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"This strange world . . . When once it has been seen, it will remain forever the most vivid memory in life, solely because of its cosmic chill and isolation, the eternal and absolute darkness and the indescribable beauty of its inhabitants." — William Beebe, zoologist and deep-sea explorer
 | The orange roughy can live up to 150 years. Slow growth and a slow metabolism help animals handle the cold waters of the deep but make it very difficult for them to rebound from overfishing. |
As familiar species like cod are depleted by overfishing, commercial fishers are increasingly turning their attention to the deep sea. Yet overfishing deep-sea species is particularly risky because populations can be wiped out before we know how many fish there are or whether they can bounce back. The exploitation of one species also affects many other animals. For example, yellowfin tuna feed primarily on lanternfish that migrate to the surface each night to feed. Overfishing one species could thus disrupt the entire ocean food chain.
 | The orange roughy can live up to 150 years. Slow growth and a slow metabolism help animals handle the cold waters of the deep but make it very difficult for them to rebound from overfishing. © Brad Wetherbee |
In 1978, huge schools of little-known fish called slimeheads were found clustered around an underwater plateau off New Zealand. The meaty, red-orange fish could be hauled up by the ton. Marketed under the name "orange roughy," it became immensely popular. Within 15 years, 80 percent were wiped out by overfishing.
Researchers discovered that orange roughies grow so slowly they cannot breed until age 30, meaning it would take an extremely long time for their population to recover. Strict limits on fishing were put in place just in time to prevent a total collapse.
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