Wednesday January 28, 2026
ECO Magazine —
A new study led by scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), along with international partners, finds that proposed commercial fishing in the deep ocean could have serious consequences for bigeye tuna, one of the world’s most valuable and widely consumed fish.
The study in Fisheries Management and Ecology shows that large-scale harvesting of mesopelagic fish—small, deep-sea species that live hundreds of meters below the surface—could reduce the food available to bigeye tuna, ultimately harming tuna populations and the fisheries that depend on them. Mesopelagic fish such as lanternfish and bristlemouths form one of the largest animal biomasses on Earth and are increasingly viewed as a potential new source of fishmeal and fish oil for aquaculture. This new research suggests that exploiting this deep-sea resource without careful management could come at a high cost.