Mediterranean and Black Seas Region: A Regional Compendium of Important Shark and Ray Areas

Continuing the second Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA)  project, the second regional expert workshop was held in Thessaloniki, Greece from 8–12 May, 2023. The region covered included the Mediterranean and Black Seas. This compendium provides an overview of all areas delineated.

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The goal was to identify and delineate three-dimensional and discrete portions of habitat that are critical to the survival of sharks, rays, and chimaeras (hereafter ‘sharks’), and that have the potential to be managed for conservation. This scientific collaboration amongst regional and global experts resulted in the identification of 65 Important Shark and Ray Areas, 6 candidate ISRAs, and 20 Areas of Interest. Identified ISRAs range in size from small underwater areas of 0.09 km2 at depths of 1,100–1,150 m (Palmahim Brine Pools ISRA in Israel) to large areas of 219,913 km2 (Strait of Sicily and Tunisian Plateau ISRA which is transboundary in nature encompassing waters of Italy, Libya, Malta, and Tunisia) from surface waters to a depth of 2,000 m. 

Reference | 
Jabado RW, García-Rodríguez E, Kyne PM, Charles R, Armstrong AH, Bortoluzzi J, Mouton TL, Gonzalez-Pestana A, Battle-Morera A, Rohner C, Notarbartolo di Sciara G. 2023. Mediterranean and Black Seas: A regional compendium of Important Shark and Ray Areas. Dubai: IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group. https://doi.org/10.59216/ssg.isra.2023.r3

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