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

New York Post - Mar 19th, 2025

Over a decade after being named the 'world's ugliest animal,' the blobfish has achieved an unexpected victory by securing the 'Fish of the Year' title in New Zealand. This unique contest, organized by the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, saw the blobfish receiving 1,286 votes, surpassing its closest competitor, the orange roughy, by less than 300 votes. The blobfish, known scientifically as Psychrolutes marcidus, is characterized by its gelatinous appearance, which is an adaptation for survival in deep-sea environments near New Zealand and Australia. Despite its online notoriety as a meme subject, the blobfish's natural habitat and population are threatened by deep-sea trawling, a practice that also affects the orange roughy, a species New Zealand heavily relies on for its fishing industry.

The victory of the blobfish in this competition brings attention to the conservation challenges facing deep-sea species. Both the blobfish and the orange roughy inhabit similar environments and are affected by bottom trawling practices. While the exact conservation status of the blobfish remains unknown, the orange roughy is classified as vulnerable, prompting calls for careful management of its habitat. This competition not only highlights the ecological significance of these species but also underscores the broader environmental impacts of fishing practices. The Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust emphasizes that managing the orange roughy populations will also benefit the blobfish, illustrating the interconnectedness of marine ecosystems.

Endangered Species New Zealand Blobfish Fish Of The Year Mountains To Sea Conservation Trust Orange Roughy Deep Sea Trawling Marine Conservation

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

7.0

Fair Story

Consider it well-founded

The article effectively captures the reader's attention with its engaging narrative about the blobfish's win as New Zealand's 'Fish of the Year.' It provides accurate and clear information about the blobfish's unique characteristics and the conservation challenges it faces. The story is timely and relevant, contributing to public interest in marine biodiversity and environmental preservation. However, the article could benefit from greater source diversity and transparency, as well as a more explicit connection between the blobfish's story and broader conservation efforts. Overall, the article succeeds in raising awareness about an intriguing marine species while subtly addressing important environmental issues.

Accuracy

The story accurately reports that the blobfish won the 'Fish of the Year' title in New Zealand, securing 1,286 votes. This aligns with the fact that the contest was organized by the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust. The claim that the blobfish was previously labeled the 'world’s ugliest animal' in 2013 is also correct, as the blobfish gained notoriety through viral memes. The description of the blobfish's anatomy and its adaptation to deep-sea life is consistent with known scientific facts, such as its lack of a swim bladder and its unique tissue structure. However, the article does not specify the exact conservation status of the blobfish, which is an area needing further verification. The story's depiction of the impact of decompression on the blobfish's appearance is accurate, matching the scientific explanation of its disfigured look when brought to the surface.

Balance

The article primarily focuses on the blobfish and its recent accolade, providing a thorough explanation of its characteristics and the competition it won. It mentions the orange roughy as a runner-up and discusses its vulnerability, which adds some balance by highlighting another species affected by similar environmental threats. However, the article could have included more perspectives on the conservation efforts for these species or insights from marine biologists to provide a broader view of the ecological implications. The narrative is somewhat centered around the novelty of the blobfish's appearance and its meme culture fame, which might overshadow the more serious conservation issues at play.

Clarity

The article is well-structured and clearly written, with a logical flow from the blobfish's win to its anatomical features and conservation concerns. The language is accessible, making the content easily understandable to a general audience. The use of vivid descriptions, like the blobfish being a 'small pile of purple goo,' effectively conveys the creature's peculiar appearance. However, the article could benefit from clearer distinctions between the blobfish's meme culture fame and its ecological significance, ensuring readers understand the broader implications of its conservation status.

Source quality

The article mentions the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust as the organizer of the contest, which lends credibility to the reporting. However, it lacks direct quotes or insights from marine biologists or conservation experts, which could have enhanced the reliability and depth of the information presented. The absence of multiple sources or authoritative voices on marine life and conservation efforts limits the article's credibility. Including more expert opinions or references to scientific studies would strengthen the source quality.

Transparency

The article provides basic context about the blobfish's win and its previous 'ugliest animal' title, but it lacks detailed explanations of the methodology behind the contest, such as how votes were collected or the criteria for winning. There is no disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest, such as whether the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust has any affiliations that might influence the contest. The article could improve transparency by offering more background on the conservation trust's objectives and any ongoing initiatives related to the species mentioned.