Public call to name rare Tasmanian fish

And they're all after names to help boost their chances of survival.

Researchers in Tasmania are calling on the public to sponsor each of the tiny fish, only found at two locations near Hobart.

The first full survey of red handfish populations was completed last summer, with the results revealed on Wednesday.

Almost 100 adults were spotted by specialist divers, a slight improvement on previous estimates of about 70 to 80.

The handfish, aptly named as they use their front fins to slowly "walk" across the sea floor rather than swim, have been given their own page on handfish.org.au complete with profile pictures.

"This is a chance for the public to see the individuals and the variations. Each fish is quite unique," Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies researcher Dr Rick Stuart-Smith said.

"They're very attractive in their own way."

A member of the public stumbled across a second population of red handfish in January 2018, effectively doubling the species' known population.

Those locations are being kept under wraps to avoid human impact, their biggest threat.

It will cost $1000 to name one handfish, with the funds ideally going towards a breeding program and habitat management.

There are three species of critically-endangered handfish endemic to Tasmania, all measuring several centimetres in length.

The spotted handfish is being bred in captivity, while Ziebell's handfish is thought extinct having not been sighted in more than a decade.

"The handfish are charismatic species and an icon of the Tasmanian marine environment," Dr Stuart-Smith said.

"Unfortunately resources are currently limiting what we can do to save them.

"There are so few individuals remaining. Without intervention they almost certainly face extinction."

Researchers want to undertake a second full survey of red handfish populations later this year.

Australian Associated Press