KOTA KINABALU: Divers were ecstatic to see an elusive blue marlin at the Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) Marine Park recently.
Richard Swann, who has been diving in the area for more than 25 years, said he has never seen this species up close before here.
He had been shark-spotting for weeks and was thrilled when the 2m long fish swam close before disappearing.
“I selected the dive site as we have been witnessing lots of fish life in the location recently so I spent all my bottom time in the area, hoping something special would happen,” he said in a Facebook post on April 19.
“We have all been going whale shark crazy due to the amazing season,” Swann said, adding that he had the shock of a lifetime when the 2m blue marlin came to hunt on the reef.
He said the usually very elusive creature circled him twice before disappearing into the blue.
“It’s my first time filming one of these super fast predators and I have no doubt a first for the TAR Marine Park, I was very fortunate to be able to get so close and to have a camera in hand,” he said.
Named one of the fastest fish in the ocean, the strong and agile blue marlin were once abundant in waters off Kota Kinabalu, which is why a roundabout monument with a replica of this fish can be found in the city.
Their numbers have however dwindled over the years and it has now been classified as threatened due to overfishing and bycatch.
Sabah Fisheries director Azhar Kassim said the marlin, famous for sport fishing, is a type of deep-sea fish and are often caught in Sabah’s Lahad Datu, Kunak and Semporna waters.
He said blue marlins are commonly found in Sabah’s offshore waters.
