Sharks attack rare oarfish that anglers come across near Cabo San Lucas

 

Deep-sea fishing is appealing in part because you never know what you might come across at sea.

However, it is safe to assume that no one would anticipate coming across a ten-foot oarfish that was being attacked by sharks.

The oarfish in issue, a red-finned, serpentine creature, was observed drifting close to the surface on May 28 off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

While fishing offshore, Tony Frasconi, a local angler, and his buddies Ken and Gary noticed an oarfish that was missing its tail fin as sharks swam around it.


Pisces Sportfishing Fleet interviewed the anglers after they returned to port.

In a separate Facebook post, Pisces added: “This deep-water species is seldom seen and rarely this big. This fish is also known as the ‘Earthquake Fish’ as folk knowledge says they only appear when an earthquake is about to take place.”

It is thought that stories of sea monsters were inspired by oarfish because of its unusual appearance and enormous size, which fascinated ancient mariners.

They can reach depths of more than 50 feet and are found usually at depths of more than 3,000 feet, according to National Geographic.