Billfish
Black Marlin
Istiompax indica
SaltwaterIstiophoridaeLeast Concern
About
The Black Marlin is a large, powerful billfish characterized by its rigid pectoral fins that cannot be folded flat against its body. They are solitary predators known for their incredible speed and acrobatic fighting ability when hooked by anglers.
- Average size
- Up to 15 feet in length, weighing up to 1600 lbs
- Colors
- Dark blue to black dorsally, fading to silvery white ventrally. May exhibit faint blue bars.
- Diet
- Primarily feeds on fish, squid, and crustaceans.
- Region
- Not typically found in US coastal waters, but occasionally ventures into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California and Hawaii.