Long-term changes in ray populations in the North Sea

Abstract

Three data sets have been analysed: landing statistics (1903 Landings of rays and skates have decreased by more than half compared with the post-war level. Starry ray has increased in abundance in the central North Sea between 1970 and 1993. Thornback ray virtually disappeared from the Dutch coastal area in 1958. No significant trend has been observed for the other species.