These fish can fly, but will they fly away from Catalina?

AVALON — Recent news reports and announcements have indicated Blanche W will no longer set sail from Avalon Harbor in search of flying fish, an activity its captain and passengers engaged in for about 91 years. Fortunately, Catallac out of Afishinados – a more modern vessel– will continue offering tourists and ocean life lovers an opportunity to observe flying fish in its natural habitat just off the shores of Catalina. No hard data exists to answer the question whether Blanche W is ending its flying fish trips because fewer flyers are found in and around the island. News reports stated the vessel is ending its 91-year flying fish run due to cost constraints. A question still lingers, however: Are schools of flying fish still frequenting Catalina Island or are they moving elsewhere? Blanche W’s last flying fish trip coincides with the Island’s annual Flying Fish Festival being placed on hiatus a few months earlier. Flying fish are pelagic and generally live in the open ocean. The warm water fish, which is incapable of sustained flight, generally attach their eggs to seaweed or floating debris. Kelp beds or forests, which, at times, can be abundant just off Catalina’s shores, were commonly believed to be...