Kona Project

Larval Movement Simulations

Building on the findings of its larval istiophorid review, Wild Oceans supported a companion study focused on reconstructing the movement and likely origin of larval billfishes collected off the Kona coast of Hawai‘i. By combining individual age estimates, passive drift simulations, and estimates of larval swimming capabilities from the review article, researchers modeled dispersal pathways and uncovered previously undocumented spawning areas and corridors for istiophorids in the region.  This study delivers the first species-specific estimates of pelagic larval duration (PLD) for istiophorids in the Pacific and highlights the critical role of fine-scale oceanographic features—such as eddies and seamount-induced retention zones—in influencing larval survival and transport. These new insights deepen our understanding of spawning dynamics and habitat connectivity, and have immediate implications for the identification and protection of essential fish habitat in the region. Together with the larval review, this work forms a foundation for next-generation conservation strategies that recognize the importance of early life stages in shaping the future of billfish populations across the Pacific.

The full paper can be accessed below (coming soon!). If you plan to cite or build on this research, or have ideas for future studies, we would love to hear from you.

Larval Dataset

Wild Oceans is committed to advancing evidence-based science for the study, management, and sustainability of istiophorid (marlins, sailfish, spearfish).  As part of this mission, Wild Oceans facilitated and funded a project to transcribe legacy larval survey records—collected more than two decades ago by NOAA research cruises in Hawai‘i—into standardized digital formats. A key goal of the effort was to publicly release data on larval istiophorids to enable new analyses of larval dynamics, connectivity, and spawning habitat use.  By unlocking these historical datasets, the initiative promotes a deeper understanding of critical spawning areas and supports conservation strategies grounded in science for managing highly migratory species across the Pacific.

The full report and dataset can be downloaded below. For publicity purposes and to help guide future work, we would love to hear how you plan to use the data in your research or conservation efforts.

Bycatch Modeling

The poor, unknown, and declining stock status of striped marlin, shortbill spearfish, and blue marlin, respectively, in the North Pacific highlight the need for management intervention strategies to reverse or prevent their decline.  The continued vulnerability of all three species highlights that more refined knowledge on the occurrence and drivers of bycatch “hotspots” is critical to inform effective conservation of these iconic billfishes.  To that end, Wild Oceans has partnered with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on a research collaborative to examine the dynamic bycatch susceptibility of striped marlin, shortbill spearfish, and blue marlin, including how that risk varies spatially, among seasons, and among years to the longline fleets of the North Pacific that all operate in functionally distinct ways.