Huge Sunfish!!!

Huge Sunfish accidently caught and released during newquay seasafaris and fishing trip

Skipper and angler struggle to bring onboard Atlantic Diver due to size

Lucky Anglers aboard "Atlantic Diver" on a Deep Sea Fishing Trip accidently caught a huge sunfish as it became entangled underwater around its dorsal fin by the anglers line . It was quickly disentangled and then released unharmed and swam away well. Our Skipper Chris Lowe said " it was huge! They are so weird looking!"

it measured about one and a half metres in length and weighed approximately 50lbs. It was so heavy they struggled to bring it onboard . 

Sunfish are not resident in the UK as they require temperatures of 10 degrees so usually live in tropical or temperate seas above 10 degrees. They come  across from the Mediterranean and feed on the jellyfish that we have been seeing here for the past few weeks as the plankton develops.Feeding  on squid, crustacean and small fish they can be swimming anywhere in the water column , so our divers and snorkeling passengers usually see them on reefs or wrecks but our Sea Safari passengers usually see them when they come up to the surface of the sea as they lie on their side , dorsal fin flapping and bask in the sun. Seabirds often peck at the parasites on them which sunfish tolerate as a mutual symbiotic behavior.

We have been seeing them everyday for the past week as well as Dolphins most days. This was a really rare and fantastic moment to share with our passengers….Don't you just love living and working in Cornwall.

Records of this have been sent to Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Dough Herdson a fish specialist here in Cornwall.

Trips for Fishing and Sea Safaris to spot for sunfish are going daily from Newquay Harbour 

to book please call dave on

07582 466 122