June 7, 2022 — Mahi mahi is a fairly common fish found on restaurant menus throughout the U.S., but at one time its appearance sparked controversy when it was known by its other name of dolphinfish. People conflated the dolphinfish with the marine mammal and recoiled in horror at the prospect of Flipper being served for dinner.
Never mind that the dolphinfish is actually unrelated to the dolphin, but perception is reality. To avoid any confusion, the Hawaiian name of mahi mahi was eventually adopted to refer to the dolphinfish, which inhabits tropical and subtropical waters worldwide.
Like other species consumed across the globe, mahi mahi are subject to the industrial fishing industry. Overfishing, or catching too many fish at once and impeding a population’s natural ability to breed and recover, remains a dire concern for conserving aquatic life in our planet’s oceans. The Environmental Defense Fund cites that “nearly a third of the world’s assessed fisheries” are threatened by overfishing. Certain fish are more susceptible than others to this harmful human activity, but mahi mahi has certain attributes that make it a more sustainable seafood option.