Recent appearances of the rare oarfish, commonly referred to as the "Doomsday Fish," have set off widespread speculation following several sightings off the coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico. With its shing silver scales and ribbon-like appearance, this deep-sea fish is often seen surfacing from the depths of the ocean, so its sudden appearance has become a subject of interest and alarm on social media.

The oarfish is a mysterious creature, especially in Japanese mythology, where it is known as "Ryugu no tsukai," or "the sea god's palace messenger." In this 17th-century myth, the oarfish sighting is said to be a sign of an oncoming natural disaster, including earthquakes and tsunamis.

This superstition gained validity in 2011 when a number of oarfish were found beached in Japan mere months prior to the devastating Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The disaster, measuring 9.0 in intensity, left a trail of devastation and loss of life, further cementing the oarfish's spooky reputation as a sign of doom.

Although there is a persistent myth, scientists are not convinced that oarfish sightings and earthquakes are linked. Some scientists hypothesize that deep-sea fish like the oarfish would be more aligned to underwater seismic movement because they live near fault lines. This could account for them occasionally surfacing before an earthquake.

Nevertheless, most professionals maintain that such appearances are by chance and would have resulted from issues like intense oceanic currents or disease. In 2019, the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America released a study in which they failed to identify any immediate correlation between the occurrence of oarfish sightings and earthquakes in Japan, further doubting the legendary connection.

Previous sightings and their impact

The concept of the oarfish being a sign of calamity is not unique to Japan. Two oarfish were found beaching in the Philippines in August 2017, only one day before Luzon was hit by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake. Two oarfish were found on California shores in 2013, yet no major seismic activity ensued. These events, though interesting, are narrative and have no scientific support.

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