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Endangered Species Research

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ESR is a gold Open Access research journal on all endangered forms of life on Earth, the threats faced by species and their habitats, and the necessary steps that must be undertaken to ensure their conservation.

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Online: ISSN 1613-4796

Print: ISSN 1863-5407

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr

Impact Factor2.9 (JCR 2025 release)

Article Acceptance Rate68.4% (2024)

Average Time in Review178 days (2024)

Total Annual Downloads479.602 (2025)

Volume contents
Endang Species Res 47:171-203 (2022)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01169

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Emergent research and priorities for shark and ray conservation

ABSTRACT: Over the past 4 decades there has been a growing concern for the conservation status of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays). In 2002, the first elasmobranch species were added to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Less than 20 yr later, there were 39 species on Appendix II and 5 on Appendix I. Despite growing concern, effective conservation and management remain challenged by a lack of data on population status for many species, human−wildlife interactions, threats to population viability, and the efficacy of conservation approaches. We surveyed 100 of the most frequently published and cited experts on elasmobranchs and, based on ranked responses, prioritized 20 research questions on elasmobranch conservation. To address these questions, we then convened a group of 47 experts from 35 institutions and 12 countries. The 20 questions were organized into the following broad categories: (1) status and threats, (2) population and ecology, and (3) conservation and management. For each section, we sought to synthesize existing knowledge, describe consensus or diverging views, identify gaps, and suggest promising future directions and research priorities. The resulting synthesis aggregates an array of perspectives on emergent research and priority directions for elasmobranch conservation.

KEYWORDS

Elasmobranch Conservation priorities Sharks Rays

Salvador J. Jorgensen (Corresponding Author)

  • Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA, 93940, USA
  • UC Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
  • Present address: Institute of Marine Science, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
sajorgen@ucsc.edu

Fiorenza Micheli (Co-author)

  • Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950, USA
  • Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950, USA

Timothy D. White (Co-author)

  • Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950, USA
  • Global Fishing Watch, Washington, DC, 20036, USA

Kyle S. Van Houtan (Co-author)

  • Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA, 93940, USA
  • Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA

Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto (Co-author)

  • ProDelphinus, Lima, 15074, Peru
  • Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, 15067, Peru

Samantha Andrzejaczek (Co-author)

  • Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950, USA

Natalie S. Arnoldi (Co-author)

  • Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950, USA

Julia K. Baum (Co-author)

  • Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada

Barbara Block (Co-author)

  • Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950, USA

Gregory L. Britten (Co-author)

  • Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

Cheryl Butner (Co-author)

  • Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950, USA

Susana Caballero (Co-author)

  • Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos (LEMVA), Biological Sciences Department, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, 111711, Colombia

Diego Cardeñosa (Co-author)

  • Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA

Taylor K. Chapple (Co-author)

  • Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station (COMES), Oregon State University, Newport, OR, 97365, USA

Shelley Clarke (Co-author)

  • Sasama Consulting, Shizuoka 428-0211 Japan

Enric Cortés (Co-author)

  • NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Panama City, FL, 32408, USA

Nicholas K. Dulvy (Co-author)

  • Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada

Sarah Fowler (Co-author)

  • Save Our Seas Foundation, Geneva, 1201, Switzerland

Austin J. Gallagher (Co-author)

  • Beneath the Waves, Herndon, VA, 20172, USA

Eric Gilman (Co-author)

  • The Lyell Centre, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4ES, UK

Brendan J. Godley (Co-author)

  • Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwal,l TR10 9FE, UK

Rachel T. Graham (Co-author)

  • MarAlliance, Innova Center, Ciudad del Saber, Panama City, 0801, Panama

Neil Hammerschlag (Co-author)

  • University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Miami, FL, 33149, USA

Alastair V. Harry (Co-author)

  • Fisheries and Agriculture Resource Management, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Hillarys, Western Australia, 6025, Australia
  • Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia

Michael R. Heithaus (Co-author)

  • Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33181, USA

Melanie Hutchinson (Co-author)

  • Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Honolulu, HI, 96818, USA

Charlie Huveneers (Co-author)

  • Marine & Coastal Research Consortium, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia

Chris G. Lowe (Co-author)

  • California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, 90840, USA

Luis O. Lucifora (Co-author)

  • Instituto Nacional de Limnología, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Santa Fe, S3001XAI, Argentina

Tracy MacKeracher (Co-author)

  • Integrated Fisheries Laboratory, Dalhousie University, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada

Jeffrey C. Mangel (Co-author)

  • ProDelphinus, Lima, 15074, Peru
  • University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK

Ana Paula Barbosa Martins (Co-author)

  • Integrated Fisheries Laboratory, Dalhousie University, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada

Douglas J. McCauley (Co-author)

  • Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
  • Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93117, USA

Loren McClenachan (Co-author)

  • Department of History and School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada

Christopher Mull (Co-author)

  • Integrated Fisheries Laboratory, Dalhousie University, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada

Lisa J. Natanson (Co-author)

  • NOAA/NMFS, Narragansett, RI, 02874, USA

Daniel Pauly (Co-author)

  • Sea Around Us, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada

Diana A. Pazmiño (Co-author)

  • Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
  • Galápagos Science Center, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Isla San Cristóbal, Galápagos, 200150, Ecuador

Jennifer C. A. Pistevos (Co-author)

  • Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) Research University, Paris, 75006, France
  • Laboratoire d’Excellence CORAIL, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia

Nuno Queiroz (Co-author)

  • CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, 4485-661, Portugal

George Roff (Co-author)

  • School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

Brendan D. Shea (Co-author)

  • Beneath the Waves, Herndon, VA, 20172, USA
  • Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

Colin A. Simpfendorfer (Co-author)

  • Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

David W. Sims (Co-author)

  • Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK
  • Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
  • Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK

Christine Ward-Paige (Co-author)

  • eOceans, Halifax, NS, B3J 3K5, Canada

Boris Worm (Co-author)

  • Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada

Francesco Ferretti (Co-author)

  • Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

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