The IGFA Great Marlin Race: Advancing Billfish Conservation Through Cutting-Edge Research

 

The IGFA Great Marlin Race presented by Costa, the IGFA’s signature billfish research initiative in partnership with Stanford University, has been hard at work collecting the movement and habitat use information necessary to properly manage and conserve billfish species for future generations.

Over the past few months, with the help of generous billfish anglers who sponsor tags at tournaments and other IGFA Great Marlin Race events, the research program has collected some truly remarkable data.

Below, we highlight some of the most impressive results collected since the start of 2024. Some of the data presented below are still in the process of being analyzed thus depth/temperature residency data is not yet available for all tags.

Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament in Kona

  • On January 10, 2024, a tag deployed on a 285-pound blue marlin during the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament in Kona popped up after 152 days, 2,615 nautical miles (nm) from where it was deployed. The total estimated track length was an incredible 7,032nm. This tag was sponsored by Tim and Heidi McBride, deployed aboard the Maverick, and the fish was caught by Heidi McBride. Over the course of the deployment, this fish spent approximately 50% of the time within 10 meters (m) (33 feet (ft)) of the surface where the water temperature ranged between 25 and 29°C (77 – 84°F). The deepest dive of the deployment occurred near the end of December 2023 to 450 m (1476 ft) where the water temperature was 14°C (57°F).

_____________

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund

  • On January 31, 2024, a tag deployed on a 60-pound white marlin popped up after the full 240-day trial. Although the tag only popped up just 141nm from where it was deployed, the total estimated track length is a whopping 5,464nm, with the fish making a complete migration away from the Bahamas, up the east coast of the US then further eastward before turning around and returning to the Bahamas. This tag was part of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund grant, and it was deployed aboard the Shark Byte captained by Rich Barrett and owned by Pete Cherasia. The fish was caught by Mark DeRosa and tagged by John Stukel.

_____________

2023 Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament

  • On February 8, 2024, another Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament tag popped up that was sponsored by John Roberts on the Weldor’s Ark captained by Dale Britt. This tag, which was deployed on a 300-pound blue marlin, popped up 1,169nm from where it was deployed. This fish is estimated to have traveled a total distance of 5,654nm as it undertook an amazing migration from the North Carolina coast to The Bahamas, returned to the area where it was caught, then swam through the Straits of Florida into the Gulf of Mexico toward the Yucatan Peninsula then back around Cuba south of the Florida Keys and finally returning to the Yucatan and popping off. This fish was tagged by Stanford’s own Chloe Mikles on the fish caught by John Roberts. Stay tuned for a full video of this track from IGFA soon!

_____________

2023 Bermuda Triple Crown

  • On March 2, 2024, a tag deployed on a 250-pound blue marlin in Bermuda popped up after a full 240-day deployment, 2022nm from where it was placed in the fish, with the total estimated track distance of 4,526nm. This tag was sponsored by Scott and Ven Poole of Waste Knot captained by Michael Tickle and tagged by Zach Grantham. Following deployment during the Bermuda Triple Crown, the fish swam to the northeast before turning south and popping off just north of the Equator and the Brazilian coast.

_____________

2023 Beach Haven White Marlin Invitational

  • On March 2, 2024, a tag deployed on a 70-pound white marlin off New Jersey during the Beach Haven White Marlin Invitational popped up after a full 180-day deployment, 969nm from where it was placed. The fish is estimated to have traveled a total distance of 3,469nm as it meandered east for three months before turning southwest heading toward the Bahamas and popping just northeast of Crooked Island. Over the course of the deployment, this fish spent approximately 55% of the time within 10 m (33 ft) of the surface where the water temperature ranged between 18 and 28°C (64 – 82°F). The deepest dive occurred in early December to a depth of 187 m (613 ft) where the water temperature was 16°C (61°F), the coldest water experienced during the deployment. This tag was sponsored by local groups including: Fisherman’s Headquarters, Jingle’s Bait and Tackle, Michael Peluso, and the Perello family. The fish was caught by Tim Goodwin and tagged by Tyler Spicer aboard the Aquila captained by Nick Perello.

_____________

Costa Rica

  • On Mach 11, 2024, a tag deployed on a 175-pound blue marlin off Costa Rica popped up 1,843nm from where it was deployed after a full 240-day trial. This tag was sponsored by Patrick Nutt and deployed aboard his boat Kelly Dawn captained by Will Ochse. Following deployment, this fish traveled northwest along the coast of Central America towards the Gulf of California. The fish then moved offshore and turned southwest and crossed into the southern hemisphere where the tag popped up for a total estimated track length of 4,863 nm. Over the course of the deployment, this blue spent approximately 70% of the time within 10 m (33 ft) of the surface where the water temperature ranged between 26 and 32 °C (79 and 90°F). The deepest dive occurred near the end of July to a depth of 106 m (348 ft) where the water temperature was 19°C (66°F). The coldest water experienced during the deployment was 18°C (64°F) in early November at 60 m (197 ft).

_____________

2023 Bermuda Triple Crown

  • On March 19, 2024, a tag deployed on a 175-pound blue marlin off Bermuda during the Triple Crown popped up a whopping 4,477nm from where it was deployed. This fish is estimated to have traveled an incredible 8,786nm over the course of its migration away from Bermuda toward St. Helena in Ascension. This is the 3rd longest blue marlin track ever recorded in the history of the IGFA Great Marlin Race! This tag was sponsored by Mike Verzaleno and deployed aboard the Reel Steel captained by Jason Parker. The fish was tagged by Matt Wardlaw on the fish caught by Marc Verzaleno. Stay tuned for more information on this incredible result including a full video of the track.

_____________

Great Barrier Reef “Marlin Expedition”

  • On March 25, 2024, a tag deployed on a 200-pound black marlin off the Great Barrier Reef popped up 1,101nm from where it was deployed. This tag was sponsored by Marlin magazine and deployed during their Great Barrier Reef “Marlin Expedition” event. This black marlin is estimated to have traveled a total distance of 2,367nm as it migrated south along the Australian Coast. The fish was caught by Marco Castellanos and tagged by Ben Hayes aboard the Calypso captained by Dean Ford.

The IGFA thanks all of the generous supporters of the IGFA Great Marlin Race who help make this groundbreaking research possible.

To learn more about the IGFA Great Marlin Race and to get involved, please click here.