Pacific Mahimahi
Pacific Mahimahi
Coryphaena hippurus
Also Known As
Mahi mahi, Dolphinfish, Dorado
Quick Facts
Region
Pacific Islands,
West Coast
About the Species
U.S. wild-caught mahimahi is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Population
The population level is unknown, but presumed stable.
Fishing Rate
At recommended level.
Habitat Impacts
Fishing gear used to catch mahimahi rarely contacts the ocean floor and has minimal impacts on habitat.
Bycatch
Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch in the tuna and swordfish fisheries that incidentally catch the most commercially available mahimahi.
Population Status
- Although the population is not formally assessed, scientists assume mahimahi populations are stable because the species is highly productive and widely distributed throughout the tropical/subtropical Pacific.
- Pacific mahimahi’s overfishing status is unknown.
- Mahimahi can handle relatively high fishing rates, but precautionary management seeks to maintain current harvest levels.
Appearance
- Brightly colored back is an electric greenish blue, lower body is gold or sparkling silver, and sides have a mixture of dark and lights spots.
- Bright pattern fades almost immediately after mahimahi is harvested.
- Distinguished from the pompano dolphin by the number of dorsal fin rays and a very wide, square tooth patch on the tongue.
Biology
- Pacific mahimahi grow fast, up to 7 feet and 88 pounds.
- They live up to 5 years.
- They are capable of reproducing at 4 to 5 months old.
- They are believed to spawn every 2 to 3 days throughout their entire spawning season (perhaps year-round), releasing 33,000 to 66,000 eggs each time.
- Pacific mahimahi are top predators that feed in surface waters during the day.
- They eat a wide variety of species, including small pelagic fish, juvenile tuna, invertebrates, billfish, jacks, pompano, and pelagic larvae or nearshore, bottom-living species.
- Predators include large tuna, marine mammals, marlin, sailfish, and swordfish.
- NOAA Fisheries
Where They Live
- Pacific mahimahi are found in the Pacific and Western Pacific and are caught from California to Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Island territories.
- Most of the U.S. commercial harvest of Pacific mahimahi comes from Hawaii.
Fishery Management
- NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council manage this fishery on the West Coast.
- Managed under the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species:
- Commercial fishermen must have permits and maintain logbooks.
- Gear restrictions and operational requirements.
- NOAA Fisheries and Western Pacific Fishery Management Council manage this fishery in the Pacific Islands.
- Managed under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific:
- Commercial fishermen must have permits and maintain logbooks.
- Longlines are prohibited in certain areas to protect endangered Hawaiian monk seals and reduce the potential for gear conflicts and localized stock depletion.
- Longline fishermen must carry a vessel monitoring system—a satellite transponder that provides real-time position updates and tracks vessel movements to enforce regulations.
- In Hawaii and American Samoa longline fishermen must also carry onboard observers when requested.
- Longline vessel owners and operators are required to attend annual protected species workshops.
- There are no management measures specific to mahimahi, because catch trends indicate that regulations are not necessary.
Harvest
- Commercial fishery:
- U.S. commercial fisheries in the western and central Pacific harvest the majority of U.S. mahimahi.
- In 2020, commercial landings of Pacific mahimahi harvested from the U.S. Pacific Islands and the West Coast totaled approximately 600,000 pounds and were valued at $2 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database. The majority of the catch comes from Hawaii.
- Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch:
- Most mahimahi are harvested using troll and handlines. Mahimahi may also be caught incidentally in pelagic longline fisheries for tuna and swordfish.
- The amount of bycatch associated with the mahimahi fishery varies. U.S. pelagic longline fishermen, who target tuna and swordfish and who may incidentally catch mahimahi, are required to use specific tools and handling techniques to mitigate bycatch of turtles and marine mammals.
- Fishing gear used to catch mahimahi rarely contacts the seafloor so habitat impacts are minimal.
- Time-area closures also limit and prevent interactions between pelagic longline gear and non-target species.
- Onboard observers are required in some fisheries to record any interactions with sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals.
- Recreational fishery:
- Pacific mahimahi are a popular recreational fish.
- In 2020, recreational fishermen harvested approximately 2 million pounds of mahimahi in the U.S. Pacific Islands, according to the NOAA Fisheries recreational fishing landings database.
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An array of fish and shellfish dishes. Credit: iStock.