The ocean sunfish is one of the strangest things you can see from a boat. Two sunfish were seen in the shipping lanes off Brighton in July 2026, by charter skipper Kurt Lander of Yellowfin while drifting a wreck for bass and bream. British boat record: confirmed.
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About the ocean sunfish
The ocean sunfish is one of the strangest things you can see from a boat. It is a huge flat disc of a fish that looks like a head with no tail, with tall dorsal and anal fins and a small mouth. It is often seen basking at the surface in open water. Mature fish are usually several hundred pounds, according to British Sea Fishing, and Wikipedia gives adults of 247 to 1,000 kg and about 1.8 m long. It feeds mainly on jellyfish. In Britain it is a summer visitor, according to the Wildlife Trusts, and British Sea Fishing says it is seen more often off southern England as the sea warms. So on a boat trip, a sunfish is a sighting rather than a catch, and the sources give no angling method. It is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and is not commercially caught in Europe. If you do see one lying on the surface, leave it alone and enjoy the view. The British boat-caught record stands at 108 lb, from off Saundersfoot in 1976.
On the boat
A sunfish is a sighting rather than a catch, and the sources give no angling method. It is a summer visitor to UK seas, often seen basking at the surface in open water. A July 2026 report has two seen over a weekend in the shipping lanes off Brighton. No wider Sussex season is stated.
British boat-caught record
Confirmed record
- Weight
- 108 lb (48.986 kg)
- Where
- off Saundersfoot, Wales
- When
- 1976
- Angler
- T F Sisson
Confirmed British boat-caught record: T F Sisson caught an ocean sunfish of 108 lb (48.986 kg) off Saundersfoot, Wales, in 1976. That is the entry on the official British Record Fish Committee list. It gives the year only. The official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024, and newer claims are by length only.
How we label records: the British boat-caught records table explains confirmed, claimed and none listed.
Care and rules
The ocean sunfish is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and is not commercially caught in Europe. If you see one, leave it alone. Our record gives no landing size or eating advice. Rules change: check the current rules before you fish.
Did you know?
Ocean sunfish feed mainly on jellyfish, and are often seen basking at the surface. Wikipedia gives adults as 247 to 1,000 kg and about 1.8 m long.
Questions about the ocean sunfish
What is the British boat-caught record for ocean sunfish?
Confirmed British boat-caught record: T F Sisson caught an ocean sunfish of 108 lb (48.986 kg) off Saundersfoot, Wales, in 1976. That is the entry on the official British Record Fish Committee list. It gives the year only. The official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024, and newer claims are by length only.
Is ocean sunfish caught off the Sussex coast?
Yes. Two sunfish were seen in the shipping lanes off Brighton in July 2026, by charter skipper Kurt Lander of Yellowfin while drifting a wreck for bass and bream.
When is the best time to catch ocean sunfish?
Off Sussex: A July 2026 report has two sunfish seen over a weekend in the shipping lanes off Brighton. No wider Sussex season is stated. Around Britain: Summer: it visits UK seas in the summer months (Wildlife Trusts); seen more often off southern England as the sea warms (British Sea Fishing).
How big does an ocean sunfish get?
Mature fish are usually several hundred pounds (British Sea Fishing). Wikipedia gives adults of 247 to 1,000 kg and about 1.8 m long.
Sources
- British Sea Fishing: sunfish: britishseafishing.co.uk
- Wikipedia: ocean sunfish: en.wikipedia.org
- The Wildlife Trusts: sunfish: wildlifetrusts.org
- Discover Wildlife: sunfish off Sussex: discoverwildlife.com
- BRFC sea fish records, June 2026: anglingtrust.net
Picture: U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, file page on Wikimedia Commons. Every picture in the guide is listed on the picture credits page.
