Once again, a deep-sea creature known as an Oarfish has washed up on the shores of California.

A researcher noticed the Oarfish laying on the beach and decided to do further observations.

The fish measured to about 9 to 10 feet and is rarely seen on the surface of the ocean, let alone washed up on the beach. Typically this fish swims at depths of 300 to 3,000 feet within the ocean. The fish, which can grow to be as long as 30 feet long, washes up on the beach when it is injured or disoriented. Scientists think that the Oarfish washed up onto the beach because of the changing weather conditions. On occasion, it is linked to boarder shifts such as the El Niño and the La Niña cycle, however that is not always the case.

As nicknamed “the doomsday fish”, the Oarfish has been involved in many folklore legends. The ribbon like Oarfish hovers over the surface of the water which creates a bioluminescent glow and is said to warn people against upcoming earthquakes. According to Japanese myth, Oarfish are signs of earthquakes and their appearance signals a tremor could be hitting within the near future. In the Japanese legends, they called Oarfish ryugu no tsukai” meaning “the messenger from the sea dragon god’s palace”. This myth caused major problems when 20 Oarfish washed up onto the shore just days before Japan was struck by the countries most powerful earthquake.

Along with earthquakes, many people believe an Oarfish stuck ashore is a sign of a Tsunami. For example, back in 2010 about a dozen Oarfish were spotted on the shores of Japan. Not long after, in March 2011, a severe earthquake hit Fukushima, Japan which triggered a deadly tsunami.  Although there is no real evidence linking Oarfish to earthquakes or tsunamis, many of these similar coincidences make many people believe otherwise.