Status and trends of demersal Elasmobranches in Sardinian Seas (Central Western Mediterranean)

FOLLESA, MARIA CRISTINA;CAU, ALESSANDRO;CANNAS, RITA;MULAS, ANTONELLO;PESCI, PAOLA;PORCU, CRISTINA;SABATINI, ANDREA;CAU, ANGELO

2013-01-01

---

Abstract

The status of demersal Elasmobranchs species in Sardinian Sea was investigated through data collected in 17 years of MEDITS trawl surveys carried out between 1994 and 2011. Both density and biomass indices of the totality of Elasmobranches caught in the macrostrata 10-800 m and in the shelf (10-200 m) showed statistical increasing trends. The species showed stable and/or statistical increasing trends of the abundance indices. Only one statistical decreasing trend was observed for both indices of Squalus blainville In spite of the general status of Elasmobranches in the Mediterranean, our analyses highlighted that the demersal cartilaginous species do not show any sign of decline in the Sardinian seas (Central western Mediterranean).