Another oarfish has made its way from the deep sea to the coast of San Diego County in Southern California.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography researchers stumbled upon the rare fish, considered the largest vertebrate in the world’s oceans, at Grandview Beach in Encinitas earlier this month.
This is the third oarfish discovered in Southern California this year. The first was back in August near the La Jolla Shores. The one recovered in Encinitas was a little smaller than the first, measuring about 9 to 10 feet long.
Another oarfish was discovered in Huntington Beach in September.
Scripps Oceanography researchers helped transport the newly found oarfish to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center for preservation and study as they did with the earlier specimen.
“Like with the previous oarfish, this specimen and the samples taken from it will be able to tell us much about the biology, anatomy, genomics and life history of oarfishes,” Ben Frable, manager of the Scripps Oceanography Marine Vertebrate Collection, said.
Nicknamed the “doomsday fish” for its connection to natural disasters in Japanese folklore, oarfish are known for their string-like dorsal fin and long, narrow bodies that can grow up to 30 feet. While rare, they can most frequently be found deep in temperate or tropical ocean waters.
The species’ biggest claim to fame is its reputation as a harbinger of doom. Recent anecdotal evidence fuels this theory, like the finding of more than 20 oarfish on the shores of Japan months before the 2011 magnitude 9.1 earthquake.
However, studies have largely disproven the connection, with one 2019 publication calling it a “typical illusory correlation.”
Still, finding one of these fish has been exceedingly rare — especially in California. Until last week’s finding, only 20 had been located along the Golden State’s coast since the early 1900s.
It is unclear why the fish washed up within the last few months. Frable suggested that changes in ocean conditions could have played a role, but he also said it could be linked to the shift from El Niño to La Niña.
“This wash-up coincided with the recent red tide and Santa Ana winds last week, but many variables could lead to these strandings,” he explained, noting that evidence to support any of these theories is minimal.
Should beachgoers stumble upon another oarfish — or any unique sea creature stranded on the beach — Scripps Oceanography experts urge people to alert lifeguards first. Those in San Diego are encouraged to contact the institute at scrippsnews@ucsd.edu or 858-534-3624.
Experts also note beachgoers are largely prohibited from taking home organisms themselves, as much of the California coastline is designated as Marine Protected Areas.
Another oarfish has made its way from the deep sea to the coast of San Diego County in Southern California.
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