GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Marine researchers say they have determined the preferred habitat of the striped marlin in the Pacific Ocean in the largest study undertaken to track the fish.
The researchers say their work can help curb overfishing of the popular commercial and recreational fish species. The scientists say the marlin prefers the “light-penetrated, uppermost part of the ocean” within 8 degrees Celsius of the sea surface temperature.
Chi Hin Lam of the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Large Pelagics Research Center in Gloucester is the lead author on the work. Researchers from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and the Marine Conservation Science Institute of Waikoloa also participated.
The authors say overfishing of striped marlin is already happening in parts of the Pacific.