‘One-in-a-million’ bright yellow fish discovered in Great Lakes in stunning find

US Fish and Wildlife Service biologists found an unusually bright yellow burbot while surveying Oswego Harbor in the lower Great Lakes for invasive fish. The rare colouring, caused by a condition called xanthochromism, makes the discovery notable, while the fish’s poor health and the scarcity of burbot in the harbour could help researchers understand pressures on the population.

Burbot are generally yellowish-brown, green or brown, and xanthochromism is considered rarer in wild fish than albinism or melanism. This was the first documented burbot caught during a fisheries survey in Oswego Harbor, where the species is uncommon and typically prefers deeper, cooler water. The emaciated fish was sent to Cornell University’s veterinary college for analysis; scientists hope the findings may inform management across the Great Lakes basin.