Publication Abstract

UK fisheries for skates and rays (Rajidae): History and development, recent management actions and survivorship of discards.

J. R. Ellis, J. F. Silva, S. R. McCully and T. Catchpole

Skates and rays (Rajidae) are vulnerable to overfishing because they are long-lived, slow growing, late to mature, have protracted breeding cycles and produce few young. Their large size, morphology and aggregating behaviour also make them susceptible to capture in mixed demersal fisheries, and several species are also taken in targeted fisheries (using longline, gillnet or trawl). The abundance and diversity of the skate community around the British Isles has changed over the course of the last 100 years. Some of the larger-bodied species (e.g. white skate) have disappeared, whilst the smaller-bodied species (e.g. spotted and thornback rays) have healthier populations. Research has also shown that some species have very patchy distributions, and locally abundant species may be prone to depletion. Current management regulations for skates include a minimum landing size (in some inshore waters of England and Wales) and quotas, and some species are currently designated as prohibited species that cannot be retained.  The efficacy of these and other potential measures is highly dependent on discard survival. Here we review the evolution of skate fisheries around the British Isles, discard and retention patterns of skates in selected UK fisheries, the recent introduction of management actions and discuss the merits of these and other potential measures in light of our current knowledge of discard survival.   

Reference:

 J. R. Ellis, J. F. Silva, S. R. McCully and T. Catchpole (2010) UK fisheries for skates and rays (Rajidae): History and development, recent management actions and survivorship of discards.  ICES CM 2010/E