Blue marlin how fast

Sailfish hunting sardines in the open ocean off the coast of Mexico. Image courtesy of Rodrigo Friscione. Clocked at speeds in excess of 68 mph , some experts consider the sailfish the fastest fish in the world ocean.

Easily recognized, sailfish are named for the spectacular sail-like dorsal fin that extends for nearly the entire length of their silver-blue body. Additionally, the sailfish's upper jaw is far longer than its lower jaw, forming a distinctive bill that looks like—and sometimes acts like—a spear. Females, which are significantly larger than males, can reach 14 feet in length and weigh more than 1, pounds. Average sizes tend to be in the range of 11 feet and to pounds.

Native to the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, blue marlins are among the most recognizable of all fish.

They are cobalt-blue on top and silvery-white below, with a pronounced dorsal fin and a long, lethal, spear-shaped upper jaw. They are so-called blue-water fish, spending most of their lives far out at sea.

They are also highly migratory, and will follow warm ocean currents for hundreds and even thousands of miles. Blue marlins prefer the higher temperature of surface waters, feeding on mackerel and tuna, but will also dive deep to eat squid. They are among the fastest fish in the ocean, and use their spears to slash through dense schools, returning to eat their stunned and wounded victims.

Known for putting up a tremendous fight when hooked, these rare marine monsters are the holy grail for sport fishers. Their meat is considered a delicacy, particularly in Japan, where it is served raw as sashimi. Although not currently endangered, conservationists worry that they are being unsustainably fished, particularly in the Atlantic.

All rights reserved. Common Name: Blue Marlin. Scientific Name: Makaira nigricans. Type: Fish. Diet: Carnivore. Group Name: School. Sailfish are found in temperate and tropical waters in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They feed primarily on small bony fish and cephalopods , which include squids, cuttlefish, and octopuses. One calculation determined that they could swim at 60 mph, while another finding claimed speeds of over 80 mph.

The swordfish has a long, sword-like bill, which it uses to spear or slash its prey. It has a tall dorsal fin and a brownish-black back with a light underside. The film "The Perfect Storm," based on the book by Sebastian Junger, is about a Gloucester, Massachusetts, swordfishing boat lost at sea during a storm.

Marlin species include the Atlantic blue marlin Makaira nigricans , black marlin Makaira indica , Indo-Pacific blue marlin Makaira mazara , striped marlin Tetrapturus audax , and white marlin Tetrapturus albidus.

They are easily recognized by their long, spear-like upper jaw and tall first dorsal fin. The BBC has claimed that the black marlin is the fastest fish on the planet, based on a marlin caught on a fishing line. It was said to have stripped line off a reel at feet per second, meaning the fish was swimming nearly 82 mph.

Another source said marlins could leap at 50 mph. The wahoo Acanthocybium solandri lives in tropical and subtropical waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. These slender fish have bluish-green backs with light sides and bellies. They can grow to 8 feet long, but more commonly reach 5 feet. Scientists studying the wahoo's speed reported that it reached 48 mph in bursts.

Although yellowfin Thunnus albacares and bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus appear to cruise slowly through the ocean, they can have bursts of speed over 40 mph. The wahoo study cited above also measured a yellowfin tuna's burst of speed at just over 46 mph. Another site lists the maximum leaping speed of an Atlantic bluefin tuna at Bluefin tuna can reach lengths over 10 feet. Southern bluefin are seen throughout the southern hemisphere in latitudes between 30 and 50 degrees.

Yellowfin tuna, found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide, can top 7 feet in length.