A rare species of sunfish was discovered by fishermen in the port of Sidi Youssef, on the island of Kerkennah. This fish is at risk of dying due to the low water levels, which will not return to normal for another seven hours because of the tidal cycle. This situation raises concerns about its imminent demise. Scientifically known as « Mola, » this fish is one of the heaviest and rarest species in the world. Its weight can reach up to 1,000 kg and, in some cases, exceed two and a half tons.
Temperate and tropical waters around the globe make up its natural habitat. In French, this fish is nicknamed « Poisson-lune » (Moonfish). However, it belongs to a category of fish that are inedible for humans. This species was first observed off the Tunisian coast in 1966. According to a researcher at the National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies, similar incidents occur about four times a year along the country’s coasts. The researcher explained that the presence of sunfish near Tunisian shores is typically accidental, often caused by an incident or a malfunction in its biological clock. « Last month, the Gabès coast witnessed the death of a sunfish of the same species, » he added during an interview on a private radio station.
