Pelagic fisheries catching blue and striped marlins in the US Western Pacific islands

Abstract

Various pelagic fisheries in the US Western Pacific islands capture blue and striped marlins. Total catches by US vessels in the Western Pacific islands amount to about 2000 t for blue marlin and 600 t for striped marlin, or 9% and 5% of the nominal total Pacific-wide catch of these two species, respectively. Catch records for domestic Western Pacific fisheries typically extend over several decades, although in this short communication they are confined to blue and striped marlin catches in the 1990s. There are currently no specific management measures for marlins in the US Western Pacific islands, but other management measures for US pelagic fisheries in this region may have an influence on marlin catches.