The blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), known as Blue Marlin in Chinese, is one of the ocean's most magnificent game fish, renowned for its incredible speed, size, and striking cobalt-blue coloration along its upper body. These apex predators can reach lengths of 4.3 meters (14 feet) and weights exceeding 820 kg (1,800 lb).
Blue marlin are easily identified by their elongated, spear-like upper jaw (bill), rigid dorsal fin, and crescent-shaped tail. Their metallic blue backs fade to silvery-white undersides, providing camouflage in open ocean waters. Unlike many fish, marlin can regulate their body temperature, allowing them to hunt in both warm surface waters and cooler depths.
Highly migratory, blue marlin are found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide, with major populations in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They're prized by sport fishermen for their spectacular leaps and fighting ability, while commercially they're valued for their firm, flavorful meat - particularly in Japanese cuisine where it's served as sashimi.
