Dispatch Method:

The eating qualities of these fish is greatly improved if they are killed immediately by iki jime or a firm knock to the head before placing them in an ice slurry after bleeding. Mahi mahi can be very energetic and therefore hard to handle. A firm knock on the head may be easier to implement to stun the fish first before attempting iki jime.

Fish Description:

• Body long, slender, laterally compressed with a single long dorsal fin extending from the head almost to the tail.
  
• Colour is iridescent blue-green above, silvery-golden below with small dark spots on sides.
  
• Male mahi mahi have a bony crest which gives them a very steep forehead that becomes more pronounced as they mature. Male fish tend to weigh significantly more than female fish of the same length.
  
• These fish grow very fast. Juvenile mahi-mahi can reach 60-90 cm (4-7 kg) in one year, 70-110 cm (10 kg) in 2 years and 90-130+cm (15+ kg) in the 3rd year.
  
• They mature in their first year when around 6 months old and spawn all year round at water temperatures above 21°C. Very few mahi mahi survive past 4 years.

Fish Distribution:

• This species is a truly oceanic predator that occurs offshore in all tropical and temperate oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea.
  
• There are actually two species of dolphinfish thoughout this range, mahi mahi and pompano dolphin (C. equiselis). Both have similar brain locations.
  
• Dolphinfish are more common in water temperatures between 26-30°C but can occur in waters as cold as 20°C.
  
• These fish often aggregate beneath floating objects, including weed lines, flotsam and Fish Attracting Devices.

Fish Size Common Length:

60-100 cm (24-40 inches), maximum size around 200 cm (6 feet 7 inches) and 40 kg (88 lb). IGFA world record 39.4 kg (87 lb) from Costa Rica.