Oarfish Sighting at Grandview Beach: Third Appearance in San Diego This Year

Oarfish Sightings in San Diego

In San Diego, a marine creature known as the “doomsday fish” has washed ashore again. This is the third time this year that oarfish have been found stranded. On November 6, Alison Laferriere from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography discovered a 2.74-meter-long oarfish at Grandview Beach.

After its discovery, the dead fish was collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service. It was taken to the Southwest Fisheries Science Center for further study. Ben Frable, the manager of the Scripps Oceanography’s Marine Vertebrate Collection, stated that they will examine the specimen to learn more about its biology and anatomy.

In Japanese mythology, the appearance of oarfish in shallow waters is thought to signal the coming of earthquakes and tsunamis. According to Ocean Conservancy, at least a dozen oarfish were reported along Japan’s coast before the massive earthquake in March 2011.

Some theories suggest that tectonic activity kills these fish, causing them to wash ashore. However, a study in 2019 found no link between oarfish sightings and earthquakes in Japan.

Oarfish are rarely seen by people. They live in the mesopelagic zone, about 3,000 feet deep in the ocean, which is one of the most unexplored areas of the sea. Frable noted that studying this new specimen will provide insights into oarfish biology and history.

Earlier this year, another oarfish was found in La Jolla Cove in August. This 3.66-meter specimen was spotted by kayakers and snorkelers near San Diego’s coast.