A 3-meter-long fish called a "harbinger of disaster" washed up on a beach in California. Photo

A rare paddlefish washed up on the beach in Encinitas (USA). This 3-meter-long creature is called a "harbinger of disaster."

Since 1901, only 21 paddlefish have been recorded on the shores of California. However, this year, this ribbon-like creature washed up on the American coast for the second time, NBC News reports.

The disaster fish was discovered in southern California by scientist Alison Laferriere of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego.

According to the researcher, paddlefish are elusive creatures that usually live at a depth of 1000 meters below the ocean surface, that is, in the dark mesopelagic zone beyond the reach of sunlight.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, these mysterious fish, which can grow over 6 meters in length, are still poorly understood creatures by science.

Because of their mysterious and unusual shape, paddlefish have been the heroes of myths and legends for centuries. They are called "doomsday fish" because of their reputation as harbingers of natural disasters or earthquakes.

In 2011, 20 paddlefish washed ashore a few months before the most powerful earthquake in Japan with a magnitude of 9.0. The resulting devastating tsunami killed more than 15,000 people.

According to the Scripps Institute, paddlefish are incredibly rare. Therefore, their numerous appearance on any coast may indicate certain cataclysms. However, a 2019 study conducted by scientists from Japan found no convincing scientific evidence linking these ribbon-like creatures to earthquakes.

Scripps Institution researcher Ben Frable suggested that changing ocean conditions, along with a potential increase in paddlefish populations, could contribute to better conditions for observing and studying the rare fish.

The 3-meter-long paddlefish, which was previously found in La Jolla Cove, north of downtown San Diego, was transported to NOAA's Fisheries Science Center for further study. "Rare encounters like this offer an incredible opportunity to learn more about this species and its behavior," said Ben Frable.

The researcher also noted that although scientists are not sure of the exact reasons, the La Jolla coast, which is located near two underwater canyons that drain deep water to the shore, is usually a hot spot for disoriented or injured deep-sea fish. So it is here that scientists often find strange creatures for further research.

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