ENCINITAS, Calif. (CNS) – For the second time this year, a rare deep-sea oarfish has washed ashore in San Diego County, giving scientists a chance to study the species without plumbing the depths of the ocean, it was announced Wednesday.

Last week, Scripps Institution of Oceanography PhD candidate Alison Laferriere found the deceased 9.5-foot specimen at Grandview Beach in Encinitas — just the 21st of its species documented to have washed up on California beaches since 1901, officials said.

The previous 12.25-foot long fish was found in August by kayakers and snorkelers in La Jolla Cove.

Ben Frable, manager of the Scripps Oceanography Marine Vertebrate Collection — one of the largest collections of deep-sea fish in the world — contacted the NOAA Fisheries West Coast team to recover the specimen and transport it to the Southwest Fisheries Science Center, according to a Scripps statement.

“We took samples and froze the specimen awaiting further study and final preservation in the Marine Vertebrate Collection,” Frable said. “Like with the previous oarfish, this specimen and the samples taken from it will be able to tell us much about the biology, anatomy, genomics and life history of oarfishes.”

It is unclear why two of the rarely seen, short-crested oarfish have washed up on local shores, Frable said.

“It may have to do with changes in ocean conditions and increased numbers of oarfish off our coast,” he said. “Many researchers have suggested this as to why deep-water fish strand on beaches.

“Sometimes it may be linked to broader shifts such as the El Niño and La Niña cycle but this is not always the case. There was a weak El Niño earlier this year. This wash-up coincided with the recent red tide and Santa Ana winds last week but many variables could lead to these strandings.”

The species has a long, scale-less, ribbon-like silvery body with dark spots. A long red dorsal fin crest extends from the top of the head.

Often described as sea serpents, oarfish can grow to lengths of 30 feet and are the longest bony fish in the world. Oarfish have a mythical reputation as predictors of natural disasters and earthquakes.

If someone finds an unusual or rare creature on the beach, they are encouraged to alert the local lifeguards. If in Southern California, members of the public can notify Scripps Institution of Oceanography at scrippsnews@ucsd.edu or 858-534-3624. Many beaches may be marine protected areas, where taking of organisms — living or dead — is illegal.

Copyright 2024, City News Service, Inc.

• Submit Tips for Investigations
• Newsletters
• About NBC 7 San Diego
• Our News Standards
• Xfinity: Internet, TV, streaming, more

• KNSD Public Inspection File
• KNSD Accessibility
• KNSD Employment Information
• Send Feedback
• FCC Applications
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Advertise with us
• Careers at NBC 7
• CA Notice
• Ad Choices

Copyright © 2024 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All rights reserved

It will soon be 10 years since the city of San Diego adopted Vision Zero with the goal of having no non-motorist traffic deaths on city streets. However, a report published by Circulate San Diego, called “Vision Zero At Ten Years,” found there are more pedestrian deaths occurring now than when the initiative began in 2015. 

Will Moore, policy counsel for Circulate San Diego, authored the 20-page report. He said the city is “struggling forward in a safety crisis.” Moore applauded the city for making certain improvements — like the median work being done at the intersection of University Avenue and 44th Street — but said solutions are not coming quickly enough. 

“We need to do more. We need to re-double our efforts,” Moore said.

According to the report, the organization performed “walk audits” of neighborhoods known to have injuries and deaths based on local, state and federal data. They found points of concern in the City Heights and Grant Hill neighborhoods, including faded crosswalks, short crossing times and uneven roads, that could all be contributing factors to crashes. 

However, the report concluded the main reasons why crashes are becoming deadlier, despite efforts to make roads safer for all users, are bigger, faster cars coupled with smartphones and visibility issues that come with driving at night. 

The city’s response

A spokesperson for the city of San Diego sent NBC 7 a statement that said it agreed with the report’s finding that “substantial” improvement is needed. The statement also said, in part, “safety is the City’s primary concern regarding mobility and the work to create safer streets for all users, especially the most vulnerable, is constant.” 

The statement explained, “systemic safety involves implementing safety measures that account for human error and injury tolerance. This includes enhancing separation and visibility, reducing user speeds through thoughtful road design and environmental modifications, minimizing conflicts at intersections.”

Another statement shared with NBC 7 on behalf of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said, “Mayor Gloria’s first four budgets invested tens of millions of dollars in making our streets and pedestrian infrastructure safer and more accessible for all travelers, including pedestrians and cyclists.”

“His first four budgets created a total of 385 miles of bike lanes, including 101 miles of Class IV (separated) lanes. This is well over double the 168 miles of lanes created in the four years prior,” the statement continued.

The city also added that infrastructure quality will remain a priority in upcoming budgets and they will continue to work alongside groups like Circulate San Diego to make streets safer.

The loss of a loved one

“A protected bike lane would have saved Kevin’s life,” Nancy Cavanaugh-Wilson told NBC 7 as she held a framed photo of her husband, Kevin Wilson, riding his bike.

Wilson died on Jan. 20, 2020, after being hit by a car while on his morning ride. Cavanaugh-Wilson said he was an “avid cyclist” and had been on a bike since he was a young boy. She said she would worry about him every time he left home to go for a ride, despite how well “he knew the rules of the road.”

“This was out of his hands, you know,” Cavanaugh-Wilson, as she recalled being told he was hit by a driver from behind, said. “He didn’t stand a chance.”

Despite how difficult it is to relive that day, she said she does not want anyone to have to go through the same thing. 

“We need people to be aware, and we need the city to improve what needs to be done to make our roads safer,” she said. She is now an advocate with Families for Safe Streets San Diego. While she said she knows the goal of zero traffic-related deaths on city streets is a lofty one, she said it is a motivator. 

“I don’t know if it’s ever going to happen, but we need that goal,” Cavanaugh-Wilson said. “Whatever it takes.”