Record Details

Smallbelly Catshark Apristurus indicus

CMFRI Repository

View Archive Info
 
 
Field Value
 
Relation http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/13637/
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161470/109904876
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T161470A109904876.en
 
Title Smallbelly Catshark Apristurus indicus
 
Creator Kyne, Peter M
Ebert, David A
Akhilesh, K V
Tesfamichael, Dawit
Valinassab, Tooraj
 
Subject Shark fisheries
Conservation
 
Description The Speckled Catshark (Halaelurus boesemani) is a relatively small (to 48 cm total length), data-poor
catshark. It is known from a limited number of specimens collected from four locations along an ~900
km stretch of Somali coastline. It occurs on continental and insular shelves at depths of 29-91 m. Its
entire distribution has been subject to at least four decades of unregulated commercial benthic
trawling; shelf-occurring catsharks are very susceptible to capture in this fishing gear. The new Somali
Fisheries Law bans benthic trawling, but it is suspected that past declines have already occurred given
the long history of unregulated fishing across its entire range. Furthermore, enforcement of this new
regulation will be a challenge. While specific data are lacking, a population size reduction of 30-50% is
suspected over the past three generations (~45 years) based on actual levels of exploitation (bycatch)
and the species is assessed as Vulnerable A2d. It is of concern that there have been no records since
1991, although it is acknowledged that research and monitoring have been limited in Somalia. Further
investigation of this species is required to accurately define its range, biology, extent of catches in local
fisheries and levels of declines. This assessment should be revisited as soon as this is available.
 
Publisher International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
 
Date 2017
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format text
 
Language en
 
Identifier http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/13637/1/IUCN%20Red%20List%20of%20Threatened%20Species%202017_Smallbelly%20Catshark%20Apristurus%20indicus.pdf
Kyne, Peter M and Ebert, David A and Akhilesh, K V and Tesfamichael, Dawit and Valinassab, Tooraj (2017) Smallbelly Catshark Apristurus indicus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017.