Threatened, endemic and harvested – two overlooked European skates

Sandy ray Leucoraja circularis and shagreen ray L. fullonica are large-bodied skate species occurring in the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean on the edge of the continental shelf and upper slope. These areas are not sampled effectively by fishery-independent trawl surveys, and fisheries-dependent data are also limited, as these species are landed as a bycatch. Consequently, there are no formal assessments or reference points, even though they are harvested as part of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for generic skates and rays. The implementation of data-limited assessment methods is often reliant on robust life-history data, which was lacking. Therefore, biological data were collected from 116 specimens of L. circularis (21–116 cm LT) and 54 specimens of L. fullonica (19–100 cm LT). Length at 50% maturity for L. circularis was estimated at 81 cm LT and 100 cm LT for males and females, respectively. This large size at maturity makes them more biologically vulnerable than other skate species managed under the generic TAC. This inherent vulnerability, low representation of mature individuals in trawl surveys and bycatch risk due to spatial overlap with important commercial fisheries suggests that both species, assessed as Threatened, would benefit from precautionary species-specific management measures. L. circularis and L. fullonica are respectively, the only IUCN listed Endangered and Vulnerable elasmobranchs that are endemic to Europe and also occur in UK waters. Therefore, with the eastern Atlantic being the main part of their distribution, urgent research and management action is of even greater importance to conserve them

First record of Pagellus bellottii (Teleostei: Sparidae) in the Bay of Biscay, France

The red pandora, Pagellus bellottii Steindachner, 1882, is a tropical and subtropical demersal Sparidae (Porgies) that lives over hard or sandy bottoms in coastal marine waters. It mostly occurs at depths ranging from 10 to 50 metres. It is distributed in the eastern Atlantic, from the Strait of Gibraltar to Angola and the Canary Islands where it is occasionally recorded (Bauchot and Hureau, 1986; Franqueville, 1983). The species is also recorded in the southwestern Mediterranean, in the Alboran Sea, off the Algerian coasts and in the Gulf of Gabes (Oral, 2010). The records of the species in the eastern Mediterranean, Syrian and Israeli waters (Fricke, et al. 2014, Fig. 1) is questioned. We consider these records are misidentification of Pagrus pagrus (Linnaeus, 1758). Pagellus bellottii was also included in the checklist of the fishes from Portugal as a consequence of records coming from the Algarve region, about 36°59′ N, 8° W, the northernmost records in Atlantic waters (de Castro, 1967; Erzini et al., 1996; Carneiro et al., 2014; Carneiro com. pers.). Some specimens were also recorded in Spanish Mediterranean waters, in the Bay of Almería about 36°47′ N, 2°25′ W (Lucena, et al. 1982), the northernmost records for the Mediterranean waters. Herein, the first record of P. bellottii in the Bay of Biscay is reported

Concentrations of mercury and other trace elements in two offshore skates: sandy ray Leucoraja circularis and shagreen ray L. fullonica

Trace metal concentrations in muscle and liver tissues from two offshore species of skate were examined. Concentrations of mercury in muscle of Leucoraja circularis (n = 20; 23–110.5 cm total length, 157–490 m water depth) and L. fullonica (n = 24; 28.5–100 cm total length, 130–426 m water depth) were 0.02–1.8 and 0.04–0.61 mg kg− 1, respectively. Concentrations of both As and Hg increased with total length. Only the largest specimen had a concentration of Hg in muscle > 1.0 mg kg− 1. Data were limited for specimens > 90 cm long, and further studies on contaminants in larger-bodied skates could usefully be undertaken

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Management and Monitoring of Deep-Water Stocks, Fisheries, and Ecosystems in Various Areas of the World-A Roadmap Toward Sustainable Deep-Water Fisheries in the Northeast Atlantic?

Publicado