What life history trait makes the white marlin particularly vulnerable to overfishing according to its conservation profile?

Answer

Relatively late maturity, slow growth rates, and moderate fecundity.

The susceptibility of the white marlin to declines from heavy fishing mortality is linked directly to its inherent life history strategy, which is common among many large pelagic predators. Key factors contributing to this vulnerability include a relatively late age of sexual maturity, slower rates of growth compared to some other ocean species, and only moderate fecundity (the ability to produce offspring). Species possessing these traits cannot replace lost individuals quickly enough to sustain high harvest rates. Consequently, the removal of a significant number of mature, reproductively successful adults places extreme, sustained pressure on the overall population structure, hindering recovery efforts even if fishing pressure slightly decreases.

What life history trait makes the white marlin particularly vulnerable to overfishing according to its conservation profile?

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?
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