Marlin are some of the most studied yet least understood fish in the ocean. To further our knowledge of marlin, each fish landed in the 17 year history of the Mid-Atlantic $500,000 has been inspected by a team of scientists from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. The team has been led by Dr. John Graves since the tournament's inception in 1992.

Dr. John Graves

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

William & Mary

   My research interests are broadly focused on the processes of molecular evolution in the marine environment. In particular, my research program is directed toward 1) the use of molecular techniques to elucidate the population structure of marine organisms, with an emphasis on pelagic fishes; 2) the application of techniques in molecular genetics to help resolve problems in fishery science; and 3) the use of molecular genetic data to infer the evolutionary relationships. In addition, we have recently focused our research efforts to estimate the survival of billfish released from recreational and commercial fishing gear, and to devise means of reducing incidental bycatch in the pelagic longline fishery.