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Fifty years of tagging skates (Rajidae): using mark-recapture data to evaluate stock units

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2019

C. Bird ,
G. J. Burt ,
N. Hampton ,
S. R. McCully Phillips  and
J. R. Ellis Open the ORCID record for J. R. Ellis [Opens in a new window]
C. Bird
Affiliation:
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Pakefield Road, LowestoftNR33 0HT, UK National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, European Way, SouthamptonSO14 3ZH, UK
G. J. Burt
Affiliation:
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Pakefield Road, LowestoftNR33 0HT, UK
N. Hampton
Affiliation:
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Pakefield Road, LowestoftNR33 0HT, UK
S. R. McCully Phillips
Affiliation:
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Pakefield Road, LowestoftNR33 0HT, UK
J. R. Ellis*
Affiliation:
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Pakefield Road, LowestoftNR33 0HT, UK
*
Author for correspondence: J. R. Ellis, E-mail: jim.ellis@cefas.co.uk
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Abstract

Despite increased focus on ascertaining the status of elasmobranch fish, the stock units for many species are uncertain. Data from mark-recapture tagging studies undertaken from 1959–2017 were analysed for 13 batoid species. Data were most comprehensive for skates (Rajidae), with 22,374 released and 3342 (14.9%) returned. Most data related to thornback ray Raja clavata, blonde ray R. brachyura and spotted ray R. montagui. Tags were generally returned from areas less than 50 km from their release, and usually from the ICES Division in which they were released. However, straight-line distances travelled of up to 910 km (R. brachyura) and 772 km (R. clavata) were recorded, highlighting that individual skates are capable of longer-distance movements. The maximum time at liberty was 16.6 years (R. clavata). Whilst mark-recapture data indicated that the current stock units used by ICES are broadly appropriate, southward movements of several skate species tagged off Northern Ireland (Division 6.a) to the Irish Sea (Division 7.a) were observed. In contrast, skates tagged in the Irish Sea and Bristol Channel (Division 7.f) generally remained in that area, with only occasional recaptures from Division 6.a.

Keywords

BatoidmovementsPetersen discRajiformesstock identification
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 100 , Issue 1 , February 2020 , pp. 121 - 131
Copyright
Copyright © Crown Copyright, Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Published by Cambridge University Press 2019

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