Northbrook Academy assists NECWA with an ocean sunfish necropsy.
On Saturday, November 5, 2011, Northbrook Academy parents and students helped staff from the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA) examine a dead ocean sunfish that stranded on the shores of Monument Beach. This carcass was recently reported to NECWA’s Ocean Sunfish Stranding Network and the carcass looked as if it was only a few days old. This ocean fish carcass was missing the majority of its dorsal fin. Since the cut completely severed the top of the dorsal fin, we assume that the injury was the result of a collision with a large vessel. The tissue at the site of the injury was raw and red, indicating that the injury was relatively recent. Ocean sunfish are the heaviest bony fish in the world and are common visitors to our New England waters, during the summer and fall. These large fish migrate great distances to feed in our cold waters on jellyfish, ctenophores and other gelatinous critters. As winter approaches, ocean sunfish begin their migrations south to spend their win...
