Rare ‘Doomsday’ Oarfish Sighted Near La Jolla Shores
A rare oarfish, also known as a “doomsday fish,” was found in the waters off the coast of La Jolla Shores — and it may have brought an ominous warning.
If you’re not familiar with oarfish, they are a fish species known for having an elongated body and a length up to 30 feet. They are also rarely encountered by humans, given that they typically live deep under the sea.
On Saturday, Aug. 10, a group of scientific researchers found a dead oarfish in the waters of La Jolla Cove. The oarfish was carried back to shore and turned over to professional marine biologists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
According to Scripps, the dead oarfish found near La Jolla will help scientists further study the admittedly “mysterious species.” A necropsy will be performed to see if a cause of death can be determined.
After that, the oarfish will become part of the Marine Vertebrate Collection at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography — one of the largest collections of deep sea fish in the world.
An oarfish washing up near the shore — such as near La Jolla Shores — is a rare occurrence. However, it’s also slightly ominous because of the species’ reputation for being a “doomsday fish.”
That’s because the oarfish is considered a precursor to misfortune. According to FOX 5 San Diego, for example, about 20 oarfish reportedly washed ashore in Japan just a few months before a 9.1 earthquake struck the island.
Interestingly enough, just a couple of days after the oarfish sighting in La Jolla Shores, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake shook parts of Southern California. Although no correlation between dead oarfish and tragedies have been established, it’s certainly a spooky coincidence.
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Mike Peterson is a writer, editor, and strategist based in San Diego. When he’s not writing and editing the La Jolla news, you can often find him practicing yoga, rock climbing, or exploring the outdoors with his wife and dog.
