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Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) are rare, and highly important sites to the life history of a number of declining shark species are endangered by fishing.The high diversity of sharks caught by fisheries is difficult to monitor due to the scarcity of information on species‐specific biological aspects (growth, maturity and fertility rate).There are two EBSAs off north‐eastern Brazil, where key species are caught, more specifically the oceanic whitetip (Carcharhinus longimanus), mako (Isurus oxyrinchus), blue (Prionace glauca) and silky (Carcharhinus falciformis) sharks. Another 23 species displaying low frequency in catches have also been recorded, many of them considered threatened according to the IUCN Red List and the Brazilian Ministry of Environment.The main purpose of this study was to generate information about shark diversity and demonstrate the role of the two EBSAs in their conservation. After analysing fishing data collected from 2000 to 2011, maps were built to categorize shark species by phases of their ontogenetic development (neonate, young and adult) based on samples of C. falciformis (n = 330), C. longimanus (n = 440), I. oxyrinchus (n = 452) and P. glauca (n = 8,176).Shark stocks comprised mainly juveniles, which raises concerns since they are considered a crucial life stage for the sustainability of shark populations. Catch monitoring also highlighted that several of the species caught are threatened and their catch is either prohibited or limited according to the Brazilian laws and international rules in place.Action plans and enforcement of laws and rules are needed to deliver the protective measures needed for shark species in these EBSAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elasmobranchs are apex predators that play a crucial role in marine ecosystems by regulating the dynamics of food webs, as well as connecting different trophic levels across habitats.The large‐scale removal of elasmobranchs impacts the energy transfer in trophic interactions. The pressure of unsustainable fisheries is considerable, as most elasmobranchs have reproductive strategies that render them unable to recover their demographic status after depletion.In Brazil, elasmobranchs are broadly commercialized under the generalist common name of 'cação' (namely, shark meat). This allows threatened species to be commercialized and makes the tracking of different species difficult.DNA barcoding of the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was applied to identify the different species sold as 'cação' along the coastline of Brazil. Fifty‐seven samples from 33 cities in 15 coastal states of Brazil were purchased and analysed.Bioinformatic analyses revealed the presence of 17 species that were sold as 'cação'. Among them, Prionace glauca (blue shark) was the most abundant. Other species, listed as Endangered under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, were also uncovered as being in the shark meat trade, such as Sphyrna lewini (scalloped hammerhead), Isurus paucus (longfin mako shark), and Squatina guggenheim (angular angel shark).These findings have reinforced the necessity to correctly label the commercialized species. Public actions towards species‐specific management plans must be applied, as well as monitoring the supervised allied educational programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The illegal sale of endangered elasmobranchs has been recorded in a number of different Brazilian states, where sharks and rays are being marketed primarily as 'cação' or 'viola'. Brazil is ranked among the top 10 nations worldwide that harvest most sharks, causing an immeasurable impact on the local elasmobranch populations.The present study applied the DNA barcoding technique, based on the cytochrome C oxidase subunit I gene, for the molecular identification of the elasmobranch species sold as processed products under the generic names of 'cação', 'mangona', 'azul', 'cambeva', 'fiuso' and 'lombo preto', in the fish market of the city of Florianópolis, capital of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.Nine elasmobranch species were identified in the 56 samples analysed, including six sharks and three rays, representing six families, the Carcharhinidae, Sphyrnidae, Squatinidae, Arhynchobatidae, Myliobatidae and Gymnuridae. Prionace glauca, identified in more than half (56%) of the samples analysed, is listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.Six species identified in the present study, Sphyrna zygaena, Sphyrna lewini, Squatina guggenheim, Carcharhinus signatus, Gymnura altavela and Rioraja agassizii, are under some level of risk of extinction, while two others (Rhizoprionodon lalandii and Myliobatis goodei) are listed as Data Deficient.Our results indicate that the commercial exploitation of endemic sharks and rays at risk of extinction is commonplace in southern Brazil. This reinforces the need for more systematic monitoring of the trade in fishery products and more effective application of the environmental legislation and conservation programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical fisheries data are usually obtained during landings, through rapid fish classification and their categorization under the trade names given to species or groups of species. However, species classification is often difficult, particularly concerning elasmobranchs whose fins and heads have been removed, leading to labelling errors.The aim of this paper is to identify the ray species composition landed in south‐east Brazil, providing identification strategies to support a plan for more efficient labelling and management.Samples were obtained from artisanal fleet landings, between November 2012 and May 2014. For taxonomic identification of whole or processed animals (n = 279, belonging to 10 species), morphological, metric, and molecular techniques were employed. The common name used by fishermen was more related to the location where they lived than the fishing gear used.Morphometric analyses resulted in pectoral fin to length and weight conversion equations of whole individuals for each species, and 10 variables were found to be diagnostic of each genus.A genetic identification, based on sequencing of the mitochondrial genes cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I, was applied to verify morphological identification. A dichotomous key that allowed ray identification at the species level from pectoral fin morphology was developed. The approach was field tested and deemed adequate, leading to a robust monitoring strategy for estimating the biomass of specific landed rays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]