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Billfish form important part of the landings of tuna and tuna like fishes from Pakistan contributing about 8 to 10 % in total landings of tuna gillnet operations. Its landings during 2021 was reported to be about 4,025 m. tons which is about 5.61 % less than 2020. The decrease is attributed to a much longer closed season observed by the tuna gillnet fisheries in 2021. Fishing in 2021 was stopped in the late April or beginning of May and initiated only in last week of August i.e. almost no fishing for four months as against normal 2 month ban of June and July.
Out of six species of billfishes Indo-Pacific sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) contributed about 1,892 m. tons, black marlin (Istiompax indica) 983 m. tons, striped marlin (Kajikia audax) 845 m. tons whereas Indo-Pacific blue marlin (Makaira mazara) contributed 305 m. tons. Contribution of shortbill spearfish (Tetrapturus angustirostris) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) was insignificant.. Billfishes are not locally consumed but transported to neighboring country through land or sea route.
