California flying fish

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California flying fish: a short guide

The California flying fish is a large, streamlined fish found in the Eastern Pacific, from Oregon to Baja California. It is a subspecies of Bennett’s flying fish and is the largest member of its group, growing up to about 19 inches (48 cm).

What makes it special? It doesn’t truly fly. When it needs to escape predators or travel quickly, it dashes out of the water and glides through the air using its long, wing-like pectoral fins. It can reach speeds around 56 km/h (35 mph) and can glide about 25 feet (7.6 m) at heights up to about 5 feet (1.5 m). They have two sets of “wings”—the pectoral fins as the main wings and the pelvic fins acting like underwings.

Habitat and behavior: California flying fish live mostly in the open ocean near the surface (the upper 200 meters) and come close to shore at night to feed and lay eggs. They prefer warmer, ocean water and are most common in the Eastern Tropical Pacific region.

Appearance and life stages: Adults are blue-gray on top with a silver belly, and their pectoral fins are clear. Juveniles have a distinctive barbel near the mouth and a larger dorsal fin; they lose the barbel as they mature. Flying fish reproduce by laying eggs on kelp beds. Eggs are about 1.6 mm in diameter and stick to surfaces with filaments to stay in place.

Diet and predators: They mainly eat plankton, small organisms, and fish eggs or larvae. They are prey for squid, tuna, dolphinfish, and even some pelagic seabirds.

Reproduction and lifespan: Flying fish go through eggs, larvae, juvenile, and adult stages. The species’ overall lifespan is not well known, but flying fish in general live for about five years.

Conservation: The California flying fish is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. There are no major threats right now, though climate change could affect plankton and thus food for these fish. Some protected areas overlap their range, and they are not heavily fished for food. They are sometimes used as bait, and there are not widespread commercial fisheries targeting them.

Cultural note: Catalina Island has celebrated the arrival of California flying fish with tours and events, especially at night when plankton draws them close to the surface. Tour boats often light the water to attract plankton so visitors can see the fish.