Description

Wahoo, a member of the Scombridae family of mackerels and tunas, is closely related to the king mackerel. Hawaiian lore has it that the name wahoo comes from European explorers’ misspelling of “Oahu” on early maps, since the fish was abundant around that island. The fish’s alternate name, ono, is derived from the Hawaiian word òno, meaning “good to eat.” Wahoo are found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, but the bulk of the global harvest is from the Caribbean and South Pacific. Most domestic supplies are from Hawaii. About 50 percent of Hawaii’s commercial wahoo harvest is taken by trollers. The remainder is caught on longline gear. Some wahoo is also landed in Florida as tuna and swordfish bycatch. Wahoo may grow to more than 100 pounds round weight, but the usual size of fish caught off Hawaii is 8 to 30 pounds.

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