Mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) is a saltwater, brackish species recorded in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, United States. It is found at depths of 0–85 m. The main season in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, United States runs spring, summer, autumn.
Scientific name: Coryphaena hippurus · Water: Saltwater, Brackish · Season: Spring, Summer, Autumn · Also known as: Mahi-mahi (Dorado)
Size: 70–110 cm
The mahi-mahi, or dorado, is a surface-dwelling dolphinfish with a compressed body, a single long dorsal fin running from the head almost to the tail, and a boldly coloured body of gold, blue and green that fades within minutes of leaving the water; mature males develop a distinctive blunt forehead. It is one of the fastest fish in the open ocean and concentrates under drifting debris, weed lines and rafts of Sargassum, so anglers find it by watching for frigatebirds and floating weed. Off eastern Taiwan a reliable annual run follows flying fish and anchovy schools, peaking about April–June and October–December. The names differ by region: Hawaii's mahi-mahi means 'very strong', while the US west coast and the Caribbean call it dorado or dolphinfish. Hong Kong, Taiwan and the United States all take it through spring, summer and autumn, Malaysia all year, peaking when monsoon shifts concentrate bait offshore. In the United States the fishery runs through the Gulf of Mexico and off Florida, up the Atlantic seaboard to North Carolina, and around Hawaii, fished almost entirely from boats by trolling lures or baits and by bait-and-switch. It leaps repeatedly on the hook, grows fast enough to mature in four to five months though it seldom lives past about four years, and yields firm white flesh with strong export value. It reaches about 200 cm, with most fish 60–120 cm. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
Caution: large individuals carry a ciguatera risk. Heat, cold and marinating do not remove the toxin, which concentrates in the liver, roe and head, so avoid eating those parts. Seek medical help if numbness, tingling or a reversed sense of hot and cold follows a meal.
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