‘Doomsday fish' recently spotted four times in 20 days across countries including India; here's where and what happened next
In recent months, an enigmatic deep-sea fish, the oarfish, also known as the "doomsday fish," has been seen around the world due to a series of unusual appearances on multiple continents.
Once rooted in Japanese legend as a harbinger of impending natural disasters, the oarfish is rarely encountered close to the surface. But since May 2025, it has surfaced four times on the surface once in India and three times in Australia, New Zealand and California, both raising scientific curiosity as well as public alarm.
Recent strings of oarfish sightings have again raised global interest in this enigmatic species.
Whether a warning from nature or a strange coincidence, the appearance of these ocean giants offers both a mystery and potential for scientific discovery. As scientists continue to look at the environmental impetus for such occurrences, the doomsday fish is an ever-lasting symbol of nature's inexplicable occurrences and how much there is yet to learn about the bottom of the ocean.
Deep-sea 'doomsday fish' recent sightings
Tamil Nadu, India – May 2025
The very first year sighting was recorded toward the end of May along the coast of southern India.
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Fishermen in Tamil Nadu caught a gigantic oarfish measuring almost 30 feet (9 meters) long. It took seven men to hold it upright to take a picture. The picture became a sensation on social media, and it marked the beginning of a string of global sightings.
Tasmania, Australia – June 2, 2025
A few days later, there was another oarfish that washed up on the rugged west coast of Tasmania. The approximately 3-meter-long specimen was seen by resident Sybil Robertson, who shared photos online.
Her post generated huge speculation, with users comparing the spotting of the oarfish to seismic activity possibilities.
Source: New York Post
South Island, New Zealand – Early June 2025
Two separate sightings of oarfish were made in New Zealand in the same week. One was on a beach close to Dunedin and the other, headless, on a beach close to Birdlings Flat, near Christchurch. Both caused interest and alarm among marine biologists and the general public, continuing to fuel the superstition surrounding these mysterious fish.
Source: Washington Post
Historical sightings in context: California and Northern Australia (2024)
Before the recent increased sightings, notable oarfish sightings were those in 2024. During August, a 12-foot oarfish was seen off California's San Diego coast just two days before a 4.4 earthquake struck Los Angeles. The coincidence revived speculation of the oarfish's potential ability to detect geological movement.
A month afterward, yet another oarfish surfaced in the waters off the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory of Australia.
This one, shared in a social media post by Curtis Peterson of Tiwi Islands Adventures, was widely compared to sea serpents due to its record size and form.
Source: Facebook
Oarfish sightings raising concerns: Warning sign or coincidence
While the surge of oarfish is perceived in folklore as an omen of disaster, more logical explanations are provided by marine scientists. Scientists theorise that unusual oceanic events such as offshore seismic activity, temperature shifts, toxicity, or illness may disorient these deep-sea fish, encouraging them to ride up to the surface or strand themselves.
Yet, the repetitive proximity of oarfish sightings to earthquakes cannot be entirely discounted and is worthy of consideration. Their highly specialised habitat might very well make them sensitive to antecedent alterations to earthquakes, but empirical evidence remains inconclusive.
What is an oarfish
Oarfish are elongated, ribbon-like fish that inhabit the temperate and tropical oceans at depths between 200 and 1,000 meters.
They grow up to over 30 feet (9 meters) in length and are the longest bony fish. They are not harmful to humans and feed primarily on small ocean animals such as plankton and crustaceans.
In accordance with Japanese lore, the sight of oarfish has been claimed to predict seismic activity, such as earthquakes or tsunamis, which has earned them their dark reputation. There is no immediate scientific evidence to link oarfish sightings with calamity, but some scientists postulate that oarfish are perhaps more sensitive to seismic activity and therefore have surfaced due to disturbance in their deep-sea habitat.
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