2.7-meter-long giant oarfish found on Kunigami coastline despite being a deep-water fish
A giant oarfish washed ashore in front of Hatsumi Teruya, one of the people who found the fish – March 14, Kaganji, Kunigami (photograph provided by Shusei Teruya)
March 17, 2022 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Hideki Matsudo
Kunigami – A deep-sea giant oarfish (also known as king of herrings) was found washed up on the beach in Kaganji, Kunigami on March 14.
The fish measured 2.7 meters in length. The fish was discovered by Uruma City business owner Shusei Teruya, 58, and his wife Hatsumi, 58. Shusei said, “At first we thought it was a moray eel, but it had a red fin and something that looked like a cockscomb, and was surprised to realize it was a giant oarfish, which I had seen on TV.”
A giant oarfish has a long and slender body like a snake, and is characterized by the long red fin extending down its body from its head. As a deep-sea fish, it is rare for one to be seen by people, however in the past people have occasionally caught them when fishing in the middle of the Sea of Japan.
Shinichiro Oka, head of the Okinawa Churashima Foundation Research Center, who confirmed the fish’s species at the beach, said, “Without doing a detailed investigation, it will be hard to determine why it washed ashore.”
(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)
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