Starry Smoothhound Mustelus asterias

Musola estrellada (Es) Musola dentuda (Es) Émissole tachetée (Fr) Cação-pintado (Pt)

Red List status: Globally: Least Concern | Europe: Near Threatened | Mediterranean: Vulnerable
Conservation status: Increasingly targeted or retained as other stocks decline.

Commercial importance: Meat is valuable in the Mediterranean, taken as bycatch in gill net, bottom trawl and line-gear fisheries.

Mangement: Regional management is required in European and Mediterranean coastal waters.

Habitat and ecology: Starry Smoothhound are important predators in coastal waters, targeting crustaceans, cephalopods (e.g. squid) and fishes. Demersal species found from the intertidal to 200m on sandy and gravelly bottoms.

General information: Gestation period of 12 months has been recorded, followed by litters of 7-15 pups. Vulnerable to capture in a wide range of fishing gear, smoothhound landings have increased significantly over the last decade, however catch data for Starry Smoothhound is often combined with all Mustelus species and ‘hounds’. Species-specific data and careful monitoring is essential to ensure the sustainability of fisheries.

Common Smoothhound Mustelus mustelus

Musola (Es) Émissole lisse (Fr) Cação-liso (Pt)

Red List status: Globally: Vulnerable | Europe: Vulnerable | Mediterranean: Vulnerable

Conservation Status: Common Smoothhound are a widespread, but not abundant, species. Although currently under little pressure in the Atlantic, catch trends in the Mediterranean should be monitored carefully to determine if Common Smoothhounds are being overexploited in this region.

Mangement: Regional management is required in European and Mediterranean coastal waters.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Habitat and ecology: Demersal coastal species found from the intertidal to 350m depth, but usually in shallower waters from 5 – 50m on sandy and muddy substrates. Feed predominantly on fishes, crustaceans, and cephalopods.

Commercial Importance: Targeted throughout the Mediterranean as the meat is valued in southern Europe, also taken as bycatch in mixed species trawls, longline fisheries and occasionally by pelagic fishers using trawls and driftnets.

General information: Starry Smoothhounds, as the name suggests, have ‘stars’ (or spots) along the flanks, however they can also have no patternation (as with the Common Smoothhound). Recent genetic studies found that smoothhounds in the Northeast Atlantic are all actually likely to be Starry Smoothhounds.

 

Nursehound Scyliorhinus stellaris

Bull Huss (En) Alitán (Es) Grande roussette (Fr) Pata-roxa-gata (Pt)

Red List status: Globally: Near Threatened | Europe: Near Threatened | Mediterranean: Near Threatened

Conservation status: Although species can be locally abundant, patchy distribution and a relatively low reproductive rate may make it vulnerable to over-exploitation. No accurate population data is available for Nursehound in the Northeast Atlantic, though evidence suggests the population may be fragmented and at risk from localised depletions.

Commercial importance: Targeted in the Mediterranean for human consumption.

Management: Requires regional management in Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean coastal waters.

Habitat and ecology: Nursehounds are most common from the intertidal down to 60m depth. This species has a preference for rough ground and areas with good algal cover, preying on crustaceans, cephalopods (e.g. squid), molluscs and fishes.

General information: Nursehounds reach approximately 130 cm in total length and are fished by bottom trawls, fixed bottom nets and pelagic (open water) trawls.

Smallspotted Catshark Scyliorhinus canicula

Lesser Spotted Dogfish (En) Pintarroja (Es) Petite roussette (Fr) Pata-roxa (Pt)

Red List status: Globally: Least Concern | Europe: Least Concern | Mediterranean: Least Concern

Conservation status: While populations appear to currently be stable, careful management and monitoring is important in ensuring sustainability of fisheries.

Commercial importance: If landed, it may be used for human consumption, pot bait or fishmeal.

Management: Requires regional management in Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean coastal waters.

Habitat and ecology: Smallspotted Catsharks are found from the intertidal to depths of over 100m, where it preys primarily on crustaceans and molluscs. This egglaying species is known to aggregate by size and sex.

General information: The Smallspotted Catshark reaches a maximum size of 80 cm, and is fished by bottom trawls, fixed bottom nets and pelagic (open water) trawls.

Blue Shark Prionace glauca

Tiburón azul (Es) Tintorera (Es) Peau bleue (Fr) Requin bleu (Fr) Tubarão Azul (Pt)

Red List status: Globally: Near Threatened | Europe: Near Threatened | Mediterranean: Critically Endangered

Conservation status: Although widespread with a relatively high reproductive rate, the Blue Shark is the most heavily fished shark and declines have been observed.

Commercial importance: Taken in substantial volume as ‘wanted’ bycatch especially by Spanish and Portuguese pelagic longliners, retained for fins and meat.

Management: Blue Sharks are highly migratory, requiring management on an international scale through Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs). At ICCAT 2016, small steps were taken towards establishing limits on the North Atlantic population – but there is still a way to go.

Habitat and ecology: Pelagic (open water species). Blue Sharks segregate by sex and size, with females more abundant at higher latitudes.

General information: North Atlantic Blue Sharks are considered to be a single stock though they are highly migratory and exhibit complex movement patterns. Each year Blue Sharks return to UK waters during summer months as part of a large-scale, clockwise trans-Atlantic movement utilising the major oceanic currents. Tagging studies in the Pacific also demonstrate extensive movements – in one case up to 9,200 km. Blue Sharks run the gauntlet of Spanish and Portuguese longline fisheries in the Atlantic. Here, they are taken in very high volume as bycatch, yet it’s likely that much of the catch goes unreported.

Shortfin Mako Isurus oxyrinchus

Marrajo dientuso (Es) Requin-taupe bleu (Fr) Anequim (Pt)

Red List status: Globally: Endangered | Europe: Data Deficient | Mediterranean: Critically Endangered

Conservation status: The life history strategy of Shortfin Makos (producing few young and maturing late) is more conservative than many other shark species, leaving them vulnerable to overfishing. The Global Red List status of the Shortfin Mako was uplisted from Vulnerable to Endangered in 2019.

Commercial importance: An important bycatch for pelagic longliners fishing for tuna and swordfish - highly prized for meat.

Management: Shortfin Makos require management on an international scale through Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs). Recent scientific advice recommended a complete ban on retention in the North Atlantic as stocks are being overfished. Retention is prohibited in the Mediterranean and while management fell short at ICCAT 2017, live release in the North Atlantic is now required. Read more.

Habitat and ecology: Pelagic (open water species) known to undertake seasonal migrations following warmer waters (preferring 17-20°C), although they are largely solitary.

General information: Litters of 4-25 pups have been reported after a gestation of between 15-18 months, they reproduce every 2-3 years and have a life-span of approximately 32 years, with females maturing at 18 years.