New evidence has revealed widespread extinction in the biological blink of an eye: The populations of five species of deep-sea fish have been decimated by up to 98 percent in the span of one generation, according to a study in the science journal, Nature, conducted by Canadian researchers. The fish species – including the spinytail skate, spiny eel, and blue hake – now qualify for a “critically endangered” listing.

The culprit? Mega-trawlers that harvest the ocean floor much the same way that bulldozers clear-cut forests – in one fell swoop. The solution: Close the areas to deep-sea fishing entirely, say experts. According to The New Scientist, “The deep sea species reproduce slowly, often not until their late teens, so they do not recover readily from excess fishing.” That combined with low fertility rates make the outlook gloomy for these bottom-dwellers.

“Conservation measures are needed and lack of knowledge must not delay appropriate initiatives, including the establishment of deep-sea protected areas,” the author of the report, Jennifer Devine, told Reuters.

Image credit: Northeast Fisheries Science Center/ NOAA