The discovery of giant oarfish at the coast of Japan continued - there were also fears that it was "precursory of the earthquake"

Recently the CNN.co.jap Online reported the following:

日本沿岸でリュウグウノツカイの発見相次ぐ　「地震の前兆」と恐れる声も

2019.02.03 Sun posted at 13:13 JST

 （ＣＮＮ） 日本沿岸で最近、珍しい深海魚リュウグウノツカイが相次いで見つかった。この魚は「地震の前兆」という言い伝えもあり、インターネット上で心配の声も上がっているが、科学的な関連性は確認されていない。

富山湾では１日、定置網にかかったリュウグウノツカイ２匹が見つかった。富山県では昨秋以降、すでに射水市沖で全長４メートルのリュウグウノツカイが定置網にかかり、魚津市の海岸に全長３．２メートルの１匹が打ち上げられるなど、計５匹が確認されていた。

リュウグウノツカイは銀色の体と赤いひれが特徴で、水深２００～１０００メートルの深海にすむ。地震の前兆を知らせるという言い伝えもあるが、科学的な関連性は確認されていない。

魚津水族館の飼育員、西馬和沙さんはＣＮＮの取材に対し、「リュウグウノツカイが大地震の前後に現れるという説に科学的な裏付けは全くないが、可能性を１００％否定することもできない」と語った。発見が相次いでいる理由として、地球温暖化や未知の要因による影響も考えられるという。

２０１１年３月に起きた東日本大震災の前には、日本の沿岸に１年間で十数匹が打ち上げられたと報告されている。西馬さんは、地震発生前に海底で起きるわずかな地殻変動によって海流が変化し、その影響でリュウグウノツカイが海面近くまで浮上してくるのかもしれないと指摘する。

稲村修館長によれば、リュウグウノツカイはえさになるオキアミが海面まで浮上するとそれを追って移動し、沿岸部に姿を現すという。

Translation

(CNN) Recently, a rare deep-sea fish, giant oarfish, one after another was found at the coast of Japan. There was also a legend that this fish was a "precursor of an earthquake", and in the Internet the voice of worry had also been raised, but scientific relevance had not been confirmed.

On the first [February] in Toyama bay, two giant oarfish were found on a stationary net. Since last autumn in Toyama prefecture off the cost of Imizu, already a 4-meter-long giant oarfish was found hooked inside a stationary net. At the coast of Uozu city, one giant oarfish of 3.2 meters in length was washed ashore. ​A total of 5 numbers had already been confirmed.

Giant oarfish was characterized by a silver body and a red fin, and it lived in deep water at a depth of 200-1000 meters. There was also a legend that it was the precursors of earthquake, but scientific relevance had not been confirmed.

Kazuya Nishima, a keeper at the Uozu Aquarium told CNN that "there is no scientific backing in the theory that giant oarfish appears before and after a major earthquake, but we cannot deny 100% such a possibility". It was said that influences of global warming and unknown factors might be reasons for its discoveries in succession.

Before the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in March 2011, it had been reported that more than dozens had been washed ashore over the coast of Japan in a year. Mr. Nishima pointed out that ocean current changes due to a slight crustal deformation that occurred at the seabed before the earthquake might cause the giant oarfish to float near the sea surface.

According to Director Osamu Inamura when krill, a feed of giant oarfish, rose to the surface of the sea, giant oarfish would move and follow them and appeared at the coastal area.

        I am interested to know why krill rose to the sea surface suddenly. News about deep-sea fish being caught was often reported in Japan, for example please see my blog dated 18.6.2014.