The small lanternfish (family Myctophidae) are bioluminescent, deep-sea fish found throughout the world's oceans, playing a crucial role in marine food webs as prey for larger fish, squid, and marine mammals. Despite their abundance—estimated at hundreds of millions of tons globally—lanternfish are not widely targeted for direct human consumption but are instead harvested for fishmeal, animal feed, and research purposes. The primary countries involved in the commercial fishing of small lanternfish include Japan, Russia, Norway, and Chile, with Japan being a pioneer in developing lanternfish fisheries, particularly for species like Diaphus and Symbolophorus. These nations utilize advanced midwater trawling techniques to capture lanternfish, often operating in the North Pacific, Southern Ocean, and South Atlantic. The industry remains relatively small compared to other pelagic fisheries, but as demand for alternative protein sources grows, interest in lanternfish as a sustainable resource is increasing among leading fishing nations.
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Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.