Blobfish Named New Zealand's 2025 Fish of the Year

MAR 19·UPDATED MAR 19

Blobfish Named New Zealand's 2025 Fish of the Year

story

Above: The Psychrolutes phrictus fish. Image copyright: HUM Images/Contributor/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

The blobfish's victory is a triumph of unconventional beauty and a chance for an underappreciated species to shine after years of being mocked for its appearance. It proves that even the most maligned creatures deserve recognition and protection.

Narrative B

The close competition between the blobfish and orange roughy highlights urgent conservation challenges in deep-sea ecosystems. Both species face significant threats from bottom trawling practices, with New Zealand controlling 80% of global orange roughy catches.

Independent Guardian

Metaculus Prediction

The Controversies

Will the Woolly Mammoth Be Resurrected by 2028?

Articles on this story

Blobfish once deemed ‘world’s ugliest animal’ wins New Zealand ‘fish of the year’

New York PostMAR 9

Once named world’s ugliest animal, blobfish wins New Zealand’s fish of the year

Blobfish overcomes notoriety as worlds ugliest animal to win NZ fish of the year

Blobfishs remarkable comeback story, from worlds ugliest animal to New Zealands fish of the year

IndependentMAR 9

The world's ugliest animal is celebrated as New Zealand's fish of the year

Bias Split Public Figures Controversies

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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.16.0

© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.16.0