Rare fish sighting in Japan sparks 'precursor to earthquake' fears

New York Post ^ | 02/02/2019 | Chris Perez |

[BenLurkin]

Photos posted on Instagram showed one of the two deep-sea dwellers — which reportedly measured 10.5 and 13 feet, respectively. One was found on the shore of Toyama Bay and the other got caught in a fishing net near the port of Imizu.

According to Japanese legend, the fish will purposely rise to the surface and beach themselves whenever they believe trouble’s on the way. Residents have reported their presence before the arrivals of tsunamis and earthquakes in the past — including the 2011 Fukushima quake. However, experts have said not to worry.

“The link to reports of seismic activity goes back many, many years, but there is no scientific evidence of a connection so I don’t think people need to worry,” explained Hiroyuki Motomura, a professor of ichthyology at Kagoshima University who spoke to the Morning Post. “I believe these fish tend to rise to the surface when their physical condition is poor, rising on water currents, which is why they are so often dead when they are found,” he said.

Still, the sightings weren’t sitting so well with social media users this week.

[null and void]

Oar fish?

[antidemoncrat]

There was a rare sighting like this in 2008 off the east coast of the US just before the elections and nothing happened...oh wait, a disaster did happen in Jan. 2009.

[null and void]

Or maybe since it means there will be an earthquake or not, it’s an either-oar fish...

[jjotto]

oarfish

[BenLurkin]

http://www.lerctr.org/~transit/healy/brilliant.wav

[donozark]

Last para they blame it on global warming. Yes....//

[null and void]

I’m *blushing*...

[Cold Heart]

Good one.

I did see a beautifully colored one dead on the beach years ago. If I hadn’t been trail master of a group of horse riders I would have abandoned them and taken the fish for some home taxidermy.

[Phillyred]

It’s the Polar Vortexxxxxxxx! That would be a good band name.

[gaijin]

vance palmer

[lee martell]

The Oarfish is a beautiful piece of nature. Wonder if it’s edible?
The jaws look small in proportion, so it may be an herbivore, and not be a huge danger to people or other large animals.

[Pollster1]

Deep sea dwellers can be a sign of impending earthquakes in Japan . . . or worse:

Oh, no, there goes Tokyo
Go, go, Godzilla (yeah)

[FreedomPoster]

Of course they do.

[dhs12345]

Sushi!

[Go Gordon]

Sushi!

If you knew sushi, like I knew sushi...

[Calvin Locke]

According to Wikipedia, they generally come to the surface when sick or dying, and aren't considered "good eats" because the flesh is quite gelatinous.

Oh, and it's a plankton strainer, and usually the predatee of bigger critters.

[Beowulf9]

Oar fish may have been mistaken for a sea serpent. From The Natural history of Norway: "...a sea serpent, one with a head that resembled a horse, and another with a snake-like body. Pontoppidan asserts that these eye-witness accounts provide “

[John Locke]

From The Deep:

"Have faith in the fish!"

[Beowulf9]

19 APR CAN OARFISH PREDICT EARTHQUAKES? MAPPING OUT OARFISH SIGHTINGS AND EARTHQUAKE EVENTS http://aboutcagayandeoro.com/can-oarfish-predict-earthquakes/