Atlantic white marlin (Kajikia albida) is a saltwater species recorded in the United States. It is found at depths of 0–150 m.
Scientific name: Kajikia albida · Water: Saltwater
Size: up to 300 cm
The Atlantic white marlin is a pelagic istiophorid that is usually found above the thermocline, in deep blue water over 100 m with surface temperatures above 22 degrees Celsius and salinities of 35 to 37 parts per thousand; currents of 0.5 to 2 knots occur over much of its habitat. It feeds on fishes and squid, and females grow larger than males. Its range is the Atlantic Ocean, roughly from 45 degrees north to 45 degrees south in the south-western Atlantic and 35 degrees south in the south-eastern Atlantic, with records from the Mediterranean Sea and from Bretagne in France that seem to correspond to a few straying individuals. Maximum length is about 300 cm total length, commonly about 210 cm, and it matures at about 164 cm. Its flesh is of excellent quality and is marketed fresh and frozen. It is a minor commercial species and a gamefish, with a high price category. Fishing vulnerability is moderate at 41 of 100 and resilience medium, and climate vulnerability is high at 62 of 100. IUCN lists it as least concern.
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