White Marlin

Fact File:

Common Name(s):
White Marlin or Atlantic White Marlin

Scientific Name:
Tetrapturus albidus  (Poey, 1860)

Usual Size:
To 280cm

UK Record Weights from rod/line:

Shore:

Boat:

MAFF Minimum Size: Shore: Boat:
Identification:
Colour: Body, blue/black on the upper side. Silver/white and brown on the sides and usual no blotches or marks but there may be 15+ rows of obscure white stripes. Two dorsal fins, the first dark blue with lots of black pots an the second dark blue.

Breeding:
Very little known although egg dispersal and believed once a year in subtropical waters

Habitat:
An ocean species preferring moving water currents of between 0.5 and 2 knots. Has a water temperature requirement of 22ºC and a depth preference of 100m

Food:
In Atlantic waters this appears to be Herring and Squid

Range:
In the Eastern Atlantic from the northern coast of France down to the Cape of Good Hope

Additional Notes:
Although none have been caught on rod and line in British Waters two specimens have been washed ashore in Morecombe Bay, in 1860 and 1983.

Extremely rare vagrant to UK Waters. Closest angler concentrations off Morocco and Portugal.

REFERENCES:

FAO Species Catalogue - Vol V - Billfishes of The World - Nakamura

Fishes of the North-Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean - Whitehead, Bauchot, Hureau, Nielsen, Tortonese

Key to the Fishes of Northern Europe - Wheeler


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