On August 10, 2024, paddle-boarders off the coast of California stumbled upon an extraordinary find—a 12.25-foot oarfish, often dubbed the "doomsday fish." This remarkable discovery occurred just two days before Los Angeles experienced a magnitude 4.4 earthquake, stirring conversations and old folklore surrounding these deep-sea creatures. The uncanny timing of the sighting and the earthquake has sparked renewed interest and curiosity about the connection between oarfish appearances and natural disasters.
The oarfish, which washed ashore at La Jolla Cove, looks like something straight out of mythology. With its long, silvery, ribbon-like body and bright red dorsal fin crest extending 2.17 feet from its head, the fish's unique appearance has fascinated both scientists and the public. According to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, encounters like this are exceedingly rare; since 1901, only 20 oarfishes have been reported along the California coast.
Encountering this mysterious species offers researchers unparalleled opportunities to understand more about their biology and behavior. The fish was quickly transported to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for examination. Scientists from NOAA and California State University Fullerton conducted a necropsy on the specimen to determine the cause of its demise, which remains undetermined.
Ben Frable, ichthyologist and manager of the Marine Vertebrate Collection at Scripps, highlighted the significance of such finds: "Rare encounters like this provide an amazing opportunity to learn more about this species and how it lives." Observations of oarfishes suggest they typically inhabit depths of 600 to 3,000 feet, making it challenging for researchers to explore their natural behavior and ecological roles.
The connection between oarfishes and natural disasters is deeply rooted in lore. Historically, these creatures have been linked to tsunami warnings and are thought to emerge prior to seismic activity. While the scientific community remains skeptical about any predictive qualities of oarfish, the fish's appearance before the Los Angeles earthquake revives discussions about such beliefs.
Despite its remarkable size and health, the specifics surrounding the cause of the oarfish's death remain elusive. The research team at NOAA, after completing their examination, will continue analyzing the fish to garner insights necessary for unraveling the mysteries tied to these enigmatic deep-sea dwellers.
The oarfish's arrival on California's shores reminds us of the vast mysteries still present within our oceans. For those lucky paddle-boarders who encountered this rare fish, the experience was nothing short of surreal—a glimpse of the hidden wonders lurking beneath the surface of the sea.
