Video: Angler Narrowly Misses Being Skewered by Jumping Marlin

The anglers aboard the Marlin Darlin got a little too close with their boat’s namesake last Thursday morning while fishing off the coast of the Dominican Republic. The anglers were reeling in a 350-pound blue marlin when the fish launched bill-first into the ship, barely missing two men. Although rare, marlin are capable of impaling anglers with their long snouts, such as one young American man who got stabbed through the cheek and nasal cavity in 2008. It is believed that blue marlins use their bills to stun and slash through schools of fish and then return to consume the injured prey. Coupled with their excellent jumping abilities, these prized sport fish could present a danger to anglers.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, Beecher Jacobsen recorded video of the catch aboard the 62-foot Spencer Yachts Sportfish. Unfortunately, the marlin was critically injured by the jump and could not be released back into the water. The fish was reportedly donated to local fishermen. Many anglers and conservationists advocate catch-and-release fishing of blue marlin, a species now considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Video of the catch can be seen below:

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