Wellington, New Zealand: Once known as the world’s ugliest animal due to its soft, droopy appearance, the blobfish has achieved a surprising triumph—earning the title of ‘Fish of the Year’ from New Zealand’s Mountain to Sea Conservation Trust.
This year, the blobfish secured nearly 1,300 of the more than 5,500 votes cast, defeating the orange roughy, a deep-sea fish in the slime head family known for the mucous canals on its head.
The victory was sealed after local radio hosts Sarah Gandy and Paul Flynn of More FM passionately campaigned for the blobfish, urging their audience to support the underdog.
Despite its reputation, the blobfish resembles a normal fish in its deep-sea habitat off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania, where it lives at depths of 600 to 1,200 meters (2,000-4,000 feet). Its gelatinous body is adapted to the extreme pressure of the deep sea.
However, when brought to the surface, its lack of a skeletal structure causes it to lose shape, giving it the “ugly” look that made it infamous in 2013 as the mascot of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society.
Blobfish primarily feed on molluscs, crabs, lobsters, and sea urchins. Unlike most fish, they have no scales and rely on their soft, flabby bodies to survive in their deep-sea environment.
The Fish of the Year competition highlighted the vulnerability of deep-sea species, with nine of the ten nominated fish, including the blobfish, at risk due to destructive deep-sea trawling.
The contest follows the format of New Zealand’s Bird of the Year competition, which saw the rare hoiho penguin crowned the latest winner in September.
Fish of the Year 2025 – Top Ten
- Blobfish – 1,286 votes 🏆
- Orange roughy – 1,009 votes
- Longfin eel / Tuna – 646 votes
- Whale shark – 596 votes
- Big-bellied seahorse / Manaia – 386 votes
- Great white shark / Mangō taniwha – 344 votes
- Lamprey / Piharau – 312 votes
- Spine-tailed devil ray / Whai rahi – 284 votes
- Basking shark / Reremai – 280 votes
- Blue cod / Rāwaru – 260 votes
Business and Industry Award: Read about the ‘Star of Sector’ award here.
