A surprising event happened in Maasim, a beachside town in the Philippines. Thousands of sardines called ‘lopoy’ washed up onto the shore, covering the sand with a shiny layer of silver.
The Town’s Sardines haul
The whole town, from the youngest to the oldest, came together to pick up these tiny sardines with their hands, buckets, and any container they could use.
Village leaders pitched in, too, making sure that everyone got a fair amount of fish.
Families ended up taking home buckets full of sardines, up to 66 pounds each!
A Gift From the Sea
Despite the buzz about why this happened, the people of Maasim chose to see the bright side and be thankful for their unexpected luck.
“Allan Gomez Dionaldo, a 28-year-old local, told reporters in Filipino, “We’re thankful for this blessing from God.” He himself took home at least five pails full of sardines.
The abundance of sardines meant plenty of food for many families.
Shore Turned Silver
It’s not often you see so many fish out of water like this.
Experts suggest that sudden ocean changes, such as cooling waters, stronger waves, or a shortage of plankton, might push sardines toward the shore.
But old stories also often link such natural events to disasters.
Clearing Up Misconceptions
Because of the rarity of the event, online commenters have their doubts, with some saying, “There’s something fishy going on here.”
Cirilo Aquadera Lagnason Jr. from the local environmental office clarified that fish washing up on the beach doesn’t mean an earthquake is coming.
48 hours later
Here’s where it became much more interesting.
A strong earthquake hit an area around 62 miles (100 kilometers) offshore from Maasim, sparking speculation that the fishes were really a warning sign.
Local experts clarified the two events are unconnected.
They explained that the fish were there because of ‘upwelling’ – that’s when nutrients from deeper water come up to the top and create lots of food for fish like plankton near the coast, which draws sardines in.
More Than Just Food
The surprise visit from so many sardines did more than just feed the town. It brought people together and got everyone talking.
It also made some think about the ocean and our environment.
While it’s a good thing for the village, it’s also a chance for all of us to pay more attention to the sea and its health.
Check out the full story here:
@philippinestar An overly large volume of tiny sardines got swept by waves from the sea into beaches in Maasim town in Sarangani at dawn Sunday. The beaching of fishes at shorelines is caused by sudden changes in sea temperature, wave directions, and a lack of plankton to feed on. Hundreds of villagers had brought home at least 20 to 30 kilos each of tiny sardines, called “lopoy” in local dialects, that they conveniently scooped from the shallow shores of Barangay Tinoto using their bare hands, pails, and basins. | via John Unson/The Philippine STAR #philippinestar #socialnewsph #sardines #sarangani ♬ original sound – Philippine STAR