The blobfish, Psychrolutes marcidus, gained global notoriety after a photograph of a specimen with a distinctly unusual, melted appearance went viral. This image cemented its reputation as a vulnerable, sad-looking creature, leading to a widespread assumption that the species must be on the brink of extinction. This perception, fueled by the unappealing photograph, has created a significant misconception about its true conservation status. This article clarifies the actual scientific designation of the blobfish and explores the genuine threats it faces in the deep ocean.
The Myth vs. The Reality of the Blobfish’s Appearance
The famous gelatinous, pinkish “blob” appearance is a profound distortion of the fish’s natural form. This look is the result of extreme decompression trauma suffered after the animal is rapidly pulled from its habitat. The blobfish typically resides at depths between 600 and 1,200 meters, where the pressure is many times greater than at the ocean surface.
In its native environment, the blobfish appears more like a typical, tadpole-shaped fish with a large, bulbous head and a tapered tail. It has loose, flabby skin and lacks a swim bladder, the gas-filled organ most surface fish use for buoyancy. Instead, its body is composed of a gelatinous mass of tissue with a density slightly less than water, which allows it to float effortlessly just above the seafloor. This adaptation enables the fish to conserve energy in the food-scarce deep sea, passively waiting for food to drift by.
Defining the Official Conservation Status
Despite the public perception of the blobfish being critically endangered, its official classification paints a different, albeit incomplete, picture. The species Psychrolutes marcidus is currently listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species as “Not Evaluated” (NE). This designation is not a sign of security but rather an indication that scientists have yet to complete a formal assessment of its risk of global extinction.
Many other deep-sea species, including some blobfish populations, are often designated as “Data Deficient” (DD). This category is used when the available information is insufficient to assess the species’ risk of extinction based on its distribution and population status. Therefore, while the blobfish is not officially listed as endangered, its status remains unknown, which prevents meaningful conservation action through the standard IUCN framework.
Why Data is Lacking: Challenges of Deep-Sea Monitoring
The primary reason the blobfish remains “Not Evaluated” is the immense logistical challenge of studying the deep-sea environment. The habitat is located within the abyssal zone, a vast, cold, and dark area that covers more than 90% of the ocean floor. Sampling populations that are naturally dispersed over wide ranges in this remote area is difficult and costly.
Specialized equipment, such as expensive Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and manned submersibles, are required to withstand the crushing pressures and darkness of these depths. Even when specimens are collected, the rapid change in pressure and temperature often results in tissue damage, complicating morphological and genetic analysis. Consequently, research expeditions are rare, resulting in a severe lack of baseline data on population size, distribution, reproductive rates, and overall ecology for the species.
Actual Threats to the Blobfish Population
While the blobfish is not commercially targeted, it faces a significant and measurable threat from indirect human activity, primarily deep-sea bottom trawling. This fishing practice involves dragging large, heavy nets along the ocean floor to catch commercially valuable deep-sea species. The fishing fleets operate in the same continental slope waters off the coasts of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand where the blobfish resides.
As a result, the blobfish is frequently caught as unintentional bycatch in nets seeking deep-water crustaceans and other fish. The act of being trawled not only removes individuals from the population but also causes immediate death due to the rapid decompression and physical trauma. Furthermore, bottom trawling is one of the most destructive forms of fishing, as it scrapes and damages the fragile deep-sea habitat where the blobfish lives and reproduces. The slow growth, late maturity, and low reproductive rate typical of deep-sea fish mean that populations are especially vulnerable to overfishing and recover very slowly after being disturbed.