Anglers across Southern California and Mexico are preparing for another season of science-driven sportfishing as the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) Great Marlin Race returns to the region for its third annual tagging event. Running from August through October 2025, this collaborative effort was spearheaded by the IGFA in partnership with Stanford University. It invites local anglers and clubs to sponsor and deploy satellite tags on striped marlin, contributing vital data to global billfish conservation.
The IGFA Great Marlin Race has been active in the Southern California region since 2014, originally launched through the Master Angler Billfish Tournament. Since expanding in 2023 to welcome all interested participants outside of formal competition, the regional program has steadily grown in impact. To date, 55 Pop-up Satellite Archival Tags (PSATs) have been deployed through this local effort, resulting in more than 3,500 tracking days and over 50,000 nautical miles of movement data on striped marlin.
For the 2025 season, eight PSATs will be made available for tagging opportunities during peak marlin season. Each tag sponsor is automatically entered into the race, with top honors going to the individual or team whose tagged marlin travels the farthest. Winners receive their names engraved on the perpetual Southern California IGFA Great Marlin Race trophy, housed at the historic Balboa Angling Club, and become part of the global IGFA Great Marlin Race leaderboard.
Striped marlin are a key focus of this initiative due to their broad distribution and the growing evidence that separate populations may exist across the Pacific. The satellite data collected provides insights into how these populations interact, especially between Hawaii and the Eastern Pacific, and offers critical information for better managing and conserving the species.
One of the strengths of the Southern California edition of the race is its extended timeline, which allows more tags to be deployed across the full length of the striped marlin season. This longer deployment window helps improve the quality and scope of the research data.
Sponsored by Costa Sunglasses and supported by AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops and the Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, and Yamaha Rightwaters, the IGFA Great Marlin Race combines the excitement of offshore sportfishing with meaningful contributions to science.
To learn more about how to get involved in this year’s IGFA Great Marlin Race or to become a tag sponsor, visit igfa.org/the-great-marlin-race or contact IGFA Conservation Director Dr. Bruce Pohlot at [email protected].
Founded in 1939, the IGFA is recognized as the world’s foremost authority on sportfishing ethics, conservation, and world records. The organization’s mission continues to focus on safeguarding the future of recreational fishing through education, scientific research, and global advocacy.
