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Staff at the Oregon Seaside Aquarium were surprised when they answered the call of a “strange” fish that had washed up on the shore of Sunset Beach on Wednesday.
At 3.5 feet long and 100 pounds, staff recovered the fish, which is known as an opah, or a sunfish – a rare sight for Oregon waters.
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Opahs are known for their large, round, but flat bodies and shiny silvery bellies that blend into shades of orange and red. Although not considered threatened, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, “Little research on the basic biology and ecology of opah has been done.”
However, opahs generally frequent temperate and tropical waters, where they feed on krill and squid, making their appearance on the Oregon coast a sight to behold.
“It caused a stir at the Aquarium, where people were encouraged to come and take a look at this beautiful and strange fish,” the aquarium wrote on its Facebook.
“I wouldn’t expect an opah of this size to normally be off Oregon,” said Heidi Dewar, research biologist at NOAA Fisheries. The Washington Post.
The Seaside Aquarium plans to freeze the fish for now, and then when the new school year begins, the Aquarium partners with the Columbia River Maritime Museum to offer a group of students the chance to dissect fish as an educational opportunity.
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