Woman discovers rare 'doomsday' fish on remote beach: 'It was so bizarre ... like something from the deep sea'
A rare deep-sea creature, sometimes called a "doomsday fish," made a mysterious appearance on a remote beach in Tasmania, and the eerie encounter is causing people to wonder about what's really happening beneath the surface of our oceans.
The oarfish, a rarely seen species believed to dwell hundreds of feet below sea level, was spotted by a local woman, Sybil Robertson, on Ocean Beach near the town of Strahan.
Measuring roughly 10 feet long and gleaming silver, the animal was so unusual in appearance that the woman who found it was in awe.
"It was so bizarre," Australian marine biologist Jorja Gilmore said when talking about her own encounter with an oarfish in 2022, "like something from the deep sea."
The discovery was reported by the Guardian, which notes that oarfish are "phenomenally big fish" with long, ribbon-like bodies and delicate dorsal fins. Marine ecologist Neville Barrett of the University of Tasmania explained that these animals are usually found between 500 and 1,640 feet deep and rarely come close to shore.
In Japanese folklore, oarfish are known as "Ryūgū-no-tsukai," or messengers from the sea god's palace, and their appearance is sometimes interpreted as a warning of earthquakes. While there's no evidence this creature's appearance is tied to any seismic event, its presence near the surface is still highly unusual.
A similar incident occurred earlier this year when a live oarfish was spotted on a beach in Baja California Sur, Mexico, as reported by People. The animal appeared injured and disoriented. These increasingly visible encounters have left people wondering whether something deeper is going on, literally.
The deep sea remains one of the most under-monitored ecosystems on Earth, yet it plays a crucial role in maintaining the planet's temperature, food supply, and biodiversity.
Warmer waters are shifting migration patterns for countless species, which is pushing animals like jellyfish, sharks, and even oarfish into areas where they aren't typically found. At the same time, plastic pollution is being ingested by deep-sea creatures, and larger debris can entangle or injure them. Overfishing and acidification are also disrupting the ocean's food web, leaving some animals without enough resources to survive.
While the cause of this particular oarfish's appearance is unknown, marine scientists have warned that what we don't know about the deep ocean may be just as concerning as what we do.
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"It's just so interesting what you can find if you just keep your eyes open whilst you're looking around. It's just amazing," Robertson said. These moments can feel extraordinary but might also be signs of distress that are in need of attention.
Efforts to better understand and protect the ocean are underway, but there's a long way to go. Projects like the Ocean Census, which is a global initiative to discover and document 100,000 new marine species in the next decade, are designed to fill some of the knowledge gaps. Meanwhile, countries like the U.S. have recently committed to expanding marine protected areas, which can help preserve deep-sea habitats and biodiversity.
To help on an individual level, reducing plastic use, eating lower on the seafood chain, and supporting sustainable fishing practices all contribute to healthier oceans. And pushing for stronger ocean policy and funding for marine research ensures that the deep sea (and its rarely seen residents) don't stay out of sight, out of mind.
Solutions like floating solar panels on reservoirs, which reduce pollution output while minimizing pressure on land and aquatic systems, and efforts to combat invasive species, can help restore balance in fragile ecosystems. Each of these steps brings us closer to a future where rare animals like the oarfish don't have to show up onshore to be considered.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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