru.

Marlin fishing is considered by some game fishermen to be the pinnacle of offshore game fishing, due to the size and power of marlin and the relative rareness and vulnerability of this species. In the past, before the way was eased by modern technology, it required skill to capture or kill marlin. It is an expensive hobby, requiring considerable money to pursue on a regular basis.

The blue marlin's flesh is served raw and is a popular sushi fish in Japan, and is popular table fare in some Pacific islands such as Hawaii. The best-known appearance of a blue marlin in literature is as the noble adversary of the Cuban fisherman Santiago in the Ernest Hemingway novella, The Old Man and the Sea.
striped marlin can be caught in Mexico and Southern California  Striped marlin occur in tropical and warm temperature waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. On the west coast of the United States they range as far north as Oregon, but are most common south of Point Conception, California. They usually appear off California in July and remain until late October.

Of the billfishes that occur in California waters, the striped marlin is difficult to confuse with the others. Marlin have scales, fins on the belly, and a rounded spear which set them apart from swordfish which have no scales or ventral fins and have bills that are flat. Sailfish have an extremely high dorsal fin not found among the marlins, and shortbill spearfish do not have the long spear on the upper jaw nor the body weight of the marlin.

The striped marlin normally develops conspicuous stripes along the sides of its body after death. This feature is unique to striped marlin.
 
 
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