What IUCN Red List status is currently applied to the white marlin (*Kajikia albida*) due to historical declines?
Answer
Endangered
The white marlin (*Kajikia albida*) faces severe population challenges stemming from long-term anthropogenic pressures, particularly commercial and recreational fishing. As a result of these significant historical declines, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has officially classified the species as Endangered. This classification is indicative of a high risk of extinction in the wild and mandates focused conservation strategies. The vulnerability of the species is compounded by its life history traits, such as relatively slow growth rates and late maturity, which mean that recovery from high fishing mortality rates is inherently slow.

Related Questions
To which genus does the white marlin, Kajikia albida, belong within the billfish family Istiophoridae?What key difference exists in the first dorsal fin structure between the white marlin and the blue marlin?What specific evolutionary event is noted to have occurred earlier than the split between the Istiophorus and Makaira clades?Which genus contains the spearfish, separating it from the white marlin's genus, Kajikia?What IUCN Red List status is currently applied to the white marlin (*Kajikia albida*) due to historical declines?What physical trait is used to distinguish the white marlin's bill structure from that of the black marlin?Besides the white marlin (*K. albida*), which other species is recognized as belonging to the *Kajikia* genus?What life history trait makes the white marlin particularly vulnerable to overfishing according to its conservation profile?What specific type of evidence has solidified the understanding that white, black, and striped marlin are genetically distinct species?What is suggested about the white marlin's evolutionary niche based on its slender bill and smaller size compared to its *Makaira* cousins?