An angler in Balik Pulau, Penang, successfully reeled in a cusk eel, a species typically found at much greater depths beneath the ocean’s surface. Marine researchers are speculating that undersea earthquakes might have prompted these deep-sea fish to ascend to shallower waters, offering a rare opportunity for such an unusual catch.
Mohamad Hafiz Mohd Ariffin, a 37-year-old fisherman, made the remarkable catch at a depth of 42 meters, 16 nautical miles southwest of Penang island, using only a rod and line. The unexpected appearance of the cusk eel has intrigued ichthyologists, prompting efforts to convince the fisherman to contribute the specimen to science for preservation in the fish collection at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
Describing his find, Mohamad Hafiz said, “I’ve been a fisherman for 18 years, and I have never seen such a fish.” The 30cm-long fish was caught during a routine fishing expedition, and its distinct features left both the angler and fellow fishermen puzzled.
Dr. Khaironizam Md Zain, an ichthyologist at USM, expressed his surprise at the catch, noting that cusk eels are typically deep-sea dwellers, with most members concentrated in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific regions. He speculates that the species might have a distribution in the Indo-Pacific region, and the unusual migration to shallower waters could be linked to seismic activity in the Indian Ocean and western Pacific region.
While there is a longstanding belief, particularly in Japan, that the presence of deep-sea fish near the surface signals impending earthquakes, a 2019 comparative analysis of over 300 deep-sea fish sightings and earthquakes in Japan from 1928 to 2011 found no conclusive correlation. The scientific community remains intrigued by this rare catch, hoping it may provide valuable insights into the behaviour of deep-sea species and their responses to undersea events.
