Once dubbed the world’s ugliest animal, the blobfish has now been crowned New Zealand’s fish of the year. The gelatinous creature, known scientifically as Psychrolutes marcidus, dwells in the high-pressure depths off the coasts of New Zealand and Australia. Unlike typical fish, it lacks a swim bladder, a full skeleton, muscles, or scales. Instead, its body is comprised of a unique, blobby tissue that is less dense than water, allowing it to float above the seafloor.
According to Konrad Kurta, a spokesperson from the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, which organizes the annual competition, the blobfish is slow-growing, long-lived (potentially up to 130 years), and moves at a leisurely pace. The species plays a dedicated parent, with females laying up to 100,000 eggs in a single nest, which they guard until hatching.
The blobfish gained widespread attention over a decade ago when a member of a New Zealand research vessel captured its image. The pressure of the water normally gives the blobfish its characteristic shape, but once brought to the surface, the sudden decompression can cause the fish to appear disfigured.
While the conservation status of the blobfish is not well understood due to a lack of comprehensive research, their populations and habitats are considered vulnerable to activities such as deep-sea trawling.
In 2020, the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust launched the Fish of the Year competition, modeled after the highly popular Bird of the Year. The 2025 contest saw the highest number of votes ever, with the blobfish winning on 1,286 votes, narrowly beating the orange roughy, despite the latter’s support from groups such as Greenpeace and the Environmental Law Initiative.
Aaron Packard, a spokesperson for Environmental Law Initiative, expressed pleasedness with the blobfish’s win, noting that from an ecosystem perspective, the victory could also signify a win for the orange roughy. New Zealand is responsible for about 80% of the global orange roughy catch, and environmental groups have been calling for a halt to fishing the species due to concerns about bottom trawling’s impact on ecosystems and fish populations.
In addition to the blobfish, other contenders in the competition included the enigmatic longfin eel (tuna in Māori), the critically endangered pygmy pipehorse, and various species of sharks and rays. With about 85% of New Zealand’s marine and freshwater fish considered vulnerable, the competition serves as a reminder of the urgency to protect and conserve the country’s diverse aquatic life.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/18/once-named-worlds-ugliest-animal-blobfish-wins-new-zealands-fish-of-the-year
