Abstract
On 11 January 2023, many stranded starry toados（Arothron firmamentum）（Temminck & Schlegel, 1850）were observed on sandy beaches in the southwestern part of Fukui Prefecture. Similar cases have also been reported on sandy beaches at various locations along the coast of the Sea of Japan.The fishes stranded in Fukui Prefecture displayed an unimodal length distribution, with an average total length of about 150 mm. Their body surface appearance varied from fresh, partially damaged, to almost rotten, likely indicating the time elapsed since stranding, suggesting that multiple grounding events had occurred in the study areas. Seawater temperature near the study areas decreased drastically, likely weakening the mobility of starry toados that must have been carried by coastal water currents and winds, resulting in grounding.
