CONSERVATION
Wild Oceans Kona Project -
2024 UPDATE
1800+ ADDITIONAL LARVAL BILLFISH NOW BEING ANALYZED!
CLICK HERE FOR 2024 REPORT: WO 2024 UPDATE
2023 PRELIMINARY UPDATE SLIDE SHOW BELOW
Kona Billfish Nursery Research Project Goals:
Phase One: Search and summarise historical reports of istiophorid larvae, habitat, and incidence of spawning activity from the literature, reports and regional fisheries databases; investigate this information and moderators (e.g., depth, size) with meta-analysis
Phase Two: Based on the meta-data, develop oceanographic circulation models to determine likely dispersal routes and connectivity of larval istiophorids from putative spawning locations
If you are viewing this page on a computer, to see the above presentation in full screen, click on the three dots, then click on “Enter Full Screen.”
To view or download the entire presentation as a PDF, click here: 2023 Wild Ocean’s KBFNP Update
Who is Wild Oceans?
To read more information about the non-profit, click here: Wild Oceans 50th Anniversary
Pop Up Satellite Archival Tag StudY
2001 and 2002
Pictured Above:
This is a pop up device employed for all the data collection you see on this page. This is a Pop Up Satellite Archival Tag. The nylon tip is coated with betadine to prevent infection, then inserted under the marlin skin, just like a normal “streamer” tag. The device is programmed to heat the loop of wire at the back end, melting the mono filament tether at a pre-set date. The egg shape at the other end is a float that carries it to the surface of the ocean. Once at the surface, the antennae transmits all the data collected (archived) over the sample time line – from the ocean surface up to an Argos Satellite – and then back down to Honolulu where Dr. Mike Musyl and associates work with it to produce the reports and maps in this section. They also utilize the data for specific research projects such as a Post Release Mortality Rate study of blue marlin in progress now.
Pictured Above:
Here are the travel tracks of 38 blue marlin released from Kona, Hawaii.
NOTE: Not one fish swam to the west.
Pictured Above:
Marlin released near Johnson Atoll heading toward Hawaii from south southwest.
Pictured Above:
Marlin released near Majur heading toward Hawaii from the southwest.
Pictured Above:
Marlin released at Kona in late spring shows it stayed around Hawaii all summer.
Pictured Above:
Marlin released at Great Barrier Reef shows it stayed around spawning zone for the “season” then departed for Solomon Islands.