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Report of the Subgroup on Resource Status COUNCIL OF Brussels, 4 November 2002 THE EUROPEAN UNION 13762/02 PECHE 167 COVER NOTE1 from : the Secretary-General of the European Commission signed by Mr Sylvain BISARRE, Director date of receipt : 31 October 2002 to : Mr Javier SOLANA, Secretary-General/High Representative Subject : Report of the Subgroup on Resource Status (SGRST) of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) - Elasmobranchs Fisheries - Brussels, 23-26 September 2002 Delegations will find attached Commission document SEC(2002) 1160. ________________________ Encl.: SEC(2002) 1160 1 The text annexed hereto has been received by the General Secretariat of the Council in English only. 13762/02 mc 1 DG B III EN COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Brussels, 29.10.2002 SEC(2002) 1160 COMMISSION STAFF WORKING PAPER REPORT OF THE SUBGROUP ON RESOURCE STATUS (SGRST) OF THE SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC COMMITTEE FOR FISHERIES (STECF) ELASMOBRANCHS FISHERIES Brussels, 23-26 September 2002 This report has not yet been approved by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) and it does not necessarily reflect its views EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The subgroup was tasked to provide updated information on elasmobranch fisheries The subgroup was also asked to provide an explicit ranking of stocks which are at different level of risk; such evaluation being based either on scientific stock assessment or, in absence of formalised scientific analysis, on subgroup’s expert judgement. The subgroup noted that the knowledge base for these species is very poor, with even the most basic biological data missing for some species. There are few examples of species-specific catch and effort data available. The subgroup considered that much progress had been made on stock assessment methodologies, owing to the EC-funded DELASS project. The subgroup reviewed currently available information on elasmobranchs taken in Community fisheries and provided available information on stock status and vulnerability. The subgroup updated the information on life history of some species and produced a ranking of species in several assemblages, in order of vulnerability. Further information on nine species, dealt with by the EC-funded DELASS project (CFP 99/055), will be available in the project final report (December 2002). The subgroup considered that there are some clear examples of decreased abundance and disappearance of species from their former ranges. The subgroup believed that most available data are very poor, and preclude accurate assessments of the stock status of many of the major elasmobranch species. However the subgroup considered that accurate assessments of stock status and vulnerability of the majority of species will require further research. The subgroup considered the range of management measures that are applicable to fisheries taking elasmobranchs and presents a discussion of the utilities of each. The subgroup concluded with a series of recommendations concerning future research needs. In particular there will be need for a dedicated project to improve the availability of data in the short term. In the medium term, the Community Sampling Regulation should be modified to deal more appropriately with elasmobranchs. In addition, to assess the vulnerability of rare or by-catch species, an extensive small- scale programme is suggested. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................1 1.1. TERMS OF REFERENCE ................................................................................................................1 1.2. PARTICIPANTS.............................................................................................................................2 1.3. METHODS AND WORKING STRATEGY OF THE SUBGROUP.............................................................2 2. ELASMOBRANCH FISHERIES................................................................................................4 2.1. LIST OF SPECIES ..........................................................................................................................4 2.2. NE ATLANTIC (BALTIC, NORTH SEA, WESTERN WATERS, CECAF AREA, ETC.).....................11 2.2.1. Coastal sharks and dogfish.............................................................................................11 2.2.1.1. Spurdog .................................................................................................................................... 11 2.2.1.2. Catsharks and nursehounds ...................................................................................................... 15 2.2.2. Pelagic sharks.................................................................................................................16 2.2.2.1. Basking shark........................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.2.2. Blue shark................................................................................................................................. 18 2.2.2.3. Porbeagle and tope ................................................................................................................... 19 2.2.3. Deep-water sharks..........................................................................................................20 2.2.4. Skates and rays ...............................................................................................................24 2.3. MEDITERRANEAN......................................................................................................................30 2.3.1. Coastal fisheries .............................................................................................................32 2.3.2. Deep-sea fisheries...........................................................................................................33 2.3.3. Pelagic fisheries .............................................................................................................33 2.3.4. Recreational fisheries .....................................................................................................35 2.4. EUROPEAN ELASMOBRANCH FISHERIES OUTSIDE EU WATERS ..................................................37 3. BIOLOGICAL FEATURES ......................................................................................................42 3.1. SPECIES DISTRIBUTION AND STOCK STRUCTURE........................................................................42 3.1.1. Spurdog...........................................................................................................................42 3.1.2. Lesser spotted dogfish.....................................................................................................42 3.1.3. Blue shark.......................................................................................................................43 3.1.4. Cuckoo ray......................................................................................................................43 3.1.5. Thornback ray.................................................................................................................43 3.1.6. Blackmouth catshark ......................................................................................................43 3.1.7. Portuguese dogfish .........................................................................................................44 3.1.8. Leaf-scale gulper shark ..................................................................................................44 3.1.9. Kitefin shark ...................................................................................................................44 3.2. L-W RELATIONSHIPS, CONVERSION FACTORS ...........................................................................44 3.2.1. Converstion factors.........................................................................................................46 3.3. MATURITY ................................................................................................................................50 4. SELECTIVITY PARAMETERS OF FISHING GEAR..........................................................51 4.1. DEMERSAL TRAWLS ..................................................................................................................51 4.2. DEMERSAL LONGLINES .............................................................................................................52 4.3. DEMERSAL GILLNETS ................................................................................................................53 4.4. PELAGIC TRAWLS......................................................................................................................53 4.5. PELAGIC LONGLINES .................................................................................................................53 4.6. PELAGIC GILLNETS....................................................................................................................54 5. PAST AND RECENT TRENDS IN ABUNDANCE ................................................................59 5.1. NORTH ATLANTIC.....................................................................................................................59 5.1.1. Spurdog (Squalus acanthias) in Sub-areas IV, VI and VII .............................................59 5.1.2. Lesser spotted dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) ..............................................................60
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