The Abyssal Spiderfish (family Stomiidae, genus Bathypterois) is a deep-sea fish found at extreme ocean depths, often beyond 2,000 meters, characterized by its elongated fins and slender, translucent body adapted for life in the dark abyssal plains. Due to its remote habitat, the Abyssal Spiderfish is not a primary target of commercial fisheries, but it is occasionally caught as bycatch in deep-sea trawling operations. The main countries engaged in deep-sea fishing that may incidentally harvest this species include Spain, Portugal, Russia, and New Zealand, whose fleets operate in the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Southern Ocean. These nations have developed specialized deep-water trawling industries targeting more commercially valuable species like grenadiers and orange roughy, but their operations sometimes yield abyssal spiderfish as part of the deep-sea bycatch. The overall economic impact of spiderfish landings is minimal, and most catches are discarded or used for fish meal, reflecting the species’ limited role in global fisheries.
| Rank | Country | Metric Tons |
|---|
Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.