Black marlin (Makaira indica)

Black marlin are huge, second only in size to the blue marlin among the marlin. Every October through December, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is a Mecca for anglers wanting to do battle with these monsters.

The GBR is perhaps the most predictable and consistent site anglers can target huge black marlin; just look at the size of the bait they use!

Australia is the only known place in the world where very small juvenile black marlin are consistently captured. In collaboration with Dr. Julian Pepperrell, we are initiating the first ever satellite tagging study of these small black marlin. We hope to reveal the unique habitat requirements and behavior of this early phase of black marlin life history.