In 1998 it was thought that a new species of Coelacanth had been identified in Indonesia. The specimens that were caught were brown and gold, unlike the familiar blue species. An expedition took place to acknowledge the new population. The outcome was that a separate population had not been confirmed and is still up for debate. DNA comparisons are being made between fish caught from both areas.
Coelacanths have a delicate metabolism.
These devices will give fishermen the ability to lower accidentally caught fish, back into deep water. This is vital to the fish's survival, as a surface release requires unavailable strength from the fish to get back down on its own. It took until 1975 to confirm that they gave live birth when an adult specimen was dissected, and fully formed babies were found inside. It is believed that the Coelacanths are not able to produce many young, therefore special care should be taken to ensure their survival. The Coelacanths are a good example of a species that has evolved and adapted, while retaining imperative characteristics of their ancestors.