MATHER, JONES and BEARDSLEY: MARLINS IN ATLANTIC 



CIOIGES Mtl( 



Figure 1. — The western North Atlantic Ocean, showing localities and areas of particular interest in the 



present study. 



Marlin fishing in the Gulf of Mexico developed 

 in the late 1950's off the Mississippi Delta, 

 largely as a result of exploratory fishing catches 

 of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries vessel 

 Oregon. The fishing season ertends from early 

 June into October, with a peak in July. In the 

 late 1960's, a very productive area, centered on 

 the De Soto Canyon in the northeastern Gulf, 



was fished from ports in western Florida and 

 Alabama. This fishery also extends from June 

 into October, but peaks in August. In 1969, some 

 boats from Texas extended their operations 

 farther offshore to the edge of the continental 

 shelf and caught marlins consistently there for 

 the first time. 



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