Moonfish spotted in the crystal-clear waters of the bay of San Pancrazio one of the most beautiful areas of the island ofIschia.

The moonfisch, a peaceful animal and useful to the marine ecosystem.

The natural habitat of this particular fish is coastal waters. We find it in tropical and temperate waters, but also in colder waters such as those of the Norwegian coast. It is widespread off the coasts of South Africa and Australia.

It has been present in the Mediterranean since ancient times. In the past, it was also fished and it was only at the end of the 1990s that the European Community banned its capture. Thanks to this ban, the sunfish has been able to gradually multiply again.

In the ocean, the moon fisch can reach three metres in length and exceed four metres in height with over two tonnes of weight.
Those found in the Mediterranean are smaller.

Why is the moonfish so important?

The sunfish is the largest predator of jellyfish.
Rising water temperatures have seen a sharp increase in this planktonic animal in our seas, much more than in the past, and this has also attracted this large fish more to the coast.

In English it is called sunfish precisely because during sunny days it tends to rise to the surface.

This fish is not aggressive, is not poisonous and is not dangerous to humans; it has a very quiet and passive nature if not annoyed.