Notable Past Onion Fish Of The Year Honorees

PublishedDecember 12, 2016

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This Fish (1929): After a year of unforgettable swimming and eating, this fish was the clear choice in 1929.

This Fish (1932): A thoroughly modern fish, this skipjack tuna represented a new era for fish.

This Fish (1936): Before the world’s eyes, this boundary-pushing fish went where no fish had gone before and undoubtedly made us all better for it. The tragic passing of this fish in 1943 was a loss felt by the whole world.

No Fish (1939-1945): No fish was selected during this period due to the ongoing war in Europe.

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This Fish (1951, 1952): This king mackerel became one of just three fish to ever be honored twice as Fish of the Year after it followed an incredible 1951 with an even more impressive 1952.

This Fish (1958): This fish wasn’t even in contention until it jumped up out of the water and surprised us, reminding us that even great fish come in the most unassuming forms.

This Whale (1961): Though The Onion was later forced to apologize for honoring a mammal rather than a fish, this selection led to a more rigorous selection process that is still used by our editorial board to this day.

This Fish (1967): This fish truly embodied the anti-establishment, countercultural ethos of the period.

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This Fish (1972): This legendary iconoclast was The Onion’s very first female Fish of the Year, paving the way for many female fish to come.

This Fish (1975): The first and—thus far—only eel to be honored as Fish of the Year, a decision that incited considerable controversy at the time.

This Fish (1977): To many, this fish was 1977.

This Fish (1984): It made us laugh, but more importantly, this butterflyfish made us think. In the challenging conditions of the northern Atlantic Ocean, that was a far more revolutionary act than most of us could fathom.

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This Fish (1987): Not all of The Onion’s Fish of the Year have been chosen for the positive impact they made on the world; some were selected for precisely the opposite reason. And without a doubt, no fish better represents that truth than this one.

The Internet (1998): The Onion chose to highlight the internet, rather than an individual fish, in 1998 to recognize how it unequivocally changed American life in a way that no single fish could.

This Fish (2004): Many still look to this fish for strength and inspiration in troubled times.

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