
Sailfish are a type of billfish known for their pointed bills and extraordinary dorsal fins, which can be taller than the length of their bodies. They are predominantly blue to grey in colour and are considered the fastest fish in the sea, reaching speeds of up to 68 miles per hour. Sailfish are a popular choice for trophy fishers and recreational fishing due to their large size and spirited fight. Sailfish boats are also available for fishing enthusiasts, offering 360-degree access to the water and various fishing features.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Genus | Istiophorus |
Family | Istiophoridae |
Species | Istiophorus platypterus |
Other Species | Istiophorus albicans |
Common Names | Atlantic sailfish, billfish, Indo-Pacific sailfish, ocean gar, ocean guard, Pacific sailfish, sailfish, abanico, aguja, aguja de abanico, aguja vela, atlanticheskii parusnik, atlantinperjekala, atlantisk segelfisk, atlantisk seifisk, bashokajiki, bicuda, bicudo, caravela, dung dung, espadarte-veleiro, espadon, espadon voilier, malan, nishibashoo, nishibashookajiki, palagar, parusnik, parusnik-ryba, peco, peixe andala, peixe de vela, peixe-vela, pesce vela, pez vela, pez vela de Atlantico, pez vela del Indo-Pacifico, prieta, purjekala, segelfisch, seilfisk, seilvis, sejlfisk, squadron, veleiro-de-atlantico, veleiro, veleiro do atlantico, voilier de l’Atlantique, voiler de l’Indo-Pacifique, voladeira, zegal-fisch, zeilvis |
Colour | Predominantly blue to gray with a white underbelly |
Dorsal Fin | Large, sail-like, stretches nearly the length of the body |
Rostrum | Elongated |
Habitat | Colder pelagic waters of all Earth's oceans |
Speed | 68 miles per hour |
Length | Up to 11 feet |
Weight | Up to 220 pounds |
Diet | Smaller pelagic forage fish, squid, octopus, sardines, anchovies |
Behaviour | Capable of changing colours, use their bills to hit schooling fish |
What You'll Learn
Sailfish are a type of billfish
Sailfish eat a wide variety of prey throughout their lifetimes. At a young age, they eat tiny zooplankton, and their prey increases in size as they do. As adults, they eat fairly large bony fishes, crustaceans and squid. Sailfish also work together, using their dorsal fins to create a barrier around their prey, in order to feed on smaller schooling fish, such as sardines and anchovies. Sailfish are eaten by a wide variety of predators. When newly hatched, sailfish are preyed on by other fishes that specialize on eating plankton. The size of their predators increases as they grow, and adult sailfish are not eaten by anything other than larger predatory fish like open ocean shark species and on some occasions, orcas.
During spawning, a female will attract a male partner by extending her dorsal fin above the surface of the water. Male-female pairs form and reproduce through external fertilization, where the female releases her eggs into the water column while the male releases his sperm. While spawning, a single female may release several million eggs to increase the likelihood that some will be fertilized.
Sailfish are popular in recreational fishing (catch and release) but have little value in the commercial fishing industry and cannot be fished commercially in the Atlantic Ocean. Sport fisheries account for the sailfish’s highest catch rates, particularly in the Eastern Pacific Ocean where the species can be found near Central American coasts. Sailfish are also caught as bycatch by driftnets, harpoons and commercial, long-line tuna fisheries, where bycatch numbers are not accurately reported.
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Sailfish are the fastest fish in the ocean
Sailfish are considered by many scientists to be the fastest fish in the ocean. They are definitely fast leapers, and likely one of the fastest fish at swimming short distances. They are capable of reaching speeds of up to 68 miles per hour, or 110 kilometres per hour.
Sailfish are easily recognisable by their massive sail-like dorsal fin, which often stretches the entire length of their body. They have long, pronounced bills formed by their upper jaws protruding beyond their lower jaws. They are predominantly blue to grey in colour, with white undersides, and can grow to be over 10 feet long, weighing up to 200 pounds.
Sailfish are found in tropical and temperate waters around the world, predominantly in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. They are migratory, moving closer to the equator in autumn and returning to higher latitudes in summer. They are a pelagic species, spending most of their lives in the open ocean near the water's surface, but they will dive deep to hunt for food, reaching depths of more than 1,000 feet.
Sailfish are popular in recreational fishing, despite their meat being of little value. They are often caught and released by sport anglers, but they are not permitted to be fished commercially in US waters.
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Sailfish are top predators in the open ocean
Sailfish are highly distinctive and recognizable due to their impressive sail-like dorsal fin, which stretches across their entire body and can be taller than the fish itself. They are predominantly blue to grey in colour, with white underbellies and a pattern of light blue spots and vertical stripes. Their upper jaw is elongated and spear-like, similar to a swordfish, and their bodies are thick and long, growing up to 10 feet in length and weighing up to 220 pounds.
As top predators, sailfish feed on small fish, octopuses, and squid. They are known to hunt in groups, cornering and driving schools of fish towards the ocean's surface, where they use their long bills to slash and injure their prey. They are intelligent hunters and can adjust their sail to control their speed and manoeuvrability. While sailfish typically hunt in warm, tropical waters, they are migratory and move towards the equator during the summer.
Due to their speed and size, adult sailfish have few natural predators and are only targeted by large ultra-predatory fish such as sharks and orcas. However, their eggs and young are vulnerable to a variety of predators, including fish that feed on plankton. Sailfish are sought after by recreational fishermen due to their speed, strength, and striking appearance, but their meat is tough and of little commercial value.
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Sailfish are popular in recreational fishing
Sailfish are considered the fastest fish in the sea, reaching top speeds of 68 miles per hour. They are also one of the larger marine creatures, growing to be over 10 feet long, including their elongated bill and forked caudal fin. Their large first dorsal fin is usually taller than their body is and runs most of the length of their body. They are blue on top and white on bottom, with rows of light blue dots, and their colour can vary based on their excitement level. Some sources indicate that sailfish are capable of changing colours as a method of confusing prey, displaying emotion, and/or communicating with other sailfish.
Sailfish are top predators in the open ocean. They are found near the ocean surface, usually far from land, feeding on schools of smaller fish like sardines and anchovies, which they often shepherd with their sails, making them easy prey. They also feast on squid and octopus.
Popular fishing locations for sailfish include Bermuda, Puerto Rico, the Windward Islands, and the Gulf of Mexico. Atlantic sailfish are usually hooked by trolling, with either whole mullet or ballyhoo as bait.
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Sailfish have little value in the commercial fishing industry
Sailfish are a type of billfish (like the blue marlin or swordfish) that are known not only for their pointed bills, but also their extraordinary dorsal fins that can be taller than the length of their bodies. Sailfish are eaten by a wide variety of predators, but they have little value in the commercial fishing industry.
Sailfish are considered the fastest fish in the sea, reaching top speeds of 70 miles per hour. They are top predators in the open ocean, feeding on a wide variety of prey throughout their lifetimes. At a young age, they eat tiny zooplankton, and their prey increases in size as they do. As adults, they eat fairly large bony fishes, crustaceans and squid. Sailfish also work together, using their dorsal fins to create a barrier around their prey, in order to feed on smaller schooling fish, such as sardines and anchovies.
Sailfish are popular in recreational fishing (catch and release) but have little value in the commercial fishing industry and cannot be fished commercially in the Atlantic Ocean. Sport fisheries account for the sailfish’s highest catch rates, particularly in the Eastern Pacific Ocean where the species can be found near Central American coasts. Sailfish are also caught as bycatch by driftnets, harpoons and commercial, long-line tuna fisheries, where bycatch numbers are not accurately reported.
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Frequently asked questions
A sailfish is a type of billfish, similar to the blue marlin or swordfish, known for its pointed bill and large dorsal fin.
Sailfish are predominantly blue to grey in colour and have a large dorsal fin, known as the sail, which often stretches the entire length of the back. They are considered the fastest fish in the ocean, reaching speeds of up to 68 miles per hour.
There is a dispute based on the taxonomy of the sailfish. While some authorities recognise a single species, Istiophorus platypterus, others recognise two species: the Atlantic sailfish (I. albicans) and the Indo-Pacific sailfish (I. platypterus).
Sailfish are popular in recreational fishing due to their speed and size but have little value in the commercial fishing industry. They are also known to be top predators in the open ocean.