ENDANGERED OR FOOD? THE ODD OCEAN SUNFISH!

ENDANGERED OR FOOD? THE ODD OCEAN SUNFISH!
The ocean sunfish or common mola (Mola mola) is one of the two heaviest known bony fish in the world, the other being the southern sunfish (Mola alexandrini) of the same genus.[4] Adults typically weigh between 247 and 2,000 kg (545 and 4,409 lb). The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the world. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended.
Sunfish are generalist predators that consume largely small fish, fish larvae, squid, and crustaceans. Sea jellies and salps, once thought to be the primary prey of sunfish, make up only 15% of a sunfish's diet. Females of the species can produce more eggs than any other known vertebrate,[5] up to 300,000,000 at a time.[6] Sunfish fry resemble miniature pufferfish, with large pectoral fins, a tail fin, and body spines uncharacteristic of adult sunfish.
Adult sunfish are vulnerable to few natural predators, but sea lions, killer whales, and sharks will consume them. Sunfish are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world, including Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. In the European Union, regulations ban the sale of fish and fishery products derived from the family Molidae.[7] Sunfish are frequently caught in gillnets.
A member of the order Tetraodontiformes, which also includes pufferfish, porcupinefish, and filefish, the sunfish shares many traits common to members of this order. The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, is the type species of the genus.
The lifespan of an ocean sunfish is up to 23 years.
Conservation Status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the ocean sunfish as "Vulnerable." Currently, sunfish are not targeted for human consumption, but they are endangered by bycatch. Reported estimates in California are that 14 percent to 61 percent of the fish caught by people seeking swordfish is sunfish; in South Africa, they make up 29 to 79 percent of the catch intended for horse mackerel, and in the Mediterranean, an astounding 70 to 95 percent of the total catch for swordfish is, in fact, ocean sunfish.
The global population of sunfish is difficult to determine, since they spend so much time in deep water, although tagging has become more common. Sunfish may be a crucial part of the planet's changing ecosystem under climate change: They are among the world's most abundant eaters of jellyfish, and global warming appears to be resulting in an upsurge of jellyfish numbers.
The biggest natural predators of ocean sunfish are orcas and sea lions.
Ocean Sunfish and Humans
Despite their enormous size, ocean sunfish are harmless to humans. They move slowly and are likely more frightened of us than we are of them. Because they are not considered a good food fish in most places, their biggest threats are likely being hit by boats and being caught as bycatch in fishing gear.

[@vongtaynhanaikptt6066]

Wow really beautiful sharing my Allah bless you more thanks forsharing this video

[@fishismyhobbyofficial]

great video, very informative, thanks for sharing and raising awareness for the sunfish Brother, happy weekend, like 18

[@SkullAquatics]

Great informative video Vinny 👍👍👍

[@fishiemon64]

Tank you Vinny great rant 👀👍🏽✌🏽

[@mypetDN]

So beautiful fish nice full vlog

[@AJsGreenTopics]

Thank you for teaching me something new today. 😎

[@nutier]

Very nice video ! I like it so much . Thank you for sharing . Have a nice week my friend !

[@majesticcichlids1630]

Learned alot, it's sad how cruel people can be. Very informative, interesting and educational video this is, great job Vinny 👍

[@tayang24jam]

thanks for sharing

[@AbeedBasheer]

Big Thumbs up🤗😘👍

[@AfricanCichlids]

Mola Mola, thanks for the info Vinny I didn't know a whole lot about these until now!

[@madcat61207]

Thumbs up for this amazing vlog 😾👍

[@acuariombr]

excellent video, great job my dear friend, 🤗 , from Spain. 👍46

[@DapurDessy]

Nice video

[@VanilaIcy]

Awesome my friend. 😃😃

[@Jenny_Lynn]

Great video!! Thanks Vinny ☺️

[@elvskitchen]

Nice video interesting and imfomative

[@COJ.Island2]

Truly interesting Awsm post √√

[@davestrains6816]

Very informative. World is just crazy.

[@stubbsaquatics6080]

Hey buddy.. how are you.. Don't know much about the ocean sunfish .... Lol you rant.... I agree with you

[@fishkeepingwithmatt2101]

Really enjoyed this keep it up

[@Craig.catfish]

Sad thats what it is great video vinny 🙂

[@NM-Land]

Truly informative info ❤️

[@1BusyMama]

checking on the knowledge ty

[@jackanddan]

It’s good when you post these kind of videos but it’s always interesting to read the comments because from the point of people who are vegan we feel this way everyday about every living creature so it’s weird to us how most people react.

[@MrBeergo]

What a big ocean sunfish.

[@JonVlogs123]

Great information and raising awareness for the sunfish. 😎👍

[@northeasthardytropicals541]

They are an interesting fish

[@PanRybka22]

So big !

[@invalidrequest]

insane, Vinny

[@Jeffdoeswhat]

🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@AmitTheAquarists]

👍👍👍

[@ThePineappleFamily]

that is so big...

[@timeepicvideos]

this fish has funny-looking meat it looks like squid meat in a way I don't know how anyone could eat it. We are actually really afraid of these fish when we go out fishing Reason being is they actually lay on their side floating just below the water. You cruising 25 knots and the next thing you hit a sunfish. causing damage to your outboards and to the fish. I fortunately never hit one before but we see them on occasion and what a sight of the size and peaceful nature of this fish. sometimes when we go out to the current that's about 25 miles offshore in water that's 1 mile deep you see something like a log floating and around this log or crate etc you see an entire community of living things like small fish and stuff that call this home This is where we see the sunfish

[@oh_k8]

Will they be able to put a large fish like this back in the ocean without killing it?

[@alishanas9380]

I saw that same video. Nasty. Have seen them frequently when fishing off Long Island. They flop on their side and check you out. People see their dorsal fin and scream shark.

[@clognog8049]

I thought i heard they had poison or some thing in the flesh, if so....odd thing to try eat. Lets hope they get back up in population soon.

[@nickboyer963]

Well does it taste good ?

[@lorcan96]

I couldn't agree with you more brother it's sick what we as humans get away with maybe we should film cannibalism and see how people react I mean like how dumb can humans be destroying such a beautiful fish I think that sort of thing should be made illegal and anyone caught with one is sentenced to death

[@shubunkin.goldfishtank]

People will eat almost anything, it's a shame.

[@PandaArmy-fy5zh]

This fish is mostly bone and no good to eat. You are right about facebook what a joke