Keeping Marlin?

[Flukemeister1]

I sometimes see reports that guys have caught or raised in their spread White and Blue Marlin. Are they typically released if caught? Are they any good to eat, Blue better than White? If they are not kept, why?
Thanks in advance for your replies.

[BCinerie]

Normally released. but if you can not revive it , they do taste good!!!

[Del River Rat]

I have eaten blue marlin and it is
As good as swordfish most boats look
Down upon bringing them back to
The dock unless it is tourney time
Then I guess it's ok 😳😜

[sportfishingusa]

They are legal to take, so if you find the want to take one, by all means... White marlin are 99 percent released, same goes with blue marlin, but they are good to eat and are LEGAL to retain.. some people think it is horrible to take one home unless it can not swim away in good health, but IMO if you fight a 500lb blue for an hour or more, that thing is so worn out, it may swim away strong, but no one knows where or how they end up.


So i would say if you are going to eat it, keep it!! Tournament fish are all donated to the food banks local to the tournament home base!!

[makosnax]

If it smells like fish......

[Pauls1976]

I have eaten them, they are tasty. IMO, not as good as Swordfish but they are tasty. In Hawaii, blues are considered a delicacy and are common on a menu. Years ago in OBX, after the tournaments, many of the restaurants and deli's would serve it.

I forget the laws, but I think it is illegal to sell Marlin if it is from the continental US. So if you see it on a menu, it is imported or it is being sold illegally.

[Dino]

Tsunami, can I recommend just taking a quick photo boatside and let her swim? we need all the blue marlin we can get in the ocean.

[cukes]

Take your picture, revive and release. .Magnificent fish. We release everything we catch in Cabo and the fishery stays strong.