A deceased oarfish found along Southern California’s coast signifies the state’s third encounter with the so-called “doomsday fish” this year.

The approximately 10-foot oarfish was discovered on November 6 at a beach in Encinitas, situated about 25 miles north of San Diego. PhD candidate Alison Laferriere from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography was the one who noticed the fish on the shore.

This sighting is just one of three unusual occurrences in California in recent months, with Japanese folklore interpreting such rare appearances as a forewarning of disaster.

In Japan, the sighting of a “doomsday fish” in shallow waters has historically been regarded as a portent of an approaching earthquake, a belief that traces back to the 17th century, according to the travel website Atlas Obscura.

According to Japanese folklore, these fish are seen as messengers of the sea god Ryūjin. Consequently, they are also referred to as “ryugu no tsukai,” meaning “messenger from the sea god’s palace.”

How did the oarfish die?

The exact reason behind the oarfish washing up on the Encinitas beach remains uncertain, but the unique specimen is set to undergo a necropsy to uncover the cause of death.

Once the examination is complete, it will be preserved for future research and will join the Scripps’ Marine Vertebrate Collection, known as one of the largest collections of deep-sea fish globally.

“We’ve collected samples and frozen the specimen while awaiting further analysis and final preservation in the Marine Vertebrate Collection,” stated Ben Frable, a fish expert at Scripps, in a social media announcement. “This specimen and its samples will significantly contribute to our understanding of oarfish biology, anatomy, genomics, and life history.”

Where were the last Doomsday sightings?

A 12-foot-long oarfish was found in August by a group of enthusiastic kayakers and snorkelers at La Jolla Cove in San Diego.

Furthermore, a second dead oarfish was reported in Huntington Beach, Orange County, in September, as per CNN’s reports.

Oarfish are classified as “incredibly rare,” with fewer than 25 documented sightings in Southern California waters over the past century, Frable noted in an interview with YSL News.

These magnificent creatures have been recorded in waters worldwide, with appearances noted in Maine, New Jersey, Taiwan, and Japan.

What do scientists say dead oarfish sightings mean?

Scientists are puzzled about why three oarfish have appeared on the shore recently, stating that each discovery offers a special chance to gather more knowledge about this species.

There are multiple factors influencing these “strandings” of the oarfish, including variations in climate conditions, such as those brought by El Niño and La Niña, Frable explained last week.

“The phenomenon might relate to alterations in oceanic conditions and an increase in oarfish populations along our coastline. Many scientists propose this as a reason for deep-sea fish ending up on beaches,” Frable noted. “The recent wash-up coincided with the red tide and Santa Ana winds last week, but many factors could contribute to these incidents.”

Numerous areas in California, including Encinitas and La Jolla, are designated as Marine Protected Areas, where the collection of marine organisms is restricted.

If you encounter an unusual marine creature on a beach in Southern California, you are urged to inform lifeguards and reach out to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at (858)-534-3624 or via email at scrippsnews@ucsd.edu.

Why were multiple spotted in 2011?

Several oarfish sightings were documented before the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear disaster; however, no scientific proof exists to link these two occurrences, according to Hiroyuki Motomura, a professor of ichthyology at Kagoshima University, who told the New York Post last year.

“There’s no scientific basis for a connection; therefore, I don’t think there’s any need for concern,” Motomura stated. “I believe these fish tend to float to the surface when their health is declining, pushed by water currents, which explains why they are usually found dead.”

The apparent relationship may stem from the allure of the shimmering oarfish, leading to misinterpretation of its presence as a warning sign.

“`

This mysterious creature usually inhabits the profound depths of the ocean, residing at depths ranging from 700 to 3,280 feet below the sea level, as previously noted by YSL News. It rarely ascends to the surface.