Video courtesy of Wessley Merten – please click here for all of his videos – http://vimeo.com/pelagic

One of the most important offshore recreational and commercial fish species in the world’s tropical and subtropical oceans is the mahi mahi (aka dorado, dolphinfish, or dolphin). Since 2002, researchers with the Dolphinfish Research Program have been investigating how they migrate throughout the Atlantic by recruiting sport fishermen to tag and release small and healthy fish. To date, more than 15,000 mahi mahi have been released with more than 400 recaptures reported providing valuable information about their movements and life history that has never been known before. Due to the popular support of this program, the programs has expanded to many areas around the world including Puerto Rico, where 497 mahi mahi have been released since 2008. The film, “A Journey Pelagic,” was compiled to highlight the importance of this research which is aimed at conserving the mahi mahi fishery for future generations. The film was shot exclusively in Puerto Rico and was just screened for the first time at the Rincon International Film Festival in Rincon, Puerto Rico, in early April. Watch how sport fishermen are helping to unravel the mystery of their migration and ensure future mahi mahi stock sustainability.