and Contributed Papers— An Analysis of the Sportfishery 

 for Billfishes in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico During 

 1971. By Eugene L. Nakamura and Luis R. Rivas. July 

 1974. p." 269-289. 



ABSTRACT 



Data were obtained on the sportfishery for billfishes off South 

 Pass, Louisiana, and off northwest Florida in 1971. These data 

 included: dales and times of raises, hookups, and catches by species; 

 locations of raises; areas fished; baits used; water color; surface 

 conditions; boat characteristics. A total of 99 blue marlin [Makaira 

 nigricans). 284 white marlin {Tetraptums albidus). and 318 sailfish 

 {Istiophorus platyterus) were caught and recorded during 11,107 

 hours of fishing in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. White marlin 

 was most abundant in July and August, while sailfish was most 

 abundant in the latter half of September off northwest Florida. 

 Similar periods of abundance for these two species were not evident 

 off South Pass. Blue marlin did not have an especially abundant 

 period in their area. White marlin and sailfish were more abundant 

 off northwest Florida than off South Pass, whereas the reverse was 

 true for blue marlin. The hours of greatest relative abundance for all 

 species of billfishes combined were between 1000 and 1200 and again 

 between 1300 and 1500 off South Pass. A similar pattern was found 

 off northwest Florida (1000 1100 and 1400 15001. Results indicated 

 that the bluer the water, the greater the relative abundance of each 

 of the three species. Off South Pass more billfishes were raised 

 along lines and rips than in any other surface condition, whereas off 

 northwest Florida, more billfishes were raised in open water than in 

 any other surface condition. Moon phase appeared not to have any 

 significant effect on billfishing. Neither did the length of the fishing 

 boats. However, of the boats in the 40 to 49 ft length category, those 

 with twin screws raised more billfishes than those with single 

 screw. Off northwest Florida, blue marlin preferred mullet {Mugil 

 cephalus) over ballyhoo {Hermiramphus sp.) and bonito [Euthynnus 

 alleteratus) strip as bait; white marlin showed no preference; while 

 sailfish preferred bonito strip. Off South Pass, data on bait 

 preference were insufficient to allow conclusions. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

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

 and Contributed Papers— Angler Catch Rates of Billfishes 

 in the Pacific Ocean. By James L. Squire, Jr. July 1974, 

 p. 290-295. 



ABSTRACT 



In 1969, 1970, and 1971 marine game fish anglers participating in 

 the Pacific phase of the National Marine Fisheries Service 

 cooperative marine game fish tagging program were asked to 

 complete a postcard form which requested information of the 

 number of days of billfishing the angler engaged in and the catches 

 made. From the 17,876 angler days reported, the catch consisted of 

 10,234 billfishes. The average foi- the 3 yr period was 0.57 billfish 

 per angler day or 1.75 days of fishing per billfish. Analysis of data 

 for the geographical areas in the eastern Pacific and Australia 

 (Queensland) wnere billfishing is conducted resulted in a wide range 

 of catch per effort for all billfish species combined. Off southern 

 California, II. S. A., the catch was 0.10 fish per angler day, equahng 

 10.3 days of fishing per fish. Off Ba^a California, Mexico, records 

 show 0.82 fish per an^lerday equaling 1.22 days fishing per fish, 

 and fishing off Mazatlan yielded 1.21 fish per angler day and 0.82 

 davs fishing per fish. Off .'\capulco, Mexico, the results were 0.95 

 fish per angler day and 1.05 davs per fish. Fishing off Australia the 

 records show 0..55 fish per angler-day equaling 1.83 days per fish. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

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

 and Contributed Papers— The Canadian Swordfish Fish- 

 ery. By S. N. Tibboand A. Sreedharan. July 1974, p. 296. 

 Abstract only. 



ABSTRACT 



During the early 1960's the traditional harpoon fishery for 

 swordfish off the east coast of Canada was replaced by a longline 

 fishery. Fishing areas and seasons expanded, landings increased, 

 and size composition of the catch decreased. Catch and effort data 

 for the period 1958 to 1970 covering both fishing methods were 

 analyzed and the results are presented. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

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

 and Contributed Papers— Landings of Billfishes in the 

 Hawaiian Longline Fishery. By Howard 0. Yoshida. Julv 

 1974, p. 297 301. 



ABSTRACT 



The landings of the Hawaiian longline fishery are dominated by 

 the tunas. During 1964 to 1967. the tunas, by weight, made up an 

 average of 66% of the catch, whereas the marlins and swordfish. 

 Xiphxas gladius, comprised about 34%. The catch of billfishes is 

 composed of the striped marlin, Tetraptums audax, blue marlin, 

 Makaira nigricans, black marlin, M. indica. sailfish, Istiophonis 

 platypterus, shorlbill spearfish, T. angustirostris, and swordfish. 



The annual landings of blue marlin ranged between 47 and 366 

 metric tons during 19.52 to 1970. The annual landings of striped 

 marlin fluctuated between 93 and 228 metric tons during the same 

 period. The blue marlin dominated the catch from 1952 to 1961. 

 Subseouent to 1963, the billfish catches have been dominated by the 

 striped marlin. 



The monthly landings and the monthly catch rates of blue marlin 

 and striped marlin showed similar trends. The monthly landings of 

 striped marlin, however, showed greater fluctuations than the 

 monthly catch per unit of effort. This was attributed in part to a 

 change in the size composition of striped marUn in the third quarter. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

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

 and Contributed Papers— Fishery-Oceanographic Studies 

 of Striped Marlin, Tetrapturus audax, in Waters Off Baja 

 California. I. Fishing Conditions in Relation to the 

 Thermocline. By Fiji Hanamoto. July 1974, p. 302-308. 



ABSTRACT 



In this report, the author analyzed fishing conditions for striped 

 marlin in waters off Baja California in relation to the thermocline. 

 The results were as follows: 



1. In subarea SW, bounded by lal. 15°-25°N and long. 

 115° 110° W, catch rates begin increasing from about May and reach 

 a peak between Julv and October. In subarea SE, bounded by lat. 

 15°-25°N and long. 110° 105°W. there appears to be a tendency for 

 catch rates to be highest from July through October. In subarea M, 

 bounded by lat. 10°N to along the coast of Mexico and long. 

 105°-95°W, catch rates are highest between May and July. 



2. From December through March there is good fishing in 

 relatively narrow areas around the tip of Baja California. In .April, a 

 good fishing ground appears off Manzanillo and in May this ground 

 begins to expand seaward. From June, the area of good fishing off 

 the coast from Acapulco to Mazatlan begins to expand seaward and 

 the greatest expansion of grounds occurs off Baja California in 

 September. In October, the ground becomes narrow and is located 

 farther east. 



3. The pattern of expansion and contraction of the shallow 

 thermocline aiea coincides fairly closely with the pattern of 

 expansion and contraction of good fishing grounds. One of the 

 factors related to this phenomenon is that the formation of good 

 fishing grounds off Baja California is considered to be related to the 

 shallow thermocline areas where there is a more abundant food 

 supply. 



(675.) Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium, 

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

 and Contributed Papers— A Review of the Longline 

 Fishery for Billfishes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. By 

 James Joseph, VVitold L. Klawe, and Craig J. Orange. 

 July 1974, p. 309 331. 



ABSTRACT 



Catch and effort statistics from the Japanese longline fishery are 

 used to examine the quarterly distribution of each of the six .species 

 of billfishes taken in the ea.stern Pacific Ocean east of long. 130°W. 

 Striped marlin appear to be the most widelv distributed billfish in 

 the eastern Pacific. Blue marlin are confined more to the equatorial 

 high seas regions than the other species. Sailfish are extremely 

 abundant within 600 miles of the shoreline along Mexico and Central 

 America. Shortbill spearfish are relatively sparsely distributed and 

 less abundant in inshore waters than are sailfish. Black marlin are 



11 



