It may seem like something out of deep sea mythos, but a
monster fish became a reality for stunned beachgoers last week. An oarfish, a
deep sea creature which has rarely - if ever - been seen alive before, washed
ashore near Hacienda Beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on Friday. Also known as
a ribbon fish, is the longest bony fish in the sea - characterised by its shiny
silver body and red or orange dorsal fin.
The Pisces Fleet Sport Fishing blog reported that some
locals jumped in to help the fish away from the beach, but it kept drifting
back to the sand. The blog said that park wardens quickly responded, scooping
the fish out of the water, and dumping it back into the sea about two miles out
before scientists could get there to take samples.
The oarfish typically resides in depths of about 3,000
feet below the surface, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service. However,
they reportedly come up to the surface of the ocean if they are sick or
injured. Oarfish can grow to up to 50 feet in length but they are not known to
be dangerous, as they don't have any teeth. Little else is known about the
creature, as a live one has only been seen a handful of times. The NMFS said
that the first known video of a live oarfish was shot by divers in the Bahamas
back in 2001
Mail Online
