KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (Philippines): A dead rare oarfish was washed ashore along the coast of Barangay Tabayon in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, on Wednesday (July 29), raising concern among some residents because of the fish’s “long-standing association with earthquakes.”
Facebook user Dorz Kie, a resident who found the fish, said it was about six feet long and was discovered at around 2.27pm.
He said they initially thought it was just an ordinary fish but later noticed its unusual features, including a small tail, small eyes, and a long, protruding structure on top of its head.
He noted the fish appeared to have died only recently because its gills were still red and its eyes remained clear.
No wounds or signs of injury were noticed on its body.
He said it was the first time they encountered such a fish. And since they did not know what kind of fish it was and had no intention of eating it, they returned the dead fish to the sea.
The discovery sparked fear among some residents after they learned on social media that the fish was an oarfish, a deep-sea species long been linked by folklore to impending earthquakes.
The Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) of Jose Abad Santos later confirmed that the fish was an oarfish, a deep-sea species that people seldom see.
The oarfish is a rare deep-sea species that lives hundreds of meters below the ocean’s surface and is considered one of the longest bony fish in the world.
Although many believe that the appearance of an oarfish signals an approaching earthquake, scientists say there is no solid evidence proving a connection between oarfish sightings and earthquake activity, even if the species had occasionally been observed before or after earthquakes.
Authorities reminded the public not to eat dead or stranded fish because they may pose health risks. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
