- Our Mission
- Job Openings
- Experts
- Partners
- History
- Financials
Our Mission
Ocean Conservancy is working with you to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it.
Our Programs
- Advancing Ocean Justice
- Overview
- Confronting Climate Change
- Overview
- Ocean Acidification
- Global Shipping
- Offshore Wind
- State Climate Action
- Publications
- Wildlife Library
- Government Relations
- Overview
- Protecting Florida
- Overview
- Super Bowl 2020
- Harmful Algal Blooms
- Shores Forward
- Miami CAP Report
- Sea Level Rise
- Restoring the Gulf of Mexico
- Wildlife Library
- Protecting the Arctic
- Overview
- Oil Spills
- Arctic Marine Debris Initiative
- Safer Arctic Shipping
- Risky Drilling
- Wildlife Library
- Take a Deep Dive
- Smart Ocean Planning
- Overview
- An Ocean of Jobs
- Our Ocean at Work
- Wildlife Library
- Take a Deep Dive
- Sustainable Fisheries
- Overview
- POSEIDON
- Bringing Red Snapper Back from the Brink
- Take a Deep Dive
- Wildlife Library
- Trash Free Seas
- Overview
- International Coastal Cleanup®
- Plastics in the Ocean
- Boating Community
- Wildlife Library
- Take a Deep Dive
Our Mission
Our work is focused on solving some of the greatest threats facing our ocean today. We bring people, science and policy together to champion innovative solutions and fight for a sustainable ocean.
- View All Programs
The Latest
- Blog
- In the News
- Meet the Authors
- Press Releases
- Wildlife Library
Today's Highlights
One of the World’s Rarest WhalesSix Ways to Make Ocean-Friendly Fashion ChoicesAll About Goblin SharksFour New Octopus Species Discovered off Costa Rica
- View Blogs By Program
- Climate
- Ocean Trash
- Marine Wildlife
Featured Actions
Keep Balloon Litter Out of Our Ocean Charting a New Course Protect and Advance Ocean Justice No Mandatory Offshore Drilling
- View All Actions
Other Ways to Give
Renew Your MembershipYour Generous Gift Will Help Us Continue To Protect Our Ocean And Its Wildlife.- View All the Ways YOU can Help
One-Time Gift
One-Time GiftDonate NowGive Once
Monthly Giving
Monthly GivingGo MonthlyGive Monthly
Have a Question? Call 800-519-1541
November 9, 2021
2 Minute Read
And more fun facts about flying fish
Written By
Erin SpencerStay Current!
Enter your email and never miss an update
Help save our ocean
With the help of donors like you, Ocean Conservancy is developing innovative solutions to save our ocean.
Donate Today!
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a … fish?
Although most fish don’t take to the skies, flying fish are one spectacular exception (kind of). Read on to see how flying fish get their distinctive name and learn more fun facts about this small but impressive species.
What are flying fish?
Flying fish are species in the family Exocoetidae, which is derived from the Latin word “exocoetus” which means “fish that sleeps on the shore.” There are more than 70 species across seven genera (remember, a genus is a type of classification which groups related species together). They are found across the ocean, primarily in tropical and subtropical zones, and the largest species can grow to about 19 inches long.
Can flying fish actually fly?
Sorry to disappoint, but flying fish can’t actually “fly”—at least, not in the way we typically think of flying. They can’t flap their fins in the way birds flap their wings to become airborne. But they do use their very large pectoral, or side, fins to glide over the ocean surface. First, they swim very fast under water, reaching speeds of more than 35 miles per hour. Then, they use this momentum to launch themselves out of the water and fan their fins out to glide forward. Flying fish can “fly” for up to 650 feet—that’s over a tenth of a mile! Their sleek, streamlined bodies also help them soar through the air.
Flying fish can stay out of the water even longer if they flap their tails—the longest known flying fish flight was 1,312 feet.
Why do flying fish jump out of the water?
Flying fish take to the skies to avoid predators. If being pursued by a predator like a swordfish or marlin, they can use this strategy to quickly get away and hopefully confuse the would-be attacker. It’s not a foolproof plan, however, as birds can also swoop down and grab an airborne flying fish as a snack. Don’t take my word for it—check out this heart-pounding footage of flying fish trying to evade hungry predators from BBC’s The Hunt.
How are flying fish doing?
Good news: Flying fish populations are in pretty good shape! According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, most species of flying fish are considered of “least concern,” meaning there are still plenty of them in the wild.
Flying fish are one part of a healthy ocean ecosystem. There are many more fish in the sea (literally) that need our help. Learn about how Ocean Conservancy is working with partners to achieve healthy, sustainable fisheries.
Looking for more fishy fun facts? Check out our Wildlife Fact Sheets!
Browse Topics
Sections
Ocean Life
Stay Current!
Enter your email and never miss an update
Recommended reads
Our work is focused on solving some of the greatest threats facing our ocean today. We bring people, science and policy together to champion innovative solutions and fight for a sustainable ocean.
Read more
- Trash Free SeasWhat the Foam?!
- Confronting Climate ChangeCoping with Climate Anxiety
- Confronting Climate ChangeGovernment RelationsProtecting The ArcticDos and Don’ts for Decommissioning
- Meet the Giant Isopod of the Deep Sea
- Confronting Climate ChangeLearning From and Standing With Climate Justice Communities
- Protecting The ArcticReducing Underwater Noise from Ships
- Trash Free SeasDo You Know Your ALDFGs?
- All About Sperm Whales
- Sustainable FisheriesThings You Didn’t Know About Swordfish
How is Ocean Warming Impacting the Shipping Industry?
As deeply troubling reports continue to come in about ocean waters hitting historic hot temperatures, sectors…
What is a Nurdle?
Have you ever walked along the beach and spotted tiny plastic balls or discs? They may…
Do Jellyfish Have Brains?
Do jellyfish have brains? The short answer is no, jellyfish do not have brains. But this…
Recommended
Sea More
View Current Posts
How is Ocean Warming Impacting the Shipping Industry?
As deeply troubling reports continue to come in about ocean waters hitting historic hot temperatures, sectors…
What is a Nurdle?
Have you ever walked along the beach and spotted tiny plastic balls or discs? They may…
Do Jellyfish Have Brains?
Do jellyfish have brains? The short answer is no, jellyfish do not have brains. But this…
