Marlin
Striped marlin in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific
Since the first sport fishing captures in 1914, to the present day, over 22,000 striped marlin have been certified and weighed in New Zealand.
The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council, its 55 affiliated clubs and their 37,000 members provide substantial support for the ongoing research, management input and advocacy of billfish and other migratory species such as tuna and sharks.
Having healthy and abundant game fisheries generates much-needed business for coastal communities and surrounding districts. It also contributes to New Zealand’s reputation as a world class fishing destination.
Striped marlin is a recreational-only fishery in New Zealand and the NZSFC is striving to keep it that way!
Marlin management and advocacy
Below is our record of marlin management and the processes that the NZSFC has been involved or interested in. This record is currently incomplete. It will be updated over time.
For information about tagging fish, please go to the gamefish tagging news page here.
The Hands Off Our Marlin campaign is captured below and on the LegaSea website campaign page here.
Relevant information
Management
2024
Report. Billfish Symposium USA. 10 Oct 2024
Over 100 people attended the 7th international Billfish Symposium held in San Diego, California from 8th to 10th October 2024. Billfish receive much less research and management support compared to the large, commercially valuable fisheries for tuna species. Holdsworth. October 2024.
Poster. Data collection of Pacific recreational billfish catches. Wolfe and ors. Oct 2024
Existing and alternative data collection methods for recreational catches of billfish in the southwest Pacific Ocean. Poster for the 7th International Billfish Symposium held in the USA 8th to 10th October 2024. Wolfe and others. October 2024.
Billfish News. BlueWater Marine Research. July 2024
The 2024 billfish season showed early promise in the north and record catches of marlin south of East Cape. Warm water pushing south saw striped marlin being caught in Hawke Bay and off the Wairarapa coast. BlueWater Marine Research. 10 July 2024.
2023
Billfish News. BlueWater Marine Research. Dec 2023
Looking forward to the 2024 summer and gamefishing season. Brief report on the Billfish logbook returns of 2023. Another tag return from a striped marlin originally tagged off Mayor Island. BlueWater Marine Research. December 2023.
2019
Summary. Striped marlin stock assessment. Holdsworth. 29 July 2019
A summary of the recent stock assessment for striped marlin in the southwest Pacific Ocean. Striped marlin are likely to be overfished. The stock assessment model indicates a clear, persistent decline in striped marlin spawning biomass and increasing fishing mortality. Holdsworth. 29 July 2019.
Report. New Zealand gamefishing 2018-19 season. NZSFC. 6 June 2019
Report summarising gamefish catches during the 2018-19 season. Striped marlin were again the main pelagic species caught and recorded in 2018-19. Reasonable numbers of blue marlin and shortbill spearfish were also taken. Yellowfin catches were poor. New Zealand Sport Fishing Council. 6 June 2019.
2017
Billfish News. BlueWater Marine Research. Jan 2017
There were 207 striped marlin recorded as landed or tagged in the logbook data for the 2015-16 gamefish season. This is similar to the previous year. Still looking for new skippers to take a logbook. BlueWater Marine Research. 16 January 2017.
2016
Report. Billfish Symposium Florida. 7 Oct 2016
The 6th International Billfish Symposium was hosted at the IGFA’s headquarters in Dania Beach, Florida, from 14-17 September 2016. This was a chance to catch up on the latest developments in billfish research and new technologies. Holdsworth. 7 October 2016.
2013
Report. Billfish Symposium Taiwan. 8 Nov 2013
Many of the world’s leading players in the field of billfish research and up and coming scientists were at the 5th International Billfish Symposium in Taipei, Taiwan, 4th to 8th of November. The focus was on the global conservation and sustainable management of billfishes. Holdsworth. November 2013.
Meeting with officials, commercial and recreational fishers to discuss potential management changes for striped marlin. NZSFC presented their views and rationale for maintaining the current moratorium preventing the commercial landing and sale of striped marlin from New Zealand waters. 21 May 2013.
Marlin management options. MPI. 10 May 2013
Ministry for Primary Industries released this discussion paper outlining possible options for alternative management arrangements for marlin. A Highly Migratory Species Fish Plan meeting is due to be held on 21 May where these management options were vigorously debated. MPI. 10 May 2013.
2012
Marlin management feedback to MPI. NZSFC. Dec 2012
The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council response to the review of marlin management. Any loosening of regulations to allow commercial landings of marlin in New Zealand will only increase mortality in the short term. The Pacific marlin stock is already approaching an overfished state. NZSFC. December 2012.
Marlin workshop minutes. MPI. 23 Nov 2012
Multi-stakeholder workshop to discuss marlin management in NZ and the Pacific. MPI note the stock is approaching an ‘overfished state’. Commercial interests want to be able to land marlin that are dead when brought to the boat. NZSFC advocate commercial fishers avoid catching marlin, and that marlin remain a recreational-only species. MPI. 23 November 2012.
Striped marlin fisheries report for NZSFC. Nov 2012
Striped marlin fisheries report on landed and tagged marlin, reported NZ landings and discards and commercial landings from the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, from 1991 to 2012. Report prepared for NZSFC. November 2012.
Media release. Marlin off the menu. NZSFC. 6 Oct 2012
The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council urge consumers not to buy marlin products, and to tell retailers and restaurants to take Marlin off the Menu. Marlin has been a recreational-only fishery in NZ since 1988. Anglers are serious about protecting marlin from commercial exploitation. NZSFC. 6 October 2012.
Media release. Marlin import ban. IGFA. 5 Oct 2012
President Obama signed off on the Billfish Conservation Act, effectively banning the importation of all billfish into mainland USA. Around 30,000 billfish are imported annually. The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) and others championed this legislation. The NZSFC is a member of the IGFA and is pleased with this success. IGFA. 5 October 2012.
2011
Billfish moratorium. Fish File. Nov 2011
In 1987 the NZSFC successfully negotiated a moratorium to prohibit commercial fishers taking marlin for sale. In return, recreational fishers had to tag and release 50% of the marlin catch for research purposes. NZSFC Fish File. November 2011.
2009
Research. Marlin biology and habitat preferences. Keller and Davie. 2009
Population biology and habitat preferences of striped marlin in the southwest Pacific Ocean. Report for the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. Keller and Davie. December 2009.
2006
NSW marlin interactions report. Australia PI. 2006
This 2006 report examines the relationship between commercial and recreational catches of striped marlin off eastern Australia. There is some interesting comments regarding the interaction between the sectors in the marlin fishery and sustainability of the stock. Can we learn anything from their experiences? Primary Industries, Australia. 2006.
Marlin Conservation Measure. WCPFC. 15 Dec 2006
As far back as 2006 the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) cautioned that the regional stock assessment for striped marlin in the southwest Pacific indicated consistent declines in abundance. The WCPFC recommended a precautionary management approach, that there be no increases in fishing mortality as any increase is likely to move the stock towards an overfished state. WCPFC. 15 December 2006.
Public awareness
Hands Off Our Marlin campaign
2014
Article. Turning the Tide. LegaSea. 10 Jan 2014
Hard work by passionate advocates turned the tide on four iconic fish species in 2013. They were yellowfin tuna, striped marlin, snapper and sharks. LegaSea Update. 10 January 2014.
2013
Article. United we protected marlin. LegaSea. 28 July 2013
Within three days of launching the ‘Hands Off Our Marlin’ campaign over 3000 letters were sent to the Minister of Fisheries. LegaSea Update. 28 July 2013.
Article. Marlin saved, now snapper under review. LegaSea. 25 Jun 2013
Marlin saved, now snapper changes are on the horizon. We could have another fight on our hands. LegaSea Update. 25 June 2013.
Article. New Zealanders love their marlin. NZSFC. June 2013
Striped marlin has been a recreational-only species for years yet commercial fishers continue to argue for a regulation change so they can take and sell marlin. The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council is vigorously opposed because past commercial catch had impacted on the availability of fish to members and charter fishers who depend on them. NZSFC. 15 June 2013.
Scott Simpson confirms no changes for marlin. 29 May 2013
Scott Simpson, MP for Coromandel confirms there will be no change to the management of striped marlin. The National Government recognises the high value of recreational game fishing for striped marlin. Scott Simpson email. 29 May 2013.
Article. Congratulations New Zealand. LegaSea. 28 May 2013
Congratulations New Zealand – marlin are officially not for sale. Email sent to the LegaSea database and contacts thanking all those who joined together to save our marlin from commercial exploitation. LegaSea Update. 28 May 2013.
Media. NZ First oppose marlin in the QMS. 25 May 2013
NZ First says it will vigorously oppose any attempts to reclassify the game fish marlin under the Quota Management System. Fisheries spokesperson. NZ First. 25 May 2013.
LegaSea Ambassador Matt Watson video. He says thank you to everyone who supported the ‘Hands Off Our Marlin’ campaign and sent emails to the Minister of Fisheries and other politicians. Matt Watson. 24 May 2013.
Media. No changes to marlin management. MPI. 24 May 2013
MPI advice that current management of striped marlin will be maintained. MPI believes current management provides the best balance, allowing for the overall value of the fishery to be maintained. Ministry for Primary Industries. 24 May 2013.
Day three of the ‘Hands Off Our Marlin’ campaign. Over 3,200 emails sent to the Minister of Fisheries, and 20,204 emails copied to other politicians. LegaSea. 24 May 2013. 4.30pm.
Day two of the ‘Hands Off Our Marlin’ campaign. Over 2,200 emails advocating against regulation changes sent to the Minister of Fisheries. LegaSea. 23 May 2013.
Article. Marlin are ours but for how much longer? NZSFC. 22 May 2013
Striped marlin has been a recreational-only species since 1988, when Japanese tuna longline vessels were banned from fishing in northern New Zealand. Domestic commercial longliners are now campaigning for a regulation change to allow them to keep and sell marlin. NZSFC. 22 May 2013.
LegaSea Marlin campaign email sent to Minister. 22 May 2013
Email template of marlin message for people to use, to send to the Minister of Fisheries and with the option for people to copy their email to other MPs. LegaSea template. 22 May 2013.
Article. Marlin are not for sale. LegaSea. 22 May 2013
Hands Off Our Marlin campaign launched. Regulations protecting striped marlin as a recreational-only fishery are under threat by commercial fishers who want to keep and sell marlin. LegaSea media release. 22 May 2013.
Article. Dead marlin sparks outrage. LegaSea. 1 May 2013
A photo of three dead marlin dumped by a commercial fishing boat off the Manukau Harbour sparked outrage and rigorous discussion because it was such a sad sight. LegaSea Update. 1 May 2013.