Skate
Encyclopedia
Skates are cartilaginous fish
belonging to the family
Rajidae in the superorder Batoidea
of rays. There are more than 200 described species in 27 genera. There are two subfamilies, Rajinae (hardnose skates) and Arhynchobatinae (softnose skates).
and it appears that skates have been overfished and are suffering reduced population levels in many parts of the world. The barndoor skate
, Raja laevis, is currently listed with the IUCN as vulnerable due to being severely overfished. However, population data are lacking to determine the exploitation of the big skate at this time.
In 2010, Greenpeace International has added the barndoor skate
, bottlenose skate
, spotback skate
, and maltese skate
to its seafood red list. "The Greenpeace International seafood red list is a list of fish that are commonly sold in supermarkets around the world, and which have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheries."
Chondrichthyes
Chondrichthyes or cartilaginous fishes are jawed fish with paired fins, paired nares, scales, two-chambered hearts, and skeletons made of cartilage rather than bone...
belonging to the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Rajidae in the superorder Batoidea
Batoidea
Batoidea is a superorder of cartilaginous fish commonly known as rays and skates, containing more than 500 described species in thirteen families...
of rays. There are more than 200 described species in 27 genera. There are two subfamilies, Rajinae (hardnose skates) and Arhynchobatinae (softnose skates).
Conservation
Skates have slow growth rates and, since they mature late, low reproductive rates. As a result skates are vulnerable to overfishingOverfishing
Overfishing occurs when fishing activities reduce fish stocks below an acceptable level. This can occur in any body of water from a pond to the oceans....
and it appears that skates have been overfished and are suffering reduced population levels in many parts of the world. The barndoor skate
Barndoor skate
The barndoor skate, Dipturus laevis, is a species of marine cartilaginous fish in the skate family of the order Rajiformes. It is native to the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, and is found from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and the southern side of the Gulf of St. Lawrence south to North Carolina...
, Raja laevis, is currently listed with the IUCN as vulnerable due to being severely overfished. However, population data are lacking to determine the exploitation of the big skate at this time.
In 2010, Greenpeace International has added the barndoor skate
Barndoor skate
The barndoor skate, Dipturus laevis, is a species of marine cartilaginous fish in the skate family of the order Rajiformes. It is native to the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, and is found from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and the southern side of the Gulf of St. Lawrence south to North Carolina...
, bottlenose skate
Bottlenose skate
The bottlenose skate, spearnose skate, or white skate, Rostroraja alba, is a species of skate in the family Rajidae, and the sole member of its genus. It is a benthic fish native to the coastal eastern Atlantic Ocean...
, spotback skate
Spotback skate
The spotback skate is a species of fish in the Rajidae family. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. Its natural habitat is open seas.- Sustainable consumption :...
, and maltese skate
Maltese skate
The Maltese skate or Maltese ray is a species of fish in the Rajidae family. It is found in Algeria, Italy, Malta, and Tunisia. Its natural habitat is open seas. It is threatened by habitat loss....
to its seafood red list. "The Greenpeace International seafood red list is a list of fish that are commonly sold in supermarkets around the world, and which have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheries."
External links
- ARKive - images and movies of the common skate (Dipturus batis)
- Kliman, Todd. "Skate Goes From Trash Fish to Treasure", Washingtonian, May 1, 2006.