I was speeding across the English Channel from Guernsey to Poole Harbour, UK last Friday when I saw my first oceanic sunfish, Mola mola, of the year gently waving its dorsal fin just north of the South bound shipping lane.  A few compass jellyfish, Chrysaora hysoscella, have washed up on Guernsey beaches during the last month.  I do not know if the Mola mola schools follow concentrations of these jellyfish up the English Channel.  

I am curious as to how a weak swimmer such as the Mola mola swims into northern latitudes during the latter part of the summer and then presumably retreats south with the onset of colder weather.  Does the oceanic sunfish undergo vertical migrations to use ocean current transport?  Has someone on this list studied the migrations of Mola mola?  Does anyone know the temperature tolerances of Mola mola?  I have seen large schools of Mola mola off New York, USA during the summer months.  Where do the schools of Mola mola from the Eastern and Western Atlantic go during the winter months?  Do these fish go south for the winter?  Thank you for any insights.

Yours sincerely,
Richard
Richard Lord
Guernsey GY1 1BQ
Great Britain

Email:  [log in to unmask]
Tel: +44 (0)1481 700688
Fax: +44 (0)1481 700699

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