mahi-mahi, rides warm currents south
- Size
- Length: 100–150 cm, Weight: 10–20 kg
- Lifespan
- 3–5 years
- Diet
- Carnivorous feeder on small fish, squid and crustaceans. Hunts near the surface using incredible speed to herd baitfish. Often follows floating debris and seaweed lines where prey gathers for easy capture opportunities.
- Habitat
- Open ocean surface waters near floating debris, seaweed lines and current boundaries. Prefers warm waters above 20°C. Often found under logs, palm fronds and buoys where small fish gather for shelter.
- Range
- Found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. In New Zealand it is a summer visitor to northern waters from Northland to the Bay of Plenty. Most common from December to April each year.
- Endemism
- Native
- Main Threats
- Commercial and recreational overfishing is the primary threat globally. Targeted by longline and game fisheries worldwide. Also threatened by bycatch in tuna fisheries and climate change shifting ranges.
- Population
- Global populations are considered stable due to high reproductive rates. Managed as a highly migratory fish across international waters. In New Zealand it is a rare visitor with no targeted fishery.
- Conservation Status
- Not Threatened
One of the most spectacular fish in the ocean. A creature that explodes with colour. When pulled from the water, its body displays electric blues, greens and golds. These colours fade instantly to silver grey after death. It is not a dolphin or a mammal. The name mahi-mahi comes from Hawaiian and means very strong. It is one of the fastest growing fish in the sea, reaching full size in just a few years. A fish that lives fast and dies young.
The body is compressed and elongated, with a blunt head and a terminal mouth. The colour is a brilliant combination of electric blue, green, and gold, fading to silver on the belly. The dorsal fin runs the entire length of the back. The tail is deeply forked, built for speed.
It is a fast-swimming predator, chasing small fish and squid near the surface. It uses its incredible speed to herd baitfish against the water's surface, where they are trapped. It is often found following floating debris, where small fish gather.
It grows incredibly fast, reaching full size in just a few years. It reproduces early and often, spawning multiple times per year. This high reproductive rate allows it to withstand heavy fishing pressure.
It is a popular target for recreational fishers around the world. In New Zealand, it is a rare visitor, appearing only in the warmest summers.
To see one is to see a flash of electric blue in the water. The warm sea is blue. The dolphin fish flashes electric blue and gold, dorsal fin running the length of its back. The lure drops. The fish strikes. It fights. It loses. The colours fade to grey. It does not know it was spectacular. It does not know it is a living jewel.
It just wanted to eat a flying fish. It is not a dolphin. It is not a mammal. It is a fish, and it is spectacular. For a few minutes, until the colours fade.