Jessica Harvey introduces us to the largest species billfish in the Atlantic Ocean - the Blue Marlin.

If my dad could only paint one fish, it would be the blue marlin, for sure. They are the largest species of billfish in the Atlantic ocean. Females can grow to an average of 400 pounds with a world record of 1,400 pounds. Found in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate waters, they are apex predators of the open ocean. They feed on schooling fish in the surface waters and dive deep to feed on squid. A separate population of blue marlin exists in the Pacific Ocean but those blues are outweighed by the black marlin. The blue marlin is a well-respected catch-and-release sport fish because of its strong fight and big jumps. It is vulnerable to extinction because it is often caught as by catch in the tuna fishery. The GHRI tags and tracks blue marlin to better understand the threats against them and how to protect them. Recovery will take a coordinated effort because blue marlin are long-lived, slow-growing animals. Losing these apex predators will have unknown consequences for the health of the open ocean. I'm Jessica Harvey for the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation.

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