wahoo favors females over males with ratios ranging from 1:0.9 (Puerto Rico) to 3.5:1 (North Carolina), which is common for most pelagic marine species. Most wahoo taken from waters have a trematode parasite, the giant stomach worm (Hirudinella ventricosa), living in their stomachs, but it does not appear to harm the fish. Fisheries The flesh of the wahoo is white and/or grey, delicate to dense, and highly regarded by many cuisines. The taste has been said to be similar to mackerel. This has created some demand for the wahoo as a premium-priced commercial food fish. In many areas of its range, such as Hawaii, Bermuda, and many parts of the Caribbean, local demand for the wahoo is met by artisanal commercial fishermen who take them primarily by trolling. Commercial Although local wahoo populations can be affected by heavy commercial and sport-fishing pressure, wahoo as a species is less susceptible to industrial commercial fishing than more tightly schooling and abundant species such as tuna. Wahoo are regularly taken as a bycatch in various commercial fisheries, including longline fisheries for tuna, billfish, and dolphinfish (mahi-mahi or dorado). It is also taken in tuna purse seine fisheries, especially in sets made around floating objects, which act as a focal point for a great deal of other marine life besides tuna. In 2003, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council issued a Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic. The species as a whole, though, is not considered overfished. Recreational In most parts of its range, the wahoo is a highly prized sport-fishing catch. It reaches a good size, and is often available not too far from land; it is also a very good fighter on light to medium tackle. It is known in sport-fishing circles for the speed and strength of its first run. Recreational sports fishermen sometimes sell their catch. Wahoo are successfully fished with live bait around deep-water oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico during the winter. References Further reading External links Atlantic wahoo NOAA FishWatch. Retrieved 13 November 2012. Scombridae Mackerels Sport fish Fish of Hawaii Cosmopolitan fish Fish described in 1832 Taxa named by Georges Cuvier