The Shark Trust has been closely engaged in the annual fisheries negotiations between the UK and the EU for jointly managed fish stocks, with the outcomes published late last night. There have been some steps forward for shark and ray management, some steps back, and a few uncertainties. It will take some time to fully assess the impact of the changes, but you can see our initial takes below.

Skates and Rays 

Many species of skates and rays in UK and EU waters are managed by a group Total Allowable Catch (TAC), which means within three management areas several different ray species are all caught as part of the same quota, whereas most other species are managed on an individual basis. This method of managing catches can expose more vulnerable species in this group to proportionally higher levels of exploitation.

We welcome the steps announced to set science-based individual catch limits for more vulnerable species - like Shagreen Ray, Sandy Ray, and Small-Eyed Ray - within these group TACs.

Spurdog

This long lived, slow growing species is vulnerable to overexploitation by fisheries and - since the fishery reopened in 2023 - has been subject to a 100 cm maximum size restriction to protect larger mature females.

The announced changes to Spurdog management are mixed. On one hand, a 45% reduction in the Total Allowable Catch is welcome, and a management measure that we have been championing since the fishery for this species reopened. However, we are concerned by the commitment to remove the 100 cm maximum size limit without a clear intention of implementing an effective minimum conservation reference size (MCRS) will replace it.

We’ll be scrutinising any proposed the changes within the Spurdog management regime, with the intent to see robust alternatives adopted, and continue to advocate for effective management for sharks, skates, and rays in UK, EU, and international waters.

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Banner image: © Isla Elliot-Walker (from Shark Photographer of the Year 2025)