The basketwork eel, also known as the slender snipe eel (Nemichthys scolopaceus), is a deep-sea species characterized by its extremely elongated, ribbon-like body and delicate jaws adapted for feeding on small crustaceans and plankton. While not a major commercial target due to its fragile body and deep-ocean habitat, the basketwork eel is occasionally caught as bycatch in deep-sea trawl fisheries. The primary countries involved in deep-sea trawling that may incidentally harvest basketwork eels include Japan, Spain, Portugal, and New Zealand, all of which have robust deep-sea fishing industries. However, targeted fisheries for this species are virtually nonexistent, and most records come from scientific surveys or incidental catches rather than intentional harvest. As a result, the basketwork eel is more significant to scientific research than to global fisheries or seafood markets.
| Rank | Country | Metric Tons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand | 14 |
Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.