06 January 2024 , 17:19
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Locals fear that they are on the brink of a natural disaster after they reeled in a doomsday fish - which carries a devastating superstition.
Fishermen, from the La-ngu district, Satun Province, Thailand, were left stunned after they picked up the harbinger oarfish in the Andaman Sea, which is rarely ever seen by humans.
The eerie-looking creature is often found deep beneath the ocean, but it was found in shallow waters on January 3. The discovery isn't one to be celebrated as a local legend believes that if the fish is found in shallow waters, then an earthquake or even a tsunami is imminent. Due to the bad omen, the creature is usually dubbed "earthquake fish", due to its devastating consequences. The unbelievable find has triggered a response from experts.
The fish is usually found in deep waters (Jam Press)
Locals discovered the fish on January 3 (Jam Press)Marine ecology lecturer Thō̜n Thamrongnāwāsawat of Kasetsart University said: “The Andaman Sea is deep, with depths of up to 2,000 metres in Thailand. However, oarfish are not typically caught, as people generally don’t fish in deep waters.”
One local, named Boomerange, said: “If encountering an oarfish in the vicinity of Satun, it may indicate a potential concern for an earthquake along the Andaman coast. And there could be a tsunami as well.” Another called Wannarrong Sa-ard said: “It looks like an oarfish. Oarfish, nicknamed the ‘earthquake fish’, is a deep-sea fish. When it surfaces, earthquakes often occur.”
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A third commented: “With the sea in turmoil, be ready to face natural disasters.” But Dr Thamrongnāwāsawat sought to calm fears. He wrote: “Recently, the cold water entering the Andaman Sea has led to unusual fish sightings due to the Indian Ocean Dipole.
Fishermen believe the creature could mean an earthquake is coming (Jam Press)
The fish feed off tiny plankton (Jam Press)“Previously, a Mola mola was caught in a net, and now an oarfish. It’s plausible that these fish are following the cold water mass.” The expert added: “While unusual events occur in the ocean, understanding the context helps avoid unnecessary alarm.”
The giant oarfish is thought to live at depths around 3,300ft (1,000m). It is the longest-known living species of bony fish, reaching a length of 56ft (17m) and weighing up to 600lb (270kg). Giant oarfish are rarely seen at the surface. Scientists think they wash up when in distress or dying, or after storms or strong currents. They are related to Russell’s oarfish known in Japan as “Messengers from the Sea God’s Palace”.
According to traditional belief, if they wash up, an earthquake may be coming. Japanese geologist Kiyoshi Wadatsumi, this could be based in science. He said in a 2013 report: “Deep-sea fish living near the sea bottom are more sensitive to the movements of active faults than those near the surface of the sea.”