The Abyssal Smooth Head (family Alepocephalidae), also known as slickheads, are deep-sea fish inhabiting the bathypelagic and abyssal zones of the world's oceans, typically found at depths ranging from 1,000 to over 4,000 meters. Characterized by their soft bodies, scaleless heads, and large eyes adapted for the dark depths, these fish are not a primary target for most fisheries due to their remote habitat and limited commercial value. However, some countries with advanced deep-sea fishing fleets, such as Russia, New Zealand, and Spain, have harvested abyssal smooth heads incidentally while targeting other deep-sea species like grenadiers and orange roughy. These nations possess the specialized trawling technology required for deepwater operations, and their fishing industries occasionally land smooth heads as bycatch, which are sometimes processed into fish meal or oil. Despite their limited direct economic importance, the presence of smooth heads in catches highlights the reach of deep-sea fisheries and raises concerns about the impact of deepwater trawling on fragile abyssal ecosystems.
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Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.