IGMR Reaches 50,000 Milestone

A new pop-up from a satellite tag deployed during Bisbee's Los Cabos Offshore Charity Tournament has tipped the IGFA Great Marlin Race past the 50,000 nautical mile (nm) milestone! Since the IGMR began in 2011, there have been 18 tag deployment events in 12 countries and territories, tracking movements and behaviors of black marlin, blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish around the globe.

The current 2013-2014 IGMR race year has been the busiest to date, with eight events and 21,314 nm reported from satellite tags so far. Tags deployed in Hawaii, USA, Mohammedia, Morocco, and French Polynesia respectively account for the bulk of this year’s tracked miles, but with several tags yet to pop up the winning title could still go to anyone.

"We have had support from some of the greatest tournaments, anglers, captains and crews in the world to track these fish,” said IGFA Conservation Director Jason Schratwieser. “Fifty thousand nautical miles in under three years is an incredible achievement and a testament to our collective desire to learn more about and protect billfish."