How ICES has shaped elasmobranch knowledge, assessment, and policy in the Northeast Atlantic
Abstract
At the inception of the ICES Journal of Marine Science, first published in 1926, elasmobranchs were largely peripheral to fisheries science. Beyond a few commercially valuable species such as basking shark and spurdog, knowledge of occurrence, life history, population structure, and trends of the ∼105 elasmobranch species occurring across the ICES area was limited. This is reflected in the fact that the first elasmobranch-focused paper in the Journal was published by Holden and Meadows in 1964. However, as commercial fisheries expanded and population declines and local extirpations were documented in the late 20th century, elasmobranchs gained increasing attention from both commercial and conservation perspectives. The ICES Working Group for Elasmobranch Fishes, established in 2003, pioneered methods for estimating removals and stock status despite significant data limitations. From issuing the first advice sheets for six “stocks” in 2005, the group now provides assessments for 56 stocks—more than any other ICES assessment group. This review traces the evolution of elasmobranch science within ICES, examining advances in data quality, assessment methodologies, and the shifting priorities that have transformed this taxon from a marginal concern to a central focus of marine conservation and fisheries management. Past and present Working Group Chairs provide perspectives on key developments, persistent challenges, and future directions for elasmobranch research and advice.
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BibTeX
@article{phillips2026ices,
title = {{How ICES has shaped elasmobranch knowledge, assessment, and policy in the Northeast Atlantic}},
author = {Sophy R. Mccully Phillips and Jurgen Batsleer and Maurice Clarke and Ivone Figueiredo and Graham Johnston and Pascal Lorance and Inigo Martinez and Teresa Moura and Samuel Shephard and Paddy A. Walker and Jim R. Ellis},
journal = {ICES Journal of Marine Science},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1093/icesjms/fsag157},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05854109v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - How ICES has shaped elasmobranch knowledge, assessment, and policy in the Northeast Atlantic
AU - Sophy R. Mccully Phillips
AU - Jurgen Batsleer
AU - Maurice Clarke
AU - Ivone Figueiredo
AU - Graham Johnston
AU - Pascal Lorance
AU - Inigo Martinez
AU - Teresa Moura
AU - Samuel Shephard
AU - Paddy A. Walker
AU - Jim R. Ellis
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/05
JO - ICES Journal of Marine Science
DO - 10.1093/icesjms/fsag157
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05854109v1
AB - At the inception of the ICES Journal of Marine Science, first published in 1926, elasmobranchs were largely peripheral to fisheries science. Beyond a few commercially valuable species such as basking shark and spurdog, knowledge of occurrence, life history, population structure, and trends of the ∼105 elasmobranch species occurring across the ICES area was limited. This is reflected in the fact that the first elasmobranch-focused paper in the Journal was published by Holden and Meadows in 1964. However, as commercial fisheries expanded and population declines and local extirpations were documented in the late 20th century, elasmobranchs gained increasing attention from both commercial and conservation perspectives. The ICES Working Group for Elasmobranch Fishes, established in 2003, pioneered methods for estimating removals and stock status despite significant data limitations. From issuing the first advice sheets for six “stocks” in 2005, the group now provides assessments for 56 stocks—more than any other ICES assessment group. This review traces the evolution of elasmobranch science within ICES, examining advances in data quality, assessment methodologies, and the shifting priorities that have transformed this taxon from a marginal concern to a central focus of marine conservation and fisheries management. Past and present Working Group Chairs provide perspectives on key developments, persistent challenges, and future directions for elasmobranch research and advice.
SN - 1054-3139
SN - 1095-9289
ER -