65 Important Shark and Ray Areas identified in the Mediterranean and Black Seas

PRESS RELEASE | September 05, 2023

The IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group (SSG) has released a compendium of Important Shark and Ray Area from the Mediterranean and Black Seas (view document here). These areas range in size from just 0.09 square kilometers to 219,000 square kilometers, encompassing shallow coastal waters to habitats more than 2,000 meters deep. They are important for species including the Critically Endangered Blackchin Guitarfish (Glaucostegus cemiculus) and the Endangered Rough Skate (Raja radula), as well as commonly fished species like the Common Smoothhound (Mustelus mustelus). These habitats are used by these species as mating or aggregation sites, nursery areas, feeding locations, or migratory pathways. More than 50% of shark and ray species in the Mediterranean Sea are considered threatened with extinction, and these newly identified areas should be considered for protection.  

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