Australian Black Marlin Foundation
Advancing the science of
giant black marlin.
The Australian Black Marlin Foundation is building a serious, long-term satellite tagging program for giant black marlin on the Great Barrier Reef and across the adjacent offshore waters.
Born from the Cairns black marlin fleet. Focused on the northern Great Barrier Reef. Built for the future of the fishery.
The mission
A long-term research program for the Great Barrier Reef’s giant black marlin.
ABMF’s goal is to deploy 100 satellite tags over three years, building a long-term dataset from one of the world’s most important giant black marlin fisheries.
From Cairns to Lizard Island and along the outer Great Barrier Reef, the program turns rare encounters with giant black marlin into lasting scientific value.
Each satellite tag can help improve understanding of post-release movement, depth use, temperature preference and broader movement across the adjacent offshore waters.
The 2025 pilot has shown the value of this work. The next step is scale: more tags, more seasons and a stronger dataset for the future of the fishery.
- 100 Satellite tags
- 3 Year program
- Great Barrier Reef Study region
Watch
Greatest black marlin fishery in the world — watch the video.
A closer look at the giant black marlin of the Great Barrier Reef and the work behind every satellite tag deployment.
The Great Barrier Reef
Why the Reef matters.
The northern Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most recognised giant black marlin fisheries. For generations, the Cairns fleet has worked these waters with a deep practical knowledge of the fish, the season and the Reef.
ABMF exists to turn that access and experience into long-term scientific value.
Better data can help improve understanding of where giant black marlin travel after release, how they use the water column, and how these movements connect the Great Barrier Reef with the wider Coral Sea and Pacific.
This is not just about individual fish. It is about stewardship, responsible release practices and the future of a remarkable fishery.
2025 pilot program
Findings from the 2025 pilot.
In 2025 the Foundation completed an initial round of satellite tag deployments. Even at modest scale, the recovered data confirmed what the program had set out to test: that pop-up satellite archival tags can return detailed, meaningful records of giant black marlin movement and behaviour in the Great Barrier Reef.
The pilot also made the case for what comes next. A small number of tags describes a small number of fish. To draw conclusions the fishery can rely on, the program needs a larger sample size gathered consistently over successive seasons — the purpose of the three-year mission now underway.
How the program works
From fleet knowledge to scientific data.
Every tag deployed is the result of careful preparation, experienced hands and independent oversight. The program is built to protect the fish and to produce data that stands up to scrutiny.
-
01
Fleet access
Deployments are made in partnership with the experienced Cairns black marlin fleet, whose crews reach the grounds where the science must be done.
-
02
Careful tag deployment
Pop-up satellite archival tags are placed by trained operators using proven techniques, minimising handling time and stress on the fish.
-
03
Fish welfare
The wellbeing of each animal comes first. Best-practice release methods are followed on every fish, and post-release survival is itself a subject of the research.
-
04
Satellite data
Once released, each tag records depth, temperature and light over months at liberty, then transmits its archive via satellite for analysis.
-
05
Independent scientific review
Methods and findings are guided by independent scientific input, keeping the program's conclusions objective and credible.
-
06
Reporting
Results are compiled into clear reporting that informs the fleet, managers and the wider community as the dataset grows season by season.
Research communication
Communicating the research.
ABMF is committed to making this research clear, credible and accessible — not only to scientists, but to the crews, anglers, supporters and communities connected to the Great Barrier Reef black marlin fishery.
The program is being developed with scientific input from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania, with Professor Sean Tracey providing world-class expertise in satellite tagging, post-release survival and fisheries science.
By combining the practical knowledge of the Cairns fleet with leading marine research capability, ABMF aims to turn each tag deployment into meaningful information: where giant black marlin travel after release, how they use depth and temperature, and what these movements can tell us about the future of the fishery.
Research updates will be shared in a measured and responsible way, helping supporters follow the progress of the program while ensuring the science remains accurate, useful and independently informed.
Philanthropy
Support the research.
Every contribution helps ABMF place more satellite tags in the water and turn rare encounters with giant black marlin into long-term scientific value.
Support can assist with satellite tags, deployment logistics, crew training, data handling, reporting and public education.
Individuals, families and businesses may also underwrite a satellite tag deployment and receive appropriate recognition, deployment updates and an end-of-season research summary.
This is an opportunity to support practical, data-led research connected to the Great Barrier Reef and the future of the Cairns black marlin fishery.
Partners & communication
Communicating the research.
Research earns its value when it is understood. Clear, careful communication helps the wider public appreciate the giant black marlin of the Great Barrier Reef, why the fishery matters, and what long-term satellite tagging can reveal.
The Foundation welcomes partners in science, conservation and business who can help carry the work to a broader audience. That reach is a means of building understanding and support for the research; the research itself remains the point.
Contact
Get in touch.
To support the research, underwrite a satellite tag deployment, or discuss a partnership, send an enquiry below and the Foundation will be in touch.
Prefer email? Andrew.hart@hlstv.com.au