Status of Southeast Asia's marine sharks and rays

Citation
Clark-Shen N, Chin A, Arunrugstichai S, et al (2022) Status of Southeast Asia’s marine sharks and rays. Conservation Biology 37:e13962. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13962
Abstract

Also published as IOTC-2022-WPEB18-14.

In Southeast Asia elasmobranchs are particularly threatened. We synthesized knowledge from the peer-reviewed and gray literature on elasmobranchs in the region, including their fisheries, status, trade, biology, and management. Our assessment included x species of sharkes and y species of rays. We found that 59% of assessed species are threatened with extinction and 72.5% are in decline; rays were more threatened than sharks. Research and conservation is complicated by the socioeconomic contexts of the countries, geopolitical issues in the South China Sea, and the overcapacity and multispecies nature of fisheries that incidentally capture elasmobranchs. The general paucity of data, funds, personnel, and enforcement hinders management. Reduced capacity in the general fishery sector and marine protected areas of sufficient size (for elasmobranchs and local enforcement capabilities) are among recommendations to strengthen conservation. Article impact statement: Sharks and rays in Southeast Asia are understudied and overfished, and their management is socioeconomically and geopolitically challenging. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved