A rare and worrying sighting of a strange fish was found floating around the shores of La Jolla. The unusual oarfish are long and lantern-shaped fish that usually live in temperate and tropical waters.
The reason that the fish has been dubbed a doomsday fish is because of its reference to Japanese culture, which says the fish is often seen before large earthquakes or tsunamis.
UC San Diego Is Studying the Creature
A team of science kayakers and snorkelers was out in La Jolla Cove on Saturday afternoon when they encountered dead oarfish floating in the water.
A spokesperson from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego publicly commented about the rare find. Several people worked together to carry the sea creature from the ocean to the bed of a truck using a paddleboard so that the fish could be turned over to professionals at the institute.
Scientists Will Investigate
“Thanks to the work from these locals, scientists will be able to further study this mysterious species as it will become part of the Marine Vertebrate Collection at Scripps, one of the largest collections of deep-sea fish in the world,” said Brittany Hook, assistant director of communications for Scripps.
On Friday of this week, scientists and researchers from the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center and Scripps will take part in a necropsy to see if they can determine the cause of death and a little more information about where the fish lived.
Information Already Known
Despite the need for more research on the subject, scientists already know some things about the rarely caught fish.
While the oarfish can measure anywhere from 10 to 30 feet long, Hook noted that this fish is only about 12 feet long.
The Doomsday Fish
The oarfish has been dubbed the “doomsday fish” for several reasons.
In many areas in the word, this species of fish is considered to be a warning of bad news or natural disasters, such as tsunamis or earthquakes. However, Hook added that the correlation had not been definitely proven, and it is likely a random correlation.
Connections of Disasters to the Fish
There are a few instances of natural disasters that match up with recent sightings of the fish that have some people believing in the supersticious lore.
In 2011, more than 20 oarfish were reportedly washed up on the shore in Japan; just a few months later, a devastating 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck the country.
An Earthquake was Experienced in La Jolla
Just a few short days after the oarfish was discovered in the pristine waters of La Jolla, a small 4.4 magnitude earthquake shook southern California roughly 2.5 miles south of Highland Park near Los Angeles.
However, experts would have difficulty connecting a superstitious belief to the earthquake.
Southern California is a Hot Spot for Earthquakes
There is a long history of small and large earthquakes occurring frequently in southern California. In June of this year, the state experienced six earthquakes in just one week, which points to a warning of a bigger one.
This is because the state sits along the San Andreas fault system, the major geological boundary between the North American and Pacific tectonic plates.
The ‘Big One’
Scientists have warned that a massive earthquake is brewing near the Juan De Fuca fault line in the Pacific Northwest for decades, dubbed “the big one.”
Although there is no clear connection between rare oarfish sightings and potential earthquakes, it’s noted that massive earthquakes can take place along coasts at any time.
Why Did the Fish Show Up Now?
Since the fish is so rarely seen, especially in California, many experts have been adding their own opinions as to why the fish was able to travel so far and eventually float to the surface for the miraculous discovery to take place.
“Experts don’t have any evidence to theorize why these fish are washing ashore in Southern California, but learn more from each specimen that is collected,” said Hook.
Deep Sea Fish
Another reason why the fish is so rarely sighted is because it is primarily considered a deep sea fish.
These types of sea creatures can often not survive the crushing pressure and deep, dark atmosphere of the depths of the ocean floor. Also, when these animals die, they rarely float to the surface; instead, their bodies become eaten by other creatures on the floor.
What To Do If You See an Oarfish
If you find yourself swimming in warm waters and come across a live or dead oarfish, you are encouraged to alert local lifeguards.
When safely away from the fish, you can also notify the scientists at Scripps by calling (858) 534-3624 or emailing [email protected].
