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Mahi-mahi metacouplings: quantifying human–nature interactions in dolphinfish ( Coryphaena hippurus ) fisheries

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Non-Technical Summary Fisheries encompass humans and fish, but fisheries researchers rarely model human–nature interactions over space and time. I filled this information gap for dolphinfish ( Coryphaena hippurus ), a popular, widely distributed species that supports industrial, artisanal, recreational, and subsistence fisheries. Dolphinfish human–nature interactions showed a long-term up-and-down pattern in 1950–2019. Recent declines in catch mirror decreases in abundance and size that have been observed in parts of the species’ range. This research provides a robust perspective on the recreational, economic, cultural, and nutritional significance of dolphinfish while creating an approach for evaluating human–nature interactions in fisheries worldwide. Technical Summary Fisheries are coupled human and natural systems, but rarely does research examine metacouplings: human–nature interactions within and between adjacent and distant fisheries. I used the metacoupling framework to compare dolphinfish ( Coryphaena hippurus ) catches in exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in 1950–2019; model interactions and forecast catches of dolphinfish across sectors; and examine management implications of metacouplings. Dolphinfish catches increased in 1950–1998, decreased in 1998–2000, and increased in 2000–2012 before declining in 2012–2019, mirroring recent declines in abundance and size that have been observed in parts of the species’ range. The most common fishing-sector interactions were bidirectional positive relationships between small-scale industrial and artisanal fishing, although large-scale industrial fishing negatively affected artisanal catches in some EEZs. Despite the economic and cultural importance of recreational dolphinfish fisheries, industrial fishing accounted for 49% of metacouplings in 1950–2019, followed by artisanal (29%) and recreational (20%) fishing. Subsistence catches – a small but nutritionally significant portion of dolphinfish fisheries – were predicted to decline in four EEZs in 2020–2035. This research provides a holistic perspective on the recreational, economic, cultural, and nutritional importance of dolphinfish while generating a template for social–ecological synthesis to inform fisheries management and conservation worldwide. Social Media Summary Dolphinfish metacouplings (multiscalar human–nature interactions) are common, diverse, and management-relevant worldwide.
DOI: 10.1017/sus.2025.3
Language: English
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,550
OpenAlex ID: W4409624720
FWCI: 0.42
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Cited by: 1
Related to: 10