King-Of-The-Salmon Spotted In California's Monterey Bay In Rare Surface Encounter
IFLScience • • science
Key Points:
- A rare juvenile king-of-the-salmon fish was spotted unusually close to shore at only 4.6 meters depth off McAbee Beach, a significant departure from its typical deep-sea habitat of up to 900 meters.
- Diver Ted Judah discovered the fish on December 30, describing its elusive behavior and sharing photos online to seek identification help.
- Marine biologists, including experts from Monterey Bay Aquarium, confirmed the fish as a juvenile king-of-the-salmon, marking only the second sighting of this species in 2025.
- Despite its name, the king-of-the-salmon is not a salmon but was named by the Makah Indigenous people, who believe it guides salmon to their spawning grounds
