History of Oarfish in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: August 17, 2024

Oarfish are a family (Regalecidae) of large, elongated fish found in temperate and tropical oceans. They are rarely observed, making them a subject of fascination. The giant oarfish, one of the three species within this family, is the longest bony fish alive, reaching lengths of up to 8 meters (26 feet).

2001: Oarfish Filmed Alive by U.S. Navy

In 2001, a 1.5-meter (4.9-foot) oarfish was filmed alive by U.S. Navy personnel during a buoy inspection in the Bahamas. The oarfish propelled itself using an amiiform mode of swimming and was observed swimming in a vertical orientation, potentially indicating a feeding posture.

February 2003: Oarfish Caught in the UK

An oarfish measuring 3.3 meters (11 feet) and weighing 63.5 kilograms (140 pounds) was caught using a fishing rod baited with squid at Skinningrove, United Kingdom in February 2003.

July 2008: First Confirmed Sighting of Oarfish in Natural Habitat

In July 2008, scientists captured footage of an oarfish swimming in the mesopelagic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. This was the first confirmed sighting of an oarfish at depth, with the fish estimated to be between five and ten meters (16 and 33 feet) in length.

2008: Oarfish Observations in the Gulf of Mexico

As part of the SERPENT Project, five observations of healthy oarfish were reported from the northern Gulf of Mexico between 2008 and 2011 at depths within the epipelagic and mesopelagic zones.

December 2009: Unusual Oarfish Appearances in Japan

From December 2009 to March 2010, unusual numbers of slender oarfish appeared in the waters and on the beaches of Japan. These appearances are said to portend earthquakes, building up the myth after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

March 2010: Unusual Oarfish Appearances in Japan

2011: Oarfish Myth and 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake

After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which killed over 20,000 people, many pointed to the unusual oarfish appearances from 2009-2010 to support the myth of the oarfish as a harbinger of earthquakes.

2011: Deepest Verified Record of Oarfish

In 2011, an oarfish was observed switching from a vertical to lateral swimming posture in the northern Gulf of Mexico, at a depth of 463–492 meters (1,519–1,614 feet), marking the deepest verified record of R. glesne.

2016: Jeremy Wade's Oarfish Encounter

In 2016, Animal Planet aired an episode of River Monsters featuring Jeremy Wade's encounter with live oarfish while diving. Wade filmed two oarfish as they ascended to the surface, even touching one of them.

January 2019: Live Oarfish Found in Okinawa

In January 2019, two live oarfish were found in the nets of fishermen on the Japanese island of Okinawa.

February 2019: First Successful Artificial Insemination of Oarfish

From January to February 2019, researchers achieved the first successful artificial insemination and hatching of the oarfish using gonads from washed-up specimens. The larvae swam using their pectoral fins and died of starvation after four days.