Sailfish

The two main subspecies of sailfish, Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, range throughout the warm and temperate parts of the world’s oceans. They are blue to gray in color with white underbellies. They get their name from their spectacular dorsal fin that stretches nearly the length of their body and is much higher than their bodies are thick.

They are members of the billfish family, and as such, have an upper jaw that juts out well beyond their lower jaw and forms a distinctive spear. They are found near the ocean surface usually far from land feeding on schools of smaller fish like sardines and anchovies, which they often shepherd with their sails, making them easy prey. They also feast on squid and octopus.

Their meat is fairly tough and not widely eaten, but they are prized as game fish. These powerful, streamlined beasts can grow to more than 10 feet (3 meters) and weigh up to 220 pounds (100 kilograms). When hooked, they will fight vigorously, leaping and diving repeatedly, and sometimes taking hours to land.

Sailfish are fairly abundant throughout their range, and their population is considered stable. They are under no special status or protections.

Marlin

Species Identification
Marlins are the ocean's fastest fish and is generally considered the pinnacle of saltwater sportfishing. Common species include: black marlin, blue marlin, white marlin, and striped marlin. This section will deal with the striped and blue marlin in greater detail.

Appearance
Striped: The body of the striped marlin is elongate and compressed. The upper jaw is much extended, forming a rounded spear, typical of the marlin family. The color is dark blue above becoming silver below, with light blue bars or vertical spots on the sides.

Blue: The body is blue-black on top with a silvery white underside. The dorsal fin is pointed at the front end.

Maximum Size
Striped: Largest recorded weight of 339 pounds (153.8 kg) and length of 13.5 feet (4.1 m).

Blue: IGFA World Record catch of 1,402 pounds 2 oz (636 kg), though blue marlins have been known to grow several hundreds of pounds more than that.

Geographic Range
Striped: 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.

Blue: Blue Marlins can be found in both Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. In the Atlantic they have a wide range, primarily in the Caribbean and stretching over to west Africa. They are the most tropical of all marlins, preferring warmer temperatures.

Habitat
Open water environments.

Food
Striped: The food of striped marlin is predominately fishes, squid, crabs and shrimp.

Blue: Mackerel, tuna, and squid.

Predators
Sharks, especially great white and larger mako sharks.