It’s a cymothoa exigua and is usually found off the coast of California, so chances are the fish isn’t local. For people who love nature, though, the author of the article doesn’t seem to know much about it; “the isopod, a type of louse” should be “the louse, a type of isopod” 😛

The coolest thing about these guys, though, is that the fish uses the parasite as a replacement tongue and other than the fact the tongue atrophies it really doesn’t damage the host fish. Also, I’d worry more about the weever fish than the louse; the louse is unlikely to bite a person but the weever fish has a wicked sting.