The fabled “Doomfish” has reappeared in California.
The rare and long ribbon-shaped oarfish, often seen as a sign of impending disaster, has washed ashore on a California coast for the second time this year.
Alison Laferriere, a doctoral candidate at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, found the nearly 10-foot-long oarfish on a beach in Encinitas, Southern California, last week.
Oarfish are mysterious creatures that reside in the mesopelagic zone, deep underwater where sunlight cannot reach, often up to 3,300 feet below the surface.
These enigmatic fish, reaching lengths of up to 20 feet, have not been extensively studied by scientists, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Because of their unusual appearance and legendary status, with myths dating back for centuries, oarfish are sometimes referred to as the “fish of the end” due to their supposed ability to predict natural disasters and earthquakes.
The legend of the “earthquake fish” resurfaced in 2011 when 20 oarfish washed up before Japan’s largest recorded earthquake, resulting in a devastating tsunami.
According to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, only 21 oarfish have been documented washing up on California beaches since 1901.
Researchers speculate that changes in ocean conditions and a possible increase in the oarfish population are contributing to the rise in sightings.
This year, a 12-foot-long oarfish was seen by kayakers and snorkelers in La Jolla Cove, north of downtown San Diego, and later taken to NOAA’s Fisheries Science Center for further examination.
Studies are ongoing to unravel the mystery surrounding oarfish sightings and their potential links to seismic events.
A 2019 study found no solid evidence linking oarfish to earthquakes, leaving the interpretation open to speculation.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
