Common Name	Dolphin	Conservation Notes
Scientific Name	Coryphaena hippurus	Sustainability Information
Market Names	Mahi-mahi, Dorado, Dolphinfish	Buying Tips
Sushi Name	N/A	Health/Nutrition

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Mahi-mahi Market Alert - updated February 2012

As the big winter mahi fishery off Peru and Ecuador was ending in mid February, processors were saying that fishing was certainly better than last year’s poor season, which saw catches decline about 20 percent from normal. Imports from Peru and Ecuador typically account for just over half of all the frozen mahi sold in the U.S. (Taiwan is the other major source of frozen mahi).  In recent years, imports of frozen mahi fillets have fluctuated between about 16,000 to 18,000 metric tons.  

Prices have eased a bit from the record highs reached last year, when the wholesale price of CO-treated fillets touched almost  $6/lb. at one point. Importers were quoting prices from $5-$5.50/lb. this February, depending on size. The average imported price of frozen mahi fillets has reason steadily over recent years from $2.80/lb.  in 2008 to $4.01/lb. last year, as demand for this highly marketable pelagic fish has grown.

On the fresh side of the mahi business, through December 2011 imports surged almost 50 percent to 4,500 metric tons due to a sudden surge in imports from Guatemala.  Through December 2010, U.S. mahi imports from Guatemala were just 250 metric tons, compared with 1,400 metric tons through last December.  In spite of the big jump in fresh imports, the average imported price of fresh mahi, most of which is imported as H&G fish, jumped from $2.54/lb. to $2.98/lb.  The increase in fresh prices was due to the increased price of frozen mahi fillets, as well as strong demand. 

Conservation Notes

Life History/Inherent Vulnerability: Mahi mahi are prolific spawners and have extremely rapid growth, which helps make their populations healthy and stable. However, since mahi mahi in the Atlantic are drawn to a floating brown alga that hides food, they often accidentally eat all kinds of garbage that’s tangled in the algae.

Status of Stocks/Abundance: Currently mahi mahi is not being overfished, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Fishing Impacts on Habitat: In Hawaii, mahi mahi are caught using various hook and line gear, including trolls, that have minimal environmental impact on the seafloor. Surface longline gear and purse seines used in the fishery also avoid seafloor damage.

Bycatch, Nature and Extent: Purse seines that catch mahi mahi while targeting tuna can also catch sharks and juvenile tuna. According to the Blue Ocean Institute, the longlines used to catch mahi mahi have high shark bycatch rates and efforts have not been undertaken yet to reduce them. Bycatch from longlines also includes sea turtles, marine mammals, and sea birds. The largest mahi fishery is near Ecuador, where fishermen use handlines that have minimal bycatch.

Management Effectiveness: No formal mahi mahi assessments have been done. The fish is highly migratory, though, which will make formal long-term stock assessments challenging if and when they are planned. The Seafood Choices Alliance notes that the species has no fishery management plans and suggests that overfishing may become a problem in the future.

Sustainability Information

	Seafood Watch	SeaChoice	FishWise	Blue Ocean Institute	New England Aquarium	Marine Stewardship Council
U.S. Atlantic Handline	Best Choice	Best Choice	Best Choice		A List
U.S. Atlantic Troll & Pole-caught	Best Choice	Best Choice	Best Choice	Green	A List
California, Hawaii Troll & Pole-caught	Good Alternative	Some Concerns	Good Alternative	Green	B List
California, Hawaii Longline	Good Alternative	Some Concerns	Good Alternative	Yellow	B List
Ecuador, Peru, Thailand Troll & Pole-caught	Good Alternative	Some Concerns	Good Alternative	Green	B List
Ecuador, Peru, Thailand Longline	Avoid	Avoid	Avoid	Yellow

Rating Explanation

Seafood Watch has several different assessments for mahi mahi based on gear type and source region. Blue Ocean Institute's ratings for mahi are based on gear type and have a single assessment for troll and pole fisheries and a single assessment for longline fisheries. 

Buying Tips

• Mahi-mahi has a mild sweet taste, making it popular in American restaurants
• The fish is low in saturated fat and a good source of vitamins B12 and B6, phosphorus, potassium, niacin, and selenium
• Fresh and frozen mahi-mahi is available year-round, although prices fluctuate dramatically
• When buying fresh mahi, for maximum shelf life, buying H&G mahi-mahi is the best product form
• Mahi-mahi is most abundant in January and February, when the catches off Ecuador and Peru are at their peak
• Fresh mahi-mahi is sold as skin-on fillets as well as H&G, while frozen fish is available as skin-on or skinless boneless fillets
• Look for bright skin colors and firm, pinkish meat to identify the highest quality of skin-on mahi fillets
• Ecuador, Peru and Taiwan are the leading suppliers of mahi-mahi to the U.S. market

Nutrition and Health

 *The FDA advises children (ages 0-6) limit consumption to 3 meals/month and children (6-12) limit consumption to 4 meals/month due to mercury concerns.

Acknowledgements

• Seafood Watch by Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Blue Ocean Institute
• SeaChoice
• Seafood Choices Alliance
• Environmental Defense Fund
• NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service