Bat Star (Asterina miniata)A sweeping view by camera of the ocean floor, and research by David Bailey at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, reveals that sea stars (starfish), sea cucumbers, sand dollars, and sea urchins have been flourishing. Their abundance is increasing the food supply for other fish and triggering an increase in deep-sea populations, said Bailey.

A National Geographic article details the findings and causes for the deep-sea boom, including lack of fishing pressures and "natural climatic and oceanographic changes."

Bailey also pointed out that ocean bottom dwellers are not the only fish population that seems to be increasing: "If you look at the North Pacific fisheries literature, you’ll see that sardine and squid catches have increased over the last few years."

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