Skip to content
FastestThings

Fish & Sharks

Blue marlin

Waller's Table 4 reprints Block et al. 1992: a blue marlin burst of 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s) for 5 seconds, descending, at 60 m.

A blue marlin can swim 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s), a verified measurement.

Also known as Makaira nigricans
Post on X (opens in a new tab)

Top speed

Published as 2.2 m/sPublished as 2.2 m/sPublished as 2.2 m/s

Waller et al. 2023, Table 4. Blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, towed speedometer, length 5.9 feet (1.8 m), sustained 1.1 mph to 2.2 mph (0.5–1.0 m/s), burst 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s), duration 5 s, depth 60 m, descending. Reference Block et al. 1992. The figure is 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s).

VerifiedJournal of Fish Biology (opens source in a new tab)

In context

  • 1.6× walking paceConstant · A typical walking pace, 5 km/h
  • 21% of Usain Bolt's 100 m world-record paceSourced · Usain Bolt, 100 m in 9.58 s. World Athletics, Berlin 2009. Averaged over the race
  • A football field in 42 sConstant · American football field, 100 yd (91.44 m)

Worked out from the sourced figure above, which stays the ranked number.

Quick answers

People also ask

How fast can a blue marlin swim?

A blue marlin can swim 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s), a verified measurement.

Is that figure claimed or verified?

Blue marlin is labeled Verified. Independently measured and published, for example in a peer-reviewed study or with certified timing.

What is the source?

The figure cites Journal of Fish Biology, “Blue marlin burst in the large-pelagic speed table.”

Where does Blue marlin rank?

Blue marlin is 9th of 10 on Fastest Fish & Sharks.

Mechanism

Why it's so fast

Waller's Table 4 reprints Block and colleagues 1992: a blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, burst of about 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s) for 5 seconds, descending, at 60 meters depth.

Species
Makaira nigricans
Burst
4.9 mph (2.2 m/s) for 5 s
Conditions
Descending, 60 m

  1. Five seconds, going down

    The 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s) burst lasted 5 seconds while the marlin was descending at 60 meters. A descent is not a horizontal sprint. The comparison keeps those conditions. Svendsen's sailfish estimate of 18.6 mph (8.3 m/s) is a different method and a different fish.

  2. A tag from 1992

    Block's 1992 speedometer reading is what Waller reprints. The page does not update it with a later angling claim. Five seconds is the duration, not a distance.

Provenance

Every measurement

Claimed, measured and official figures side by side, each with its source. The ranked figure is marked.

  1. 7.9km/h4.9mph2.2m/s4.3knRanked figure

    Waller et al. 2023, Table 4. Blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, towed speedometer, length 5.9 feet (1.8 m), sustained 1.1 mph to 2.2 mph (0.5–1.0 m/s), burst 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s), duration 5 s, depth 60 m, descending. Reference Block et al. 1992. The figure is 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s).

    The 5-second duration and the 1.1 mph to 2.2 mph (0.5–1.0 m/s) sustained band stay beside the main figure. What counts is 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s).

    Verified
    Journal of Fish Biology (opens source in a new tab)

Reference

Specs

Species
Makaira nigricans
Burst
4.9 mph (2.2 m/s)
Method
Speedometer, via Waller Table 4

Context

Background

Waller's Table 4 reprints Block and colleagues 1992 for a blue marlin: length 5.9 feet (1.8 m), a towed speedometer, sustained 1.1 mph to 2.2 mph (0.5–1.0 m/s), and a burst of 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s) for 5 seconds while descending at 60 m. The figure is 4.9 mph (2.2 m/s), qualifier verified.

The sustained band and the 5-second duration are notes, not extra ranks. Older estimates near 78.3 mph (35 m/s) are not this trial.

Head to head

Compare Blue marlin

Open the speed race

Spot a wrong number?

Every report is read by a person, and corrections are dated on the page.