“In this gorgeous book, ichthyologist Pepperell introduces famous and lesser known fish to the general reader. Part One describes the general environment of the open ocean, the role the fish play in the ecology, their general biology, and their importance to humans as sport or food fish. Part Two is a guide to the fish—and what fish these are! How many of us know that a blue marlin can weigh over 1,800 pounds? Also covered are mackerels, jacks, sharks, rays, and other lesser-known species.”

Booklist

"This book is far more than just a description of pelagic, or open ocean, fish. It is also a celebration of their colourful lives and hunting skills. Each species account is illustrated with stunning images—quite an achievement, given that tracking and photographing fish in ’blue water’ is, technically, extremely difficult. An extra dimension is added by Guy Harvey’s exquisite paintings. . . . The text itself is a mixture of the fascinating and the factual. Initial chapters provide a useful background to the open ocean habitat, the form and function of the fish that inhabit it, and their interactions with humans."

Frances Dipper | BBC Wildlife

"Pepperell begins with short discussions of food webs, morphologic adaptations that have independently evolved in several groups, and the impacts of commercial and sports fisheries. The remainder of the book summarizes the identification, distribution, and biology of all major open ocean species, including billfish, tuna, mackerels, jacks, and pelagic sharks and rays. Harvey has painted each species; many are also presented in informative underwater photographs."

Science

“For beginning scholars and avid anglers, this volume will undoubtedly teach them about the biology and ecology of the diverse assemblages of open ocean fishes. But for all, including seasoned researchers, the detailed illustrations and color photographs are much more than just a delight to look at, they offer the opportunity to differentiate the closely related species without compromising the innate beauty of each. Taken together, this book will be a wonderful resource for anyone generally interested in these fishes.”

Diego Bernal | Quarterly Review of Biology