A lawsuit aimed at listing white marlin as an Endangered Species has been dropped. In the meantime, the National Marine Fisheries Service will reassess the status of the species after an international stock assessment due in 2007.

White marlin have been badly impacted by commercial longlining, as bykill. Stocks are less than a tenth of what they should be. But, some sportfishing advocates fear that a U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing would unfairly restrict recreational fishing, when by far the biggest culprit appears to be overseas longline fleets. Our own longliners do accidentally hook their share of whites while pursuing tunas and other fish, and NMFS has agreed to study the need for more domestic longline area closures.

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