Story: Oceanic fish

The gloved hand of a fisherman holds the bill of this 90-kilogram striped marlin. The fish had been caught and tagged off the Hokianga Harbour on Northland’s west coast. This species (Tetrapturus audax) is the most widespread and common of the billfish family. All marlin species are hunted by big-game fishermen, who often tag and release their catches. This helps conserve stocks, and the recapture of tagged fish means information can be updated.