Another Rare ‘Doomsday’ Fish Washes Up on San Diego County Beach

For the second time this year, a deep-sea oarfish has washed ashore in San Diego County, giving scientists a rare chance to study the species.

Typically, researchers have to reach notable depths of the ocean to find oarfish, a Scripps Institution of Oceanography PhD candidate said Wednesday.

Alison Laferriere spotted the deceased 9.5-foot specimen at Grandview Surf Beach in Encinitas – just the 21st of its species documented to have washed up on California shores in more than a century.

The last 12.25-foot long fish was found in August by kayakers and snorkelers in La Jolla Cove.

Ben Frable, manager of the Scripps Oceanography Marine Vertebrate Collection, one of the largest collections of deep-sea fish in the world, contacted the NOAA Fisheries West Coast team to recover the specimen and transport it to the Southwest Fisheries Science Center, according to a Scripps statement.

“We took samples and froze the specimen awaiting further study and final preservation in the Marine Vertebrate Collection,” Frable said. “Like with the previous oarfish, this specimen and the samples taken from it will be able to tell us much about the biology, anatomy, genomics and life history of oarfishes.”

It is unclear why two of the rarely seen, short-crested oarfish have washed up on local shores, Frable said.

“It may have to do with changes in ocean conditions and increased numbers of oarfish off our coast,” he said. “Many researchers have suggested this as to why deep-water fish strand on beaches.”

The finds, he added, may be linked to factors such as the El Niño and La Niña cycle, or possibly with the recent red tide and Santa Ana winds, “but many variables could lead to these strandings,” he explained.

The species has a long, scale-less, ribbon-like silvery body with dark spots. A long red dorsal fin crest extends from the top of the head.

Often described as sea serpents, oarfish can grow to lengths of 30 feet and are the longest bony fish in the world. Oarfish have a mythical reputation as “doomsday fish,” predictors of natural disasters and earthquakes. Records of California sightings date back to 1901.

If someone finds an unusual or rare creature on the beach, they are encouraged to alert local lifeguards. If in Southern California, members of the public can notify Scripps at scrippsnews@ucsd.edu or 858-534-3624.

And a reminder: Many beaches may be marine protected areas, where making off with organisms – living or dead – is illegal.