A 1.7-meter "legendary deep-sea fish" caught five times in Busan this year
Speculation rises over "sign of a major earthquake in Japan"... Public anxiety grows
The spotted knifejaw, known as the "legendary deep-sea fish" that is said to be so rare that "only those chosen by the Dragon King can catch it," has become a hot topic after five of them were caught in Busan alone this year. Some are even claiming that this phenomenon could be a "precursor to a major earthquake in Japan," drawing significant attention.
According to KNN on June 24, an enormous spotted knifejaw measuring 170 cm in length and weighing over 100 kg was caught the previous day in the middle of the Korea Strait near Busan. This is the fifth one caught in the same waters this year. On that day, two anglers managed to haul in the 170 cm, 100 kg fish after a fierce struggle lasting about 10 minutes.
The spotted knifejaw is a rare species that inhabits deep waters more than 400 meters below the surface, making it so difficult to encounter that it is called the "legendary deep-sea fish." Only about 30 are caught each year, leading to the saying that "only those chosen by the Dragon King can catch it." However, with five being caught in succession in the waters off Busan this year, some consider this an unusual phenomenon. Captain Kim Kwanghyo, who caught the fish, expressed his surprise, saying, "I've been searching for over 10 years, but I've never seen so many caught in a single year like this."
Some have raised the claim that the recent frequent appearances of the spotted knifejaw may be a "precursor to a major earthquake in Japan in July." In fact, over 300 earthquakes have been detected off the coast of Japan in the past three days, fueling such speculation.
However, experts have dismissed these claims. Park Jungho, a researcher at the National Institute of Fisheries Science, told the media, "The connection between deep-sea fish and earthquakes is just a popular belief and has not been scientifically proven," adding, "Even if there has been an increase in sightings, it is difficult to attribute this to the effects of an earthquake." Professor Kim Youngseok of the Department of Environmental Geology at Pukyong National University also stated, "If it were to occur, the Nankai earthquake happens at intervals of about 100 to 150 years, but it has only been 70 to 80 years since the last one. The recurrence cycle is not yet complete."
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