Deepest fish ever captured on camera by scientists off Japan

Scientists from the University of Western Australia and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology have released footage of a young snailfish that has become the deepest fish ever filmed by scientists during a probe into the abyss of the northern Pacific Ocean. The snailfish was filmed last September by sea robots in deep trenches off Japan, and two other specimens were also caught at 8,022 meters, setting another record for the deepest catch. This is significant as it shows how far a particular type of fish will descend in the ocean, and is part of a 10-year study into the deepest fish populations in the world. Snailfish are members of the Liparidae family, and while most live in shallow water, others survive at some of the greatest depths ever recorded. During a two-month survey last year, three “landers” – automatic sea robots fitted with high-resolution cameras – were dropped into three trenches at varying depths.

In the Izu-Ogasawara trench, footage showed the deepest snailfish hovering calmly alongside other crustaceans on the seabed. Another clip shot at between 7,500 and 8,200 meters in the same trench showed a colony of fish and crustaceans munching at bait tied to an undersea robot. Images of the two captured snailfish – identified as Pseudoliparis belyaevi – provide a rare glimpse of the unique features that help the deep sea species survive the extreme environment. The Pacific Ocean is particularly conducive to vibrant activity due to its warm southern current, which encourages sea creatures to go deeper, and its abundant marine life provides a good source of food for bottom feeders. Scientists would like to know more about creatures living at extreme depths, but cost is the constraint, as each lander alone costs them $200,000 to assemble and operate.