Dolphinfish Research Program

Dolphinfish Research Program Dolphinfish Research Program

The Dolphinfish Research Program is the world's most extensive investigation of the spatial and temporal occurrence, movements, migrations, and life history of the common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus). The program began in 2006 when Don Hammond founded the Cooperative Science Services, LLC, a private fisheries research consulting company, to continue the research that began with the South Caro

lina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) in 2002. Now, the Dolphinfish Research Program is owned and operated by Beyond Our Shores, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded to conduct research on dolphinfish, associated species, and economies.

New Recapture: Vessel Southern Run just logged their 3rd recapture for tagging activity from this past winter (January ...
05/13/2026

New Recapture: Vessel Southern Run just logged their 3rd recapture for tagging activity from this past winter (January through mid-March). This past Monday the Vessel Good Ole Buoys recaptured a fish off West Palm Becah, FL, that Captain Daniel Kubiak and angler Corey Inman tagged and released in relatively the same area on March 18th. The recapture occurred when the fish hit a flat line with a live sardine close to shore in 150’ of water while Captain Pedro Ramos fished for kings. All three of Southern Run’s recoveries this season have been very close to shore and inshore of the Gulf Stream. These three recent Southern Run recoveries show the direct benefit of releasing small fish that can recirculate in the nearshore environment for several weeks or months before being recaptured as much larger fish. The fish recaptured this past week grew 7-8” in 54 days based on the estimated release and recapture sizes. Boom! 💪

To participate in our tagging program to compile more examples of conservation in action request tags at www.dolphintagging.com/tags

Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Partners: Tagging Award Sponsors: Figure: BOSF

The dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) is known by several names across different regions and contexts. Commonly called d...
05/08/2026

The dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) is known by several names across different regions and contexts. Commonly called dolphinfish in scientific literature, it is also widely referred to as mahi-mahi, particularly in the culinary world and sport fishing, deriving from Hawaiian meaning “strong-strong.”

Another popular name is dorado, which is Spanish for “”golden,”” highlighting the fish’s bright, gold-tinted coloration. In some regions, it is known as dolphin. The Portuguese call it Dourado while in french it’s referred to as Coryphene. In other spanish speaking countries such as Colombia and Peru it is called Lampuga, and Perico, respectively.

Other English slang names include schoolies, flip-flops, slingers, chickens, slammers, gaffers, or bruisers. Whatever you call them our program has been dedicated to the research and conservation of the species since 2002! Get involved in our tagging program by requesting a free tagging kit at www.dolphintagging.com/tags.

Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Partners: Tagging Award Sponsors: Photo: Wess Merten

Throwback to an incredible recapture last spring off Florida: Last spring, our tagging program documented the first retu...
05/07/2026

Throwback to an incredible recapture last spring off Florida:

Last spring, our tagging program documented the first return migrant for dolphinfish tagging activity based out of Rhode Island. This noteworthy instance was reported by our program in May. The particular fish, originally tagged and released near a lobster pot close to the shipping lanes off Rhode Island in September 2024, was recaptured 219 days later as a much larger fish off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 💪

This recapture highlighted how small dolphinfish released off Rhode Island in the late summer/early fall could travel substantial distances within a relatively short period of time, while doubling in size, and come back into the US east coast recreational fishery. Let ‘em go and watch ‘em grow!

Request tags to participate in our tagging program at www.dolphintagging.com/tags 🔥

Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Partners: Tagging Award Sponsors: Figure: BOSF

05/06/2026

A huge thanks to everyone that came out last night for our seminar with the Piedmont Saltwater Fishing Club! We enjoyed meeting with club members and educating the club on key research results our tagging program has produced over the past 25 years! To get involved in our tagging program request tags at www.dolphintagging.com/tags

Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Partners: Tagging Award Sponsors: Video and images: BOSF and Tom Cimino

Dolphinfish are highly attuned pelagic predators. Their streamlined, flat body shape is highly efficient for swimming i...
05/04/2026

Dolphinfish are highly attuned pelagic predators. Their streamlined, flat body shape is highly efficient for swimming in the pelagic, open-water habitat. Their morphology reduces drag, allowing them to swim rapidly and efficiently over long distances in search of food and presumably during reproduction. Their ability to move quickly is essential for capturing fast-moving prey such as flying fish, squid, and a wide variety of small fish, thereby supporting their high metabolic rates. While flyers are often seen during outings it is another thing to capture a decent shot of one! Stoked we got this one but will keep trying until we get a super crisp and clear shot of dolphins preferred prey!

Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Partners: Tagging Award Sponsors: Photo: W. Merten

Our tagging program constructs and distributes on average 350 tagging kits per year to anglers around the region. In to...
05/01/2026

Our tagging program constructs and distributes on average 350 tagging kits per year to anglers around the region. In total, we have distributed over 78,000 tags. 💪

You can request a kit by visiting the DRP website or by following the links provided in our newsletters (beyondourshores.org/news) or at beyondourshores.org or dolphintagging.com/tags.

Once you receive your kit, bring it on your next fishing trip. When you catch a dolphinfish, especially smaller ones, tag and release them and then send us the data. 📈

Here, our tagging program’s founder, Don Hammond, sends a fish back with a tag circa 2010.

Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Partners: Tagging Award Sponsors: Photo: D. Hammond

04/30/2026

Throwback to this morning! I still can’t believe we found this tag! Huge thanks to and .markham 💪

Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Partners: Tagging Award Sponsors: Reel: BOSF

Dolphin vertical movement behaviors are intricate and vary significantly between day and night. During daylight hours, d...
04/27/2026

Dolphin vertical movement behaviors are intricate and vary significantly between day and night.

During daylight hours, dolphin are often found closer to the surface, engaging in less deep diving. Conversely, at night, they frequently dive deeper, although this behavior can vary regionally. For example, off Puerto Rico, dolphin have shown extensive deep diving at night, indicating a behavioral adaptation linked to feeding strategies.

When we compare maximum depth use between the ETP and WCA, dolphin maximum depth use is twice as deep in the WCA and this difference is attributable to the differences in dissolved oxygen (DO) at depth between the two regions, with DO lacking at depth in the ETP.

Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Partners: Tagging Award Sponsors: Photo: Jessica Harvey

Throwback to an ongoing trend of high effort with low catch off the Lower Keys. Despite the extensive offshore fishing e...
04/23/2026

Throwback to an ongoing trend of high effort with low catch off the Lower Keys.

Despite the extensive offshore fishing efforts of Killin’ Time II in the Lower Keys, recent years have shown a troubling trend of low catches of large dolphinfish. In 2022, the vessel put in 256 hours on the water and covered 2,300 miles of ocean and the largest mahi encountered was a 37”bull. This data as well as a more comprehensive review of their effort over 6 years was used to support calls for stronger management measures for mahi by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Here, the Killin’ Time II display a couple keepers from an outing in August 2018.

Recent trips by KTII have not produced any catch of mahi yet reports from the northern part of the state are fairly solid. While just a theory, it seems the southern run into the lower keys from the Caribbean Sea or Old Bahamas Channel is not what it used to be but the Antilles Current still serves as a more plentiful route toward the US East Coast.

Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Partners: Tagging Award Sponsors: Photo: W. Merten

Happy Earth Day and a huge thanks goes out to the Central Florida Saltwater Anglers for hosting an excellent forum last ...
04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day and a huge thanks goes out to the Central Florida Saltwater Anglers for hosting an excellent forum last night at the Mudhole Rod building, tackle, and crafting center in Oviedo, FL, for a deep dive into the research our team is doing on dolphin. The well attended event included a delicious BBQ meal, raffle prizes, and great discussions about dolphin, recent fishing outings, and more. It was a delight to deliver an 80 minute seminar and thanks to everyone for all of the excellent questions, interest and support of our research 💪.

A great way to give back to the fishery 🎣 you love on our beautiful planet 🌎 is to engage in our tagging program.

To request a free tagging kit visit dolphintagging.com/tags today!

Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Partners: Tagging Award Sponsors:

Photos: Wess Merten and Corey Gosciminski

Are there any trends in the relative abundance of dolphinfish over the past few decades? In the Mid-Atlantic and South ...
04/20/2026

Are there any trends in the relative abundance of dolphinfish over the past few decades?

In the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Bights, there have been delayed starts to the fishing seasons and shorter seasons, possibly due to changes in population dynamics and/or population sizes. South Florida and the Keys has experienced sporadic fishing success over the last decade which might be related to recruitment variations or population removals downstream. Another theory is the prevalance of higher sea-surface temperatures. In North Carolina, recent research highlights a decline in large, citation-sized dolphinfish off North Carolina, aligning with other regional studies pointing to a negative trend.

Based on a recent analysis of FAO commercial dolphin landings, postive trends in dolphin catch have been reported for the Bahamas, Mexico, Haiti, DR, and several other nations across the Caribbean Basin.

Your participation in our tagging program helps us gather more fishery dependent data that is coupled with our catch and effort research to help advocate for improving management for dolphin.

Year to date, we have shipped out 83 tagging kits (855 tags). To receive yours request a kit at dolphintagging.com/tags.

Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Partners: Tagging Award Sponsors: Photo: W. Merten

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