A huge Mola mola miles off the coast of San Diego, California. Photo Credit: Michael Zeigler/Getty Images. Video: Rich German

Animals USA21. December 2021

A Rare and Pleasant Visit from a Colossal Fish

Off the coast of Laguna Beach in California, the United States, one of the biggest ocean sunfish ever swam next to two paddlers, a rare but reassuring visit in this protected stretch of water.

“OK, that might be the biggest sunfish I’ve ever seen,” says Rich German, founder of Project O, a non-profit that dedicates its time to the ocean’s protection, restoration, and sustainability practices. “My hope for all of this exposure is more people will fall in love with the ocean, and that will do more to protect the ocean.”

The ocean sunfish – also known as Mola Mola or common Mola – is an enormous disk-shaped fish that can reach up to 3 meters in length, and it weighs roughly 2,268 kilos. Residing in open waters of temperate and tropical oceans, the ocean sunfish is rarely seen near the coastline. But the stretch of water in Laguna Beach is protected, and no fishing is allowed. Listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, the common Mola fell victim to overfishing and bycatch, so “it was kind of neat this fish is hanging out in an area where it’s totally protected and safe.”

Source:
Smithsonian Magazine

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