NEWS

Important Shark and Ray Areas in the Mediterranean

11/09/2023

 

In a remarkable collaborative effort with experts from various institutions, we are pleased to announce the delineation of the first Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) in the Mediterranean Sea. These findings reveal crucial conservation areas for a variety of shark and ray species, especially those facing threats to their existence.

Spanish waters have emerged as a significant contributor, housing 20% of the total ISRAs in the Mediterranean, encompassing 14 areas stretching from Algeciras to Cap de Creus. These three-dimensional zones play a crucial role in safeguarding threatened species like the blue shark (Prionace glauca), the spiny butterfly ray (Gymnura altavela), and the common guitarfish (Rhinobatos rhinobatos), as well as two endemic Mediterranean ray species, the rough ray (Raja radula) and the speckled ray (Raja polystigma).

The Spatial Marine Lab, with key team members including David Ruiz-García and Dr. David March, has been actively involved in the establishment of six of these crucial areas. These areas are located in Roses (Girona), the Costa Brava Canyons (Girona), the Ebro Delta (Tarragona and Castellón), Marina Alta (Alicante), Benidorm Island (Alicante), and the Eastern Gulf of Lyon (France).

For more detailed information about these areas, please visit the official website: https://sharkrayareas.org.

 

SPATIAL MARINE LAB

         

CONTACT US

Unitat de Zoologia Marina
Parc Científic de la Universitat de València
Calle Catedrático José Beltrán 2,
46980 Paterna (València), Spain

david.march@uv.es