Billfish

Makaira, Tetrapturus and Istiophorus spp.

Other names

Marlins and sailfish

SASSI Colour

Orange

Biological Information

Large, mostly solitary predators, highly mobile and migratory

Habitat

Open ocean

Distribution

Warm temperate and tropical waters, mostly of KZN

Capture Methods

Recreational boat angling (trolling), bycatch in commercial tuna longline fishery

Conservation Notes

'Known collectively as "billfish"along with the sailfish, there are three main species of marlin in SA waters: black marlin (Makaira indica), Pacific blue marlin (M. mazara), striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax). Though classified as "recreational"species and of considerable importance as gamefish in the charter-boat industry, no formal commercial fishery exists and those on market are caught as bycatch in tuna longlining

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