Approaching the “real” state of elasmobranch fisheries and trade: A case study from the Mediterranean

Giovos, Ioannis; Roxani, Naasan Aga - Spyridopoulou,; Doumpas, Nikolaos; Glaus, Kerstin B. J.; Kleitou, Periklis; Kazlari, Zoi; Katsada, Dimitra; Loukovitis, Dimitrios; Mantzouni, Irene; Papapetrou, Maria; Papastamatiou, Yannis P.; Moutopoulos, Dimitrios Κ.

doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2021.105743

Cited by 28 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 32 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Apart from the data and the observations new reported here, we noticed that professional fishers communicated (caught) elasmobranchs listed as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List in 67% of the cases, whereas this percentage decreased to 52% when analysing data provided by recreational fishers. These numbers agree with other Mediterranean studies; for example, about 50-60% of the elasmobranch landings in Greek sites were threatened species [55]. However, it is also possible that fishers mostly communicated to us species perceived as rare, while other common taxa (such as, for example, Raja species) were usually considered as of "no interest".…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Integrating Literature, Biodiversity Databases, and Citizen-Science to Reconstruct the Checklist of Chondrichthyans in Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Giovos

Serena

Katsada

et al. 2021

Fishes

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Chondrichthyans are apex predators influencing the trophic web through a top-down process thus their depletion will affect the remaining biota. Notwithstanding that, research on chondrichthyans is sparse or data-limited in several biogeographic areas worldwide, including the Levantine Sea. We revise and update the knowledge of chondrichthyans in Cyprus based on a bibliographic review that gains information retrieved from peer-reviewed and grey literature, Global Biodiversity Information Facility (135 records of at least 18 species) and the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (65 records of at least14 species), and the citizen science project Mediterranean Elasmobranchs Citizen Observations (117 records per 23 species). Our updated checklist reports 60 species that account for about 70% of the Mediterranean chondrichthyan biota. The list includes 15 more species than the previous checklist and our study reports three new species for Cyprus waters, namely the blackmouth catshark Dalatias licha, the round fantail stingray Taeniurops grabatus, and the sawback angelshark Squatina aculeata. Our research highlights the need for conservation measures and more studies regarding the highly threatened blackchin guitarfish Glaucostegus cemiculus and the devil ray Mobula mobular, and stresses the importance for training a new generation of observers to strengthen the knowledge and conservation of elasmobranchs in the region.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Integrating Literature, Biodiversity Databases, and Citizen-Science to Reconstruct the Checklist of Chondrichthyans in Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Giovos

Serena

Katsada

et al. 2021

Fishes

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As concerns the COI gene, the newly generated sequences enlarge the dataset already available for the Mediterranean electric rays [ 1 , 35 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 ], with the addition of seven new haplotypes ( Table 1 and Table S2 ). Similarly, 21 new NADH2 haplotypes were added to the few available for Mediterranean T. marmorata , and for the first time a total of 12 NADH2 haplotypes were obtained from T. nobiliana and T. torpedo specimens of Mediterranean origin (see Table 1 and Table S2 for details).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

I Like This New Me: Unravelling Population Structure of Mediterranean Electric Rays and Taxonomic Uncertainties within Torpediniformes

Melis,

Di Crescenzo,

Cariani

et al. 2023

Animals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The present study focused on the three species of electric rays known to occur in the Mediterranean Sea: Torpedo torpedo, Torpedo marmorata and Tetronarce nobiliana. Correct identification of specimens is needed to properly assess the impact of fisheries on populations and species. Unfortunately, torpedoes share high morphological similarities, boosting episodes of field misidentification. In this context, genetic data was used (1) to identify specimens caught during fishing operations, (2) to measure the diversity among and within these species, and (3) to shed light on the possible occurrence of additional hidden species in the investigated area. New and already published sequences of COI and NADH2 mitochondrial genes were analyzed, both at a small scale along the Sardinian coasts (Western Mediterranean) and at a large scale in the whole Mediterranean Sea. High levels of genetic diversity were found in Sardinian populations, being significantly different from other areas of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea due to the biotic and abiotic factors here discussed. Sardinian torpedoes can hence be indicated as priority populations/areas to be protected within the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover, sequence data confirmed that only the three species occur in the investigated area. The application of several ‘species-delimitation’ methods found evidence of cryptic species in the three species outside the Mediterranean Sea, as well as in other genera/families, suggesting the urgent need for future studies and a comprehensive revision of the order Torpediniformes for its effective conservation.

show abstract

“…In addition to the legislation mentioned above, the Action Plan for the Conservation of Cartilaginous Fishes (Chondrichthyans) in the Mediterranean Sea [67] provide a framework for species conservation and habitat protection. Despite the existence of legislation and action plans, the Mediterranean has been identified as a hotspot of elasmobranch mortality globally [5], while the compliance with relevant regulations is low throughout the basin [68,69], including within Greece [20,21].…”

Section: Species Distributionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Currently, the angel shark populations in the Aegean are suspected to be extremely small because: (a) recent observations and reports have been scarce, (b) the species have almost no landings records in the Data Collection Framework reports 2005-2019, with only few exceptions, and (c) there are no reported angel shark landings in Greece in the official fisheries data by HELSTAT (1967HELSTAT ( -2017 [18]. The latter might be a result of the low resolution of landings, the absence of landing records from all fishing ports, as such data are collected only in a subset of landing sites, and the aggregation of many species of chondrichthyans in a few broad groups for reporting [19][20][21], given that angel sharks have been detected in the Greek fish markets [22]. Regarding the legal framework for the protection of the species from fishing activities in Greece, no provisions are foreseen on a national level, while on a European Union level it is prohibited for fishing vessels to fish for, to retain on board, to transship, or to land angel shark (Squatina squatina) in EU waters (Council Regulations (EU) 2019/124 and 2019/1241).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strengthening Angel Shark Conservation in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea

Giovos

Katsada

Roxani

et al. 2022

JMSE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Angel sharks are among the most threatened species of sharks globally. Twenty-two species have been identified globally so far, with three species being present in the Mediterranean Sea: Squatina aculeata, Squatina oculata, and Squatina squatina. The Mediterranean populations of all three species have been assessed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to the steep decline of their populations as a result of their historical and current overexploitation by demersal fisheries. Therefore, currently there is an ongoing increasing effort for advancing the conservation of the species in the basin. Recently, in the context of the Regional Action Plan for Mediterranean Angel Sharks, the Aegean Sea and Crete have been identified as critical areas for all three species. This study provides the first predictive distribution map of the three angel shark species in the basin, while critical areas for the conservation of the species were identified through a systematic spatial conservation planning analysis. Our analysis revealed low overlapping between the existing MPA network and critical areas for the distribution of the species primarily in Greece and then Turkey, while 20% of the critical areas for the distribution of the species overlaps with Fisheries Restricted Areas of the region. This highlights the need for creating MPAs focusing on shark conservation within the Mediterranean that are currently completely absent. In addition, we provide policy recommendations that can secure better protection of angel sharks through the enforcement of the current legislations and the engagement of all relevant stakeholders.

show abstract

Approaching the “real” state of elasmobranch fisheries and trade: A case study from the Mediterranean

Cited by 28 publications

References 32 publications

Integrating Literature, Biodiversity Databases, and Citizen-Science to Reconstruct the Checklist of Chondrichthyans in Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Integrating Literature, Biodiversity Databases, and Citizen-Science to Reconstruct the Checklist of Chondrichthyans in Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

I Like This New Me: Unravelling Population Structure of Mediterranean Electric Rays and Taxonomic Uncertainties within Torpediniformes

Strengthening Angel Shark Conservation in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About