Rare 'Doomsday Fish' Found Off the Coast of Southern California by Group of Snorkelers and Kayakers

Mar. 15, 2025

The group of kayakers and snorkelers poses with the oarfish in California.Photo:Michael Wang

Michael Wang

A group of kayakers and snorkelers found an extremely rare deep-sea fish nicknamed a “doomsday fish” off the coast of Southern California last weekend.

On Saturday, Aug. 10, the group encountered the 12-foot oarfish while exploring La Jolla Cove near San Diego, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography shared ina Facebook postfeaturing photos of the ocean goers posing with the fish, which was dead at the time of discovery. The oarfish is one of only 20 of the species to have washed up in California since 1901, the organization noted.

“With help from NOAA Fisheries Service and California Sea Grant team members, the group was able to coordinate with lifeguards to transport the fish to the NOAA facility. Scientists from NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center and Scripps Oceanography will perform a necropsy to see if they can determine a cause of death,” Scripps said.

The 12-foot oarfish in California.Michael Wang

According to theOcean Conservancy, the oarfish is a “strikingly large, odd-looking fish” known for “its distinctively long, ribbon-shaped body that enables the species to float inconspicuously throughout the water column.”

They also have large eyes and “red spines that stick out to form a crown-like cluster.” Oarfish, which feed primarily on krill, plankton and other small crustaceans, can grow to more than 30 feet in length.

The oarfish is loaded onto a truck.Emily Miller/California Sea Grant

Emily Miller/California Sea Grant

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As for the origins of the oarfish’s foreboding nickname, the conservancy explained that in some areas of the world, the deep-sea creatures are “seen as being harbingers of bad news, particularly disasters or destruction.”

“The legend is that if you see an oarfish, it is a warning sign from higher powers that disasters such as earthquakes are soon to occur,” the conservancy said.

A close-up look at the oarfish.Owyn Snodgrass, Fisheries Research Biologist/NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center

Owyn Snodgrass, Fisheries Research Biologist/NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center

Before Japan’s 2011 earthquake, one of the most catastrophic in history, 20 oarfish washed ashore, pernews reports. A4.4 earthquake rattled Los Angeleson Monday, Aug. 12, just two days after the California oarfish was spotted.

According to the Ocean Conservancy, it is rare for humans to encounter oarfish, as they primarily live 1,000 meters down in the mesopelagic zone, where light cannot reach. If one is seen near the surface of the water, it typically indicates that the fish is sick, dying or disoriented.

Scripps advises any beachgoers or “citizen scientists” who come across an oarfish or other unusual marine find to alert lifeguards and contact their organization at (858) 534-3624.

source: people.com