7 Marlin Recaptures Reported

apan Game Fish Association recently received seven marlin recapture reports for 2012 and 2013 from such organizations as National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries and local fishing cooperatives. One was of a stripee, and others were of blue marlin.

Since 1985 JGFA tagged 2,598 blue, 294 striped, 8 black, marlins. Other billfish species include 5 sailfish, 4 spearfish and 4 swordfish.

A blue marlin caught off Miyake Island, Tokyo in the summer of 2011 was recaptured off Mindanao, The Philippines, eight month later, covering the apparent travel distance of 3,250 km (2,020 miles).

It will be interesting to see how big a journey they actually make!
Takaharu Yanagi seem to catch distance runners. One of the fish he caught in 2011 made a long journey south, covering 3,250 km.
His fish caught on June 8, 2012, off Kerama, Okinawa traveled northeast, making the apparent distance of 2,730 km (1,473 miles) in approximately 5 months.
JGFA employs dart tags distributed by The Billfish Foundation (TBF) that are widely used in the world.