The fish, officially called an ‘oarfish’, was caught by the fishing boat Pamasaya Namchok 4. The Namchok 4 was bringing its haul on board while trawling with another fishing boat. The discovery was made while both boats were recovering their nets.
The fish was landed at about midday on Feb 15, while the boats were trawling some 15 nautical miles (about 27km) from the coast off Patong Beach, explained Phuket Fisheries Chief Sittiphon Muangsong.
Supamas Isarabhakdi, Minister of Education, Science, Research and Innovation, later reported the catch to be landed only seven to eight nautical miles (about 13-15km) off the Patong coast.
Mr Sittiphon and officials from the Phuket Marine Fisheries Research and Development Center were present to examine the specimen when it was brought ashore at the Phuket Fishing Port in Ratsada the next morning.
The specimen had been handed over to a different fishing boat to bring it back to Phuket, Mr Sittiphon explained.
The fish was the first oarfish caught by fishing boats operating out of Phuket, Mr Sittiphon noted. The specimen measured 2.85 metres long and weighed 8.6 kilograms.
The deep sea fish is believed to have been lured to the surface by the changing of the tides, he said.
RARE FINDS
Although specimens of oarfish have been found nearly the world over, they are a rare find in surface waters. More rare is that the fish caught off Phuket is the second oarfish to be caught in Thai waters this year, with another oarfish caught off the coast of Satun, south of Phuket, on Jan 4.
Both specimens have been sent to the National Science Museum (NSM) to be studied. Minister Supamas noted that the Phuket specimen was in good condition ‒ aside from a slight, but fatal, wound to its head.
Ms Supamas said she had ordered NSM president Rawin Raviwongse to study the oarfish remains. The species is very rare, and Thailand needs to study the carcasses to find out more about the fish, she added.
The study will provide groundbreaking knowledge that can be beneficial in the future, and the remains will be displayed during an exhibition to give Thais an opportunity to learn about the rare fish, she told the Bangkok Post.
Asst Prof Rawin said that after the study, the two oarfish remains will be preserved by the National Science Museum using the most appropriate method as they are regarded as national treasures.
Thais will be able to see them in the flesh, he added.
MYSTERY OF THE DEEP
Oarfish have been found in nearly every major sea, and were first described by Westerners as ‘sea serpents’ when the remains of an oarfish 16-foot (4.9m) long washed ashore in Bermuda in 1860.
Since then sightings have excited people’s imaginations, especially among Westerners, after United States Navy SEALS discovered a 23-foot (7m) giant oarfish washed up on the shore near San Diego, California, in September 1996. Photos of the giant fish made international news even before the widespread availability of the internet.
The fascination has continued, and just last year a giant oarfish caught on video by divers off the coast of Taiwan also made international news.
Scientists say they know very little about the oarfish and its giant cousin, but do know the fish tend to inhabit waters of up to 1,000m deep, and very rarely venture above depths of 250m.
Described as a pelagic lampriform fish belonging to the small family Regalecidae, they are found in areas spanning from temperate ocean zones to tropical ones, yet are rarely seen.
They traverse vertical columns of water in search of food, mainly zooplankton, selectively straining tiny euphausiids, shrimp, and other crustaceans from the water. Small fish, jellyfish and squid are also taken.
BAD OMEN
The oarfish is called the ‘Naga fish’ in Thailand due to its likeness to the ‘Naga’ sea serpents of Thai folklore, often depicted by statues and sculptures at Buddhist temples throughout the country.
However, witnessing the presence of an oarfish is considered by many cultures to be an omen of impending disaster, giving the fish another nickname: the Doomsday fish.
A spate of oarfish sightings from December 2009 to March 2010 appeared in the waters and on the beaches of Japan, revitalising the superstition that such sightings were bad omens. The appearance of oarfish, known in Japanese folklore as the ‘Messenger from the Sea God’s Palace’, is said to be a warning of impending earthquakes.
After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami which killed over 20,000 people, some reports highlighted many Japanese residents referring to the oarfish sightings from 2009–2010 as precursors to the disaster.
Back here in Phuket, some people suggested that the oarfish caught off the coast of Patong was scared to the surface by an underwater earthquake. Others suggested that it was more likely in a state of confusion or desperation as it was already about to die.