Strengthening Angel Shark Conservation in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea
Angel sharks are among the most threatened species of sharks globally. Twenty-two species have been identified globally so far, with three species being present in the Mediterranean Sea: <i>Squatina aculeata</i>, <i>Squatina oculata</i>, and <i>Squatina squatina</i&g...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/2/269 |
| _version_ | 1797479002824245248 |
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| author | Ioannis Giovos Dimitra Katsada Roxani Naasan Aga Spyridopoulou Dimitrios Poursanidis Aggeliki Doxa Stelios Katsanevakis Periklis Kleitou Vasiliki Oikonomou Vasileios Minasidis Ayaka A. Ozturk Dimitra Petza Maria Sini Cahide Cigdem Yigin Eva K. M. Meyers Joanna Barker David Jiménez-Alvarado Ali R. Hood |
| author_facet | Ioannis Giovos Dimitra Katsada Roxani Naasan Aga Spyridopoulou Dimitrios Poursanidis Aggeliki Doxa Stelios Katsanevakis Periklis Kleitou Vasiliki Oikonomou Vasileios Minasidis Ayaka A. Ozturk Dimitra Petza Maria Sini Cahide Cigdem Yigin Eva K. M. Meyers Joanna Barker David Jiménez-Alvarado Ali R. Hood |
| author_sort | Ioannis Giovos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Angel sharks are among the most threatened species of sharks globally. Twenty-two species have been identified globally so far, with three species being present in the Mediterranean Sea: <i>Squatina aculeata</i>, <i>Squatina oculata</i>, and <i>Squatina squatina</i>. The Mediterranean populations of all three species have been assessed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to the steep decline of their populations as a result of their historical and current overexploitation by demersal fisheries. Therefore, currently there is an ongoing increasing effort for advancing the conservation of the species in the basin. Recently, in the context of the Regional Action Plan for Mediterranean Angel Sharks, the Aegean Sea and Crete have been identified as critical areas for all three species. This study provides the first predictive distribution map of the three angel shark species in the basin, while critical areas for the conservation of the species were identified through a systematic spatial conservation planning analysis. Our analysis revealed low overlapping between the existing MPA network and critical areas for the distribution of the species primarily in Greece and then Turkey, while 20% of the critical areas for the distribution of the species overlaps with Fisheries Restricted Areas of the region. This highlights the need for creating MPAs focusing on shark conservation within the Mediterranean that are currently completely absent. In addition, we provide policy recommendations that can secure better protection of angel sharks through the enforcement of the current legislations and the engagement of all relevant stakeholders. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:39:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e20965c777d749dbaad649a941ca7bea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:39:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-e20965c777d749dbaad649a941ca7bea2023-11-23T20:36:14ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122022-02-0110226910.3390/jmse10020269Strengthening Angel Shark Conservation in the Northeastern Mediterranean SeaIoannis Giovos0Dimitra Katsada1Roxani Naasan Aga Spyridopoulou2Dimitrios Poursanidis3Aggeliki Doxa4Stelios Katsanevakis5Periklis Kleitou6Vasiliki Oikonomou7Vasileios Minasidis8Ayaka A. Ozturk9Dimitra Petza10Maria Sini11Cahide Cigdem Yigin12Eva K. M. Meyers13Joanna Barker14David Jiménez-Alvarado15Ali R. Hood16iSea, Environmental Organisation for the Preservation of the Aquatic Ecosystems, 54645 Thessaloniki, GreeceiSea, Environmental Organisation for the Preservation of the Aquatic Ecosystems, 54645 Thessaloniki, GreeceiSea, Environmental Organisation for the Preservation of the Aquatic Ecosystems, 54645 Thessaloniki, GreeceterraSolutions Marine Environment Research, Arximidous 63, 71601 Heraklion, GreeceterraSolutions Marine Environment Research, Arximidous 63, 71601 Heraklion, GreeceDepartment of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, GreeceiSea, Environmental Organisation for the Preservation of the Aquatic Ecosystems, 54645 Thessaloniki, GreeceiSea, Environmental Organisation for the Preservation of the Aquatic Ecosystems, 54645 Thessaloniki, GreeceiSea, Environmental Organisation for the Preservation of the Aquatic Ecosystems, 54645 Thessaloniki, GreeceTurkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV), Istanbul 34820, TurkeyDepartment of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, GreeceDepartment of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, GreeceDepartment of Marine Science and Limnology, Marine Science and Technology Faculty, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale 17020, TurkeyZoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, 53113 Bonn, GermanyZoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY, UKGrupo en Biodiversidad y Conservación, IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35200 Telde, SpainThe Shark Trust, 4 Creykes Court, 5 Craigie Drive, The Millfields, Plymouth PL1 3JB, UKAngel sharks are among the most threatened species of sharks globally. Twenty-two species have been identified globally so far, with three species being present in the Mediterranean Sea: <i>Squatina aculeata</i>, <i>Squatina oculata</i>, and <i>Squatina squatina</i>. The Mediterranean populations of all three species have been assessed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to the steep decline of their populations as a result of their historical and current overexploitation by demersal fisheries. Therefore, currently there is an ongoing increasing effort for advancing the conservation of the species in the basin. Recently, in the context of the Regional Action Plan for Mediterranean Angel Sharks, the Aegean Sea and Crete have been identified as critical areas for all three species. This study provides the first predictive distribution map of the three angel shark species in the basin, while critical areas for the conservation of the species were identified through a systematic spatial conservation planning analysis. Our analysis revealed low overlapping between the existing MPA network and critical areas for the distribution of the species primarily in Greece and then Turkey, while 20% of the critical areas for the distribution of the species overlaps with Fisheries Restricted Areas of the region. This highlights the need for creating MPAs focusing on shark conservation within the Mediterranean that are currently completely absent. In addition, we provide policy recommendations that can secure better protection of angel sharks through the enforcement of the current legislations and the engagement of all relevant stakeholders.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/2/269SquatinidaeelasmobranchschondrichthyansMediterraneanspecies distribution modelingSpatial Prioritization Modeling |
| spellingShingle | Ioannis Giovos Dimitra Katsada Roxani Naasan Aga Spyridopoulou Dimitrios Poursanidis Aggeliki Doxa Stelios Katsanevakis Periklis Kleitou Vasiliki Oikonomou Vasileios Minasidis Ayaka A. Ozturk Dimitra Petza Maria Sini Cahide Cigdem Yigin Eva K. M. Meyers Joanna Barker David Jiménez-Alvarado Ali R. Hood Strengthening Angel Shark Conservation in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea Journal of Marine Science and Engineering Squatinidae elasmobranchs chondrichthyans Mediterranean species distribution modeling Spatial Prioritization Modeling |
| title | Strengthening Angel Shark Conservation in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea |
| title_full | Strengthening Angel Shark Conservation in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea |
| title_fullStr | Strengthening Angel Shark Conservation in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strengthening Angel Shark Conservation in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea |
| title_short | Strengthening Angel Shark Conservation in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea |
| title_sort | strengthening angel shark conservation in the northeastern mediterranean sea |
| topic | Squatinidae elasmobranchs chondrichthyans Mediterranean species distribution modeling Spatial Prioritization Modeling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/2/269 |
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