PHOTO: One Of The World’s Rarest Fish Found On San Diego Beach
By Rebekah Gonzalez
December 16, 2021
Another extremely rare deep-sea fish has washed up on the shore of a San Diego beach, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.
According to KSWB, scientists were notified on December 10 of a deceased female Pacific footballfish found at Swami's Beach in Encinitas.
The fish measured nearly 13 inches long and weighed 5 pounds according to Scripps spokeswoman Brittany Hook.
This is already the third time this past month a deep-sea fish was reported near an area beach.
Rare find‼️ A Pacific #footballfish, one of the largest species of #anglerfish, washed ashore near Encinitas last Friday. Lifeguards notified scientists about the unique #deepsea creature, and Scripps scientist Ben @Frable was able to collect it for research and preservation. pic.twitter.com/nP76zzwBa4
— Scripps Institution of Oceanography (@Scripps_Ocean) December 14, 2021
In November, another Pacific footballfish was spotted at Black's Beach in Torrey Pines.
Then, a strange 4-foot lancetfish was also found dead on the sand at La Jolla Shores on December 1.
The most recent occurrence makes this the third time a deep-sea fish has washed ashore to a local beach.
“Experts don’t have any evidence to theorize why these fish are washing ashore in Southern California, but are interested in learning more about the specimens that have been collected or any new ones that might wash up,” said Hook.
Tissue samples from the fish are being collected for genetic analysis and stomach contents are expected to be examined by researchers with Anela Choy's lab at Scripps.