Grilled pompano rain.
The Pompano dolphin is a fish in the Coryphaenidae family, which contains only one genus, Coryphaena, and two species, the Pompano dolphin and the common dolphin. Despite the name, the Dolphinfish has nothing in common with true dolphins, as it is a fish, not a mammal. These fish can be found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world, where they feed on a variety of smaller fish and serve as popular game fish in some regions.
The tufted dolphin is often found near sargassum, which is a type of floating seaweed.
You may hear that Pompano Dolphinfish is more formally known as C. equiselis. These fish live for three to four years and reach about 127 centimeters in length. They are distinguished by their extremely long and pronounced dorsal fins, which run the length of their bodies, and their slightly compressed heads. The back of a Pompano dolphin is blue to green, while the sides of the fish are silver.
These fish live near the surface of the water, following debris in search of prey. Many of them eat flying fish and other species of fish that live near the surface and are often found near sargassum, a type of floating seaweed. The fish start reproducing very young, perhaps due to their short lifespan, and are not considered endangered or threatened, with healthy populations around the world. As a general rule, pompano dolphins can be found in schools, ranging in size from a few dozen to hundreds of individuals.
Common dolphins, also known as mahi-mahi, are caught commercially, and sometimes Pompano dolphins are accidentally caught and mistaken for young mahi-mahi. These fish are perfectly edible, but they are not profitable commercial fish because they are smaller than mahi-mahi. The meat of both fish is dense and white, with a rich, sweet flavor that some people find quite pleasant.
Pompano dolphins are sometimes caught by individual consumers and treated as sport fish. Both this fish and the closely related mahi-mahi are considered sustainable seafood options, as their populations are healthy and extremely well managed. Lean meat is also less prone to bioaccumulation than some species of fish, meaning these fish are less likely to have dangerous concentrations of mercury and other harmful substances.