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The thin edge of the wedge: Extremely high extinction risk in wedgefishes and giant guitarfishes
- Source :
- Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. 30:1337-1361
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2020.
-
Abstract
- The process of understanding the rapid global decline of sawfishes (Pristidae) has revealed great concern for their relatives, the wedgefishes (Rhinidae) and giant guitarfishes (Glaucostegidae), not least because all three families are targeted for their high-value and internationally-traded ‘white’ fins.The objective of this study was to assess the extinction risk of all 10 wedgefishes and 6 giant guitarfishes by applying the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Categories and Criteria, and to summarise their biogeography and habitat, life history, exploitation, use and trade, and population status.Wedgefishes and giant guitarfishes have overtaken sawfishes as the most imperilled marine fish families globally, with all but one of the 16 species facing an extremely high risk of extinction due to a combination of traits – limited biological productivity, presence in shallow waters overlapping with some of the most intense and increasing coastal fisheries in the world, and over-exploitation in target and bycatch fisheries driven by the need for animal protein and food security in coastal communities and trade in meat and high-value fins.Two species with very restricted ranges, the Clown Wedgefish (Rhynchobatus cooki) of the Indo-Malay Archipelago and the False Shark Ray (Rhynchorhina mauritaniensis) of Mauritania may be very close to extinction.Only the Eyebrow Wedgefish (Rhynchobatus palpebratus) is not assessed as Critically Endangered, due to it occurring primarily in Australia where fishing pressure is low, and some management measures are in place. Australia represents a ‘lifeboat’ for the three wedgefish and one giant guitarfish species occurring there.To conserve populations and permit recovery, a suite of measures will be required which will need to include species protection, spatial management, bycatch mitigation, and harvest and international trade management, all of which will be dependent on effective enforcement.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Extinction
Ecology
biology
010604 marine biology & hydrobiology
Fishing
Aquatic Science
Rhynchobatus
biology.organism_classification
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
Red List Index
Bycatch
Wildlife trade
Fishery
Critically endangered
Geography
Habitat
Threatened species
IUCN Red List
Nature and Landscape Conservation
Rhynchobatus palpebratus
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 10990755 and 10527613
- Volume :
- 30
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....5a2af4b9659d9940bab8123413a3a402