Portuguese Artisanal Fishers’ Knowledge About Elasmobranchs—A Case Study

The high economic value of fisheries was historically associated to commercial teleost fishes. Since the 1970s, despite some elasmobranchs becoming an important target or a bycatch, relatively little research has been carried out on this group because their low value. Due specific life history characteristics, sharks and rays are particularly vulnerable overexploitation, taking several decades recover after reaching overexploitation status. In Portugal elasmobranch fishery results mainly from targeted longlining bycatch different fishing gears. During last decade, Total Allowable Catches (TACs) have decreasing, European Union (EU) banned capture ray species, Portuguese government implemented both closed season minimum landing size for rays, EU prohibited sharks. All these measures may highly responsible national local landings reduction. Official decade were analyzed, landed species conservation status consulted, structured interviews using questionnaire conducted in most port mainland, Sesimbra. Results led us conclude that fishers’ answers data did not match. It also revealed lack awareness by fishers about state shark populations, aspects biology ecology, like reproduction method. present study highlights need fill existing gap knowledge through transfer scientific sharing management responsibilities. Also, we aimed demonstrate necessity education activities within communities, essential step conservation.