For interest’s sake today, we bring you a story from the bottom of the ocean. In the words of the David Suzuki Foundation, nestled on the seafloor nearly 1km below the surface of Canada’s Pacific coast lives a little-known fish called the longspine thornyhead. This species evolved to survive in an environment with virtually no oxygen, little food supply, no sunlight, and extreme water pressure. It is thought that this fish eats only once every four to six months. Fishers call this species the idiot fish, but in reality it is a biological genius, carving out an existence in one of the earth’s least livable environments.

Beginning in 1996, Fisheries and Oceans Canada endorsed a deep-sea bottom-trawl fishery for this species with virtually no information about its abundance or life history. By 2002, the landings had peaked and by 2007 the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) designated this species as “special concern”. All research and catch information show a marked decline in the abundance of the longspine thornyhead. You would think that DFO would have closed this fishery in light of the available scientific information, ecosystem impacts from bottom trawling, and the species at risk designation. Instead, the fishery continues with no change in fishing practices.

The David Suzuki Foundation, and Greenthinkers, are calling for an immediate interim moratorium on this fishery.