Bull Dolphin

Bull Dolphin: The Mahi-Mahi

Description

The Bull Dolphin or Mahi-Mahi is a beautiful fish found in the waters of the Caribbean and the Americas coast line.

The Bull Dolphin (Caryphaena hippurus), Dorado or Mahi-Mahi, as it’s also called, is the male of the species and has a blunt square head. Often referred to as “Dorado” for its beautiful gold, green and blue colorations, it is one of the ocean’s most beautifully colored fish and should not be confused with its smaller relative the Chicken Dolphin.

The Mahi-Mahi have compressed bodies with long dorsal fins. They are distinguished because of their range of beautiful colors: golden to blue to greens. The Bull dolphin is the larger of the dolphin species. They seldom exceed 90 lbs. Their natural habitat is offshore and rarely do they come near shore. They are considered surface feeders exclusively around 0 - 70 ft. of water.

They reach sexual maturity during their first year, typically by 5 months of age. The female Mahi-Mahi spawns 2 - 3 times per year and produce over 80,000 eggs. Their larvae can be found year-round in warm waters with a greater number in the spring and fall.

Habitat

Bull dolphin is commonly caught around grass rips (long stretches of sargassum weed) where it feeds on shrimp and smaller fish.

They can be found in the Caribbean Sea, along the entire west coast of North and South America, the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic coast of Florida, Southeast Asia, Hawaii and many other remote locations worldwide. This dolphin is known for its spectacular frenzied leaps when hooked.

Fishing

Mahi-mahi are highly sought for sport fishing and commercial purposes. Sport fishermen look for mahi-mahi due to their beauty, size, food quality, and healthy population