Good Lamprey, Bad Rap First, we know they help maintain the health of river ecosystems. River ecologists are learning more about how spawning lamprey clean stones during their nest-building activities. In so doing, they “condition” spawning habitat for salmon whose eggs require clean, well-oxygenated substrate.

Lampreys are often viewed with a mix of fascination and revulsion, but they serve significant roles in ecology, science, and even culinary history. Ecologically, larval lampreys (ammocoetes) act as "ecosystem engineers" by burrowing into stream sediments, which helps oxygenate the water and break down organic matter, benefiting other aquatic species. In the field of medical research, lampreys are invaluable because they possess the remarkable ability to fully regenerate their spinal cords after a complete severing—a phenomenon scientists in 2026 continue to study for potential breakthroughs in treating human paralysis. Historically and culturally, they are considered a luxury delicacy in parts of Europe, such as Portugal, Spain, and France, as well as in the UK, where they have been a staple of royal feasts for centuries. Additionally, as an ancient lineage of jawless fish that has existed for over 360 million years, they provide evolutionary biologists with a unique "living window" into the early development of vertebrates and the origins of the immune system.