and mandible fork length to eyt- fork length. Based on these 

 conversions our Pacific Ocean data on sailfish are compared with 

 data from the Atlantic Ocean. 



Length-weight regressions using both eye-fork length and fork 

 length are given for each species by sex. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 9-12 August 1972. Part 2. Review 

 and Contributed papers— Analysis of Length and Weight 

 Data on Three Species of Billfish From the Western 

 Atlantic Ocean. By William H. Lenarz and Eugene L. 

 Nakamura. July 1974, p. 121-125. 



ABSTRACT 



Estimates of parameters of relations among weight, girth, total 

 length, fork lengfth. body length, trunk length, and caudal spread 

 were made for blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish captured in 

 the western Atlantic. Some sexual differences were found. 



from 39 to 20,000g were examined. Fish size ranged from 47 to 246 

 kg. Based on the occurrence of ripe ovaries, spawning in Hawaiian 

 waters was estimated to extena from April through July. The 

 developmental stages of ova are described; the most advanced ova 

 examined averaged 1.6 mm in diameter. The distribution of ova 

 diameters within an ovary was found to be heterogeneous. 

 Fecundity was estimated for eight swordfish. Some variability in 

 fecundity was noted; a positive curvilinear relationship of increase 

 in fecundity with increase in fish size was evident. Best estimates 

 suggest that an 80 kg swordfish has 3.0 million ova (early ripe or 

 ripe stages) and a 200 kg swordfish has 6.2 million ova. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 9-12 August 1972. Part 2. Review 

 and Contributed Papers — Occurrence, Morphology, and 

 Parasitism of Gastric Ulcers in Blue Marlin, Makaira 

 nigricans, and Black Marlin, Makaira indica, from Hawaii. 

 By Robert T. B. Iversen and Richard R. Kelley. July 1974, 

 p. 149-153. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 9-12 August 1972. Part 2. Review 

 and Contributed Papers — Lengfth-Weight Relationships 

 for Six Species of Billfishes in the Central Pacific Ocean. 

 By Robert A. Skillman and Marian Y. Y. Yong. July 1974, 

 p. 126-137. 



ABSTRACT 



Weight-length relationships for six species of billfishes in the 

 central Pacific Ocean were developed by analyzing 20 yr of data. 

 Log-linear and nonlinear statistical models were fitted to the data 

 by regression analysis, and residuals from the models were tested. 

 Blue marlin, Makaira nigricatis Lacepede, (.50 135 cm FL), male blue 

 marlin ( > 135 cm FL) and sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus (Shaw 

 and Nodder), apparently have coefficients of allometry less than 3.0. 

 Black marlin. M. indica (Cuvier) and female blue marlin ( > 135 cm 

 FLI apparently have coefficients equal to 3.0. Shortbill spearfish, 

 Tetrapturus angustirostris Tanaka, striped marlin, T. audax 

 (Philippi), and swordfish, Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, apparently 

 have coefficients greater than 3.0. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 9-12 August 1972. Part 2. Review 

 and Contributed Papers— Food and Feeding Habits of 

 Swordfish, Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, in the Northwest 

 Atlantic Ocean. By W. B. Scott and S. N. Tibbo. July 

 1974, p. 138-141. 



ABSTRACT 



Food and feeding habits of swordfish were studied by examin- 

 ing stomachs of 141 individuals captured from July to October 1971 

 between the Grand Bank and the southeast part of Georges Bank in 

 the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. A wide variety of fish species made 

 up about 80% of the diet; the remainder was squid. Species and 

 size composition of food fishes depended on the feeding area. Large 

 redfish iSebastes marinus) were the most important food item in the 

 Western Bank and Grand Bank areas, whereas silver hake 

 {Merluccius bilinearis) made the greatest contribution in the 

 Georges Bank area. Barracudinas, family Paralepididae, occured 

 most frequently and constituted about 20% of the fish diet for all 

 areas. Saoertoothed fishes, family Evermannellidac, also occurred 

 in samples from all areas. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 9-12 August 1972. Part 2. Review 

 and Contributed Papers— Maturation and Fecundity of 

 Swordfish, Xiphias gladius, From Hawaiian Waters. By 

 James H. Uchiyama and Richard S. Shomura. July 1974, 

 p. 142-148. 



ABSTRACT 

 Sixteen swordfish. Xiphias gladius, ovaries ranging in weight 



ABSTRACT 



Ga.stric ulcers were found in 10 of 114 blue marlin. Makaira 

 nigricans, and 2 of 3 black marlin, M. indica, examined from 1%7 to 

 1969 at the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament. Parasitic 

 nematodes were found imbedded in the base of ulcers in one blue 

 marlin and two black marlin. The gross and microscopic morphology 

 of the ulcers is given and possible causes are discussed. The most 

 likely cause is either mechanical injury or parasites, or the effect of 

 both in the same stomach. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 9- 12 August 1972. Part 2. Review 

 and Contributed Papers — Mercury in Swordfish and 

 Other Pelagic Species From the Western Atlantic Ocean. 

 By James S. Beckett and H. C. Freeman. July 1974, p. 

 154-159. 



ABSTRACT 



Total mercury determinations have been carried out on at least 

 one tissue from each of 210 swordfish, 40 specimens of 15 other 

 pelagic species, and 235 individuals of 12 species taken from 

 swordfish stomachs. Total mercury levels of swordfish white muscle 

 tissue ranged from 0.05 to 4.90 parts per million (ppml (mean 1.15 

 ppml total mercury. Mercury levels were broadly related to fish size 

 with the larger fish having higher levels but the relationship varied 

 with time and area of capture. Males tended to have higher levels 

 than females. The mercury levels of different tissues (red muscle, 

 liver, kidney, heart, brain, gill, vertebral disc, and stomach) are 

 piven. The differences in the levels in certain tissues from fish taken 

 m different areas suggest greater physiological activity of mercury 

 in fish from the southern area. The significance of mercury in 

 swordfish prey .species is discussed. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 9-12 August 1972. Part 2. Review 

 and Contributed Papers— Mercury in Several Species of 

 Billfishes Taken Off Hawaii and Southern California. By 

 Richard S. Shomura and William L. Craig. July 1974, p. 

 160-163. 



ABSTRACT 



The resultsof analyses of the mercury content of 37 blue marlin, 

 Makaira nigricans, 56 striped marlin. Tetrapturus audax, and 3 

 swordfish, Xiphias gladius, are presented. 



The levels of total mercury found in white muscle of blue marlin 

 caught in Hawaiian waters ranged from 0.19 ppm to 7.86 ppm; fish 

 specimens ranged in total weight from 96 pounds (43.5 kg) to 906 

 pounds (410.9 kg). A trend of increasing mercury level with 

 increasing size of fish was noted. The mercury content in the livers 

 of 26 blue marlin specimens examined ranged from 0.13 ppm to 

 29.55 ppm; there was no apparent trend noted between mercury 

 content in the liver and size of fish. 



Striped marlin from Hawaii and southern California showed a 

 range of mercury levels in white muscle of 0.09-1.09 ppm for the 

 14 Hawaii samples examined and 0.03-2.1 ppm for the 42 

 California samples examined. The range in size of fish was 56 139 

 pounds (25.4 63.0 kg) and 109 231 pounds (49.4- 104.8 kg) for the 



