Overview

• Sybil Robertson discovered the silvery oarfish washed up on Ocean Beach near Strahan on June 2, estimating it at three metres long with visible injuries.
• CSIRO specialists collected tissue and fin samples to examine its injuries and gather data on the species’ anatomy.
• Oarfish normally inhabit depths of 150 to 1,000 metres and surface strandings are rare events often linked to illness or disorientation.
• Japanese and Filipino legends label oarfish as ‘doomsday fish’ tied to earthquakes, but marine researchers report no scientific evidence for disaster warnings.
• Earlier oarfish strandings occurred in California in August and November 2024 and off Tamil Nadu in May 2025, highlighting its sporadic global appearances.