Overview of Continental Shelf Elasmobranch Fisheries in the Cantabrian Sea

C. Rodríguez-Cabello, A. Fernández, I. Olaso, F. Sánchez, R. Gancedo, A. Punzón and O. Cendrero

Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Laboratorio Oceanográfico de Santander
Apdo. 240, 39080 Santander, Spain

Publication (Upload) date: 9 January 2005

RODRÍGUEZ-CABELLO, C., A. FERNÁNDEZ, I. OLASO, F. SÁNCHEZ, R. GANCEDO, A. PUNZÓN, and O. CENDRERO.  2005. Overview of Continental Shelf Elasmobranch Fisheries in the Cantabrian Sea. J. Northw. Atl. Fish. Sci., 35: 375-385. https://doi.org/10.2960/J.v35.m490

Abstract

Fisheries for the most common elasmobranch species landed in the Cantabrian Sea (ICES Division VIIIc) are reviewed. Special attention is given to small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) and the following Rajidae thornback ray (Raja clavata), spotted ray, (R. montagui) and cuckoo ray (Leucoraja naevus), representing more than the 90% of ray landings. A market sampling program was carried out in 2001 to improve the knowledge of species that are frequently landed as a mixed species assemblage, occasionally gutted, or in the case of rays, "wings" (pectoral fins retained). Commercial length distributions by gear, area and quarter are presented as well. Thirty-five percent of the catches in the trawl fishery are discarded. The estimated annual average of dogfish catch is about 1 500 tons, 80% of which is discarded. In the case of ray species, the estimated annual catch is 600 tons, ~30% being discarded.

Keywords: by-catch, Cantabrian Sea, dogfish, fisheries, gear, length, rays, sharks

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