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Seafood Watch - Seafood Guide

Mahi Mahi

© Monterey Bay Aquarium
SEAFOODRATINGMARKET NAMESWHERE CAUGHTHOW CAUGHT
Mahi Mahi Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Dorado, Dolphinfish U.S. Longline
Mahi Mahi Avoid: Avoid these products for now. These fish come from sources that are overfished or fished or farmed in ways that harm the environment. Dorado, Dolphinfish Ecuador, Peru, Taiwan Longline
Mahi Mahi Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Dorado, Dolphinfish Ecuador, Peru, Taiwan Troll, Pole-and-line
Mahi Mahi Good Alternative: These are good alternatives to the best choices column. There are some concerns with how they are fished or farmed – or with the health of their habitats due to other human impacts. Dorado, Dolphinfish U.S. Pacific, Hawaii Troll, Pole-and-line
Mahi Mahi Best Choice: These fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. Dorado, Dolphinfish U.S. Atlantic Troll, Pole-and-line


Mahi Mahi/Dolphinfish

Catching mahi mahi (dolphinfish) by pole-and-line or trolling limits accidental catch of other species.

Summary

Mahi mahi is a beautiful and acrobatic fish, popular with sport anglers. It grows and matures quickly so it can probably withstand concentrated fishing pressure. However, scientists still know very little about the overall population size of mahi mahi and this unknown is cause for concern.

Commercial fishermen primarily use longlines and hook-and-line gear to catch mahi mahi. There is considerable concern about bycatch from longlining as sea turtles, seabirds, sharks and marine mammals get caught or entangled, often resulting in injury or death. Fisheries using hook-and-line gear (such as troll, pole-and-line, or handline), catch little to no bycatch and are more sustainable.

Fishery management, another aspect of sustainability, is especially strong in the southeast U.S., making hook-and-line caught mahi mahi from that region a "Best Choice."

Since there are no integrated international laws to reduce bycatch, international longline fleets are contributing heavily to the long-term decline of some of these threatened or endangered species. As a result, mahi mahi caught by the international longline fleets is rated as "Avoid." U.S., longline-caught mahi mahi is subject to strict regulations and gets a "Good Alternative" ranking.

Scientific Reports About Our Ratings
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