Sea spiders, belonging to the class Pycnogonida, are marine arthropods characterized by their long, thin legs and small bodies, and are found in oceans worldwide, from shallow coastal waters to deep-sea habitats. Unlike true spiders, sea spiders are not arachnids and are generally not targeted by commercial fisheries due to their small size, fragile bodies, and limited culinary or economic value. As a result, there is no significant global fishing industry focused on sea spiders, and no countries are recognized as leading harvesters of this species. Most interactions with sea spiders occur through scientific research or as bycatch in deep-sea trawling operations, particularly in regions such as the Southern Ocean near Antarctica, where the largest species are found. Thus, while fascinating from a biological perspective, sea spiders do not play a notable role in global fisheries or the seafood industry.
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Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.