A BLUE marlin tagged during the 2017 Interclub Tournament off Port Stephens in February 2017 has recently been recaptured off Southern Queensland.
Popular Sydney Charter boat Ambition released the estimated 120 kg lure-caught blue while fishing wide off Port Stephens, and released it in excellent condition after a quick 10 minute fight. Some 250 days later and 296 nautical miles north, the marlin was recaptured by Peter Iliuk aboard Subpoenaed, whilst fishing the Gold Coast Kink. There was little change in weight recorded but it was the angler’s first ever blue marlin and was a lively fish released again in excellent condition.
Blue marlin have the lowest recapture rate of the three marlin species tagged under the NSW DPI Game Fish Tagging Program. This is probably because they’re highly migratory and spend significant time away from fishing pressure way offshore. Of the 10,500 blue marlin tagged released since the program’s beginnings in 1973, only 35 have been recaptured, with the first recapture reported in 1996.
The NSW DPI Game Fish Tagging Program issues tags free of charge and works in close association with the NSW Game Fishing Association and the Game Fishing Association of Australia and ANSA. The program is run using funds from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust. Over 445,000 fish have been tagged under the program so far.
If you would like to get involved in the program please phone (02) 4424 7423 or email gamefish.tagging@dpi.nsw.gov.au.
