Combined Local Fisheries Knowledge with Novel Ecology Survey Methods to Identify and Understand Critical Elasmobranch Habitats and Their Threats

板鳃类（鲨鱼，溜冰鞋和射线）是一个标志性的物种群体，然而，过度捕捞和管理不善已经使东北大西洋约40%的物种面临灭绝的威胁。海洋保护区是一种有效的保护策略，然而，要取得成功，它们必须被设计成包括关键的板鳃类栖息地（例如热点，苗圃地）。实现这一目标的关键一步是推进我们对关键板鳃类栖息地和潜在环境驱动因素的理解。该项目将把新颖、尖端的板鳃类实地调查技术（漂移诱饵相机）与社会科学（例如半结构化访谈）相结合，以确定关键的板鳃类栖息地和威胁重叠。

Elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays) are an iconic groups of species, however, overfishing and poor management has driven around 40% of NE Atlantic species to be threatened with extinction. MPAs represent an effective conservation strategy, however, to be successful, they must be designed to encompass critical elasmobranch habitats (e.g. hotspots, nursery-grounds). A key step towards this is advancing our understanding of critical elasmobranch habitats and underlying environmental drivers. This project will integrate novel, cutting-edge elasmobranch field survey techniques (drifting baited cameras) with social science (e.g. semi-structured interviews) to identify critical elasmobranch habitats and threat overlap.