Conservation Status Assessment of Demersal Elasmobranchs in the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean) over the Last Two Decades

More than half of the Mediterranean sharks and rays are threatened by fishing exploitation. However, population assessments limited scarcity specific data on catches. In this study, we assessed temporal trends indicators developed within European Marine Strategy Framework Directive over last two decades in order to assess conservation status demersal batoids Balearic Islands, which represent an important fraction bycatch bottom trawling area. On basis a georeferenced, fishery-independent dataset 19 species elasmobranchs, analyzed 20 year time series (2002–2021) nine regarding area distribution, size, status, community structure. Between 30% 50% elasmobranch functional groups showed increasing distribution size. This was especially true for batoids, whereas size most remained stable study period. The remaining stability or, some cases, variable trends. Only one case did find negative trend sustained all along (i.e., proportion R. radula large individuals relation reference period). Overall, our results suggest that populations elasmobranchs from Islands show or recovery trends, mainly terms density. it remains elusive whether can recover levels more century ago, before development trawl fishery, apparent current steady state should be interpreted as new equilibrium.