Incidence of sharks and rays in themarine fishery of Ecuador,during year 2024

Authors

  • Marco Herrera Instituto Público de Investigación de Acuicultura y Pesca Proceso de Investigación de Recursos Bioacuáticos y su Ambiente, Programa de Especies Vulnerables, Guayaquil CP. 090308, Ecuador. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6653-2374
  • Gustavo Riofrío Instituto Público de Investigación de Acuicultura y Pesca Proceso de Investigación de Recursos Bioacuáticos y su Ambiente, Programa de Especies Vulnerables, Guayaquil CP. 090308, Ecuador. Author https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5444-8391

Keywords:

longlines, gillnets, mother ships, fiberglass boats, elasmobranchs

Abstract

Sharks and rays are caught as bycatch in Ecuadorian fisheries, primarily in the catch of large pelagic fish. The aim of this study was to determine the quantity of sharks and rays caught as bycatch in Ecuadorian fisheries during 2024. Data sources were fishing records from Subsecretariat of Fisheries Resources (SRP: Spanish acronym), in situ sampling, fishing observers and observations in the landing Port of Santa Rosa, Province of Santa Elena. The species with the highest bycatch were blue shark (Prionace glauca), pelagic thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus), silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis), shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) and bigeye thresher (A. superciliosus), as well as the ray Longtail stingray (Hypanus longus). Rare species such as common thresher (A. vulpinus) and Velez ray (Rostroraja velezi) were also found. Mother ships had the highest incidental catches of sharks and rays using surface longlines. Rays were caught incidentally using five types of bottom fishing gear. Shark lengths differ depending on the landing port; however, they were similar between ship types and fishing gear.

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Published

2026-03-31

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2026): Revista Ciencias del Mar UAS

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Artículo científico

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