Everyone remembers the kid who stole other people’s lunches in school. As it turns out, sea lions never really outgrow that phase.
A viral video making the rounds online shows a fisherman celebrating what appears to be his first-ever yellowfin tuna. Unfortunately for him, a massive sea lion had other plans.
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A Steller sea lion rests on a rocky surface. (KenCanning / Getty Images)
As the angler proudly poses with the fish alongside the boat, the opportunistic marine mammal suddenly emerges from the water and makes a beeline for the tuna. The fisherman does his best to hold on, but he’s badly overmatched.
Finally, he gives in and tosses the fish.
A California sea lion bites down on a fish in the water, highlighting concerns about their impact on salmon and steelhead trout populations in the Pacific Northwest. (Janet Jensen/Tacoma News Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The sea lion grabs the yellowfin, sending the stunned angler stumbling backward as his hard-earned catch disappears into the ocean.
Check it out:
It’s funny when you’re watching from the comfort of your couch. It’s probably a lot less funny when you’ve spent hours hoping to bag a gorgeous tuna only to watch a big blubbery bully swoop in and claim the reward for itself.
Believe it or not, this type of behavior is actually pretty common.
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Wildlife experts refer to it as “depredation” — when marine mammals steal fish directly from anglers, fishing lines, nets or boats. Sea lions are particularly notorious for it because they’re highly intelligent animals that quickly learn to associate fishing activity with an easy meal.
In some areas, sea lions have become so skilled at stealing fish that anglers can practically predict when they’ll show up looking for a free lunch.
Chonkers, a giant Steller sea lion, sits on a dock at Fishermen’s Wharf in San Francisco on April 30, 2026. (Haven Daley/AP)
And judging by the confidence displayed in this video, this certainly doesn’t look like the first tuna heist on this sea lion’s résumé.
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The good news is the fisherman can still say he caught his first yellowfin tuna.
The bad news is no ahi dinner for him.
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