Skipper Films 2 Sunfish 5 Feet Off Sussex Coast as Seabirds Strip Parasites

Q: Why were seabirds crowding around two sunfish near Brighton Marina—and what does that behavior tell scientists?

The seabirds were crowding around the two sunfish to feed on parasites living on the fishes’ skin, not to attack them. That is a well-documented “cleaning” interaction: sunfish often linger or lie sideways at the surface so birds above, and sometimes cleaner fish below, can pick off external parasites and dead tissue. For scientists, that behavior is useful evidence about why sunfish spend time basking at the surface. It suggests the fish are not simply resting or stranded-looking; they may be deliberately exposing themselves for parasite removal. Researchers have long linked surface basking in ocean sunfish, or *Mola mola*, to both warming up after deep, cold dives and attracting cleaners. The Brighton sighting also matters because ocean sunfish remain unusual in Sussex waters, even if reports in UK seas have increased in recent years. Marine groups say they are still only seen a few times a year locally. So footage like Kurt Lander’s gives scientists and conservation groups a rare record of where and when these vulnerable fish appear, how they behave near the surface, and how other species interact with them. In short, the seabirds’ behavior points to a mutualistic relationship: the birds get an easy meal, and the sunfish gets parasite relief. For marine scientists, it is a visible clue to the sunfish’s health, ecology and surface-basking habits.

1 articles · Updated · BBC Discover Wildlife · Jul 29

Two sunfish surfaced within 5 feet of charter boat Yellowfin in shipping lanes off Sussex, where skipper Kurt Lander captured video of the rare encounter.
The fish were lying on their sides and flopping at the surface because they were waiting for seabirds to peck parasites from their bodies, Lander said.
Lander spotted them while drifting for bass and bream on a wreck near Brighton and called seeing the pair a “proper privilege.”
The sighting highlights the unexpected marine life found in English waters, where sunfish can draw attention with their large, flat bodies and surface-swimming fins.