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

鲨鱼、鳐鱼和鳐鱼是一种标志性的物种，然而，过度捕捞和管理不善已经导致大约40%的东北大西洋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，要想取得成功，它们必须被设计成包括关键的elasmobranch栖息地（例如热点，苗圃）。实现这一目标的关键一步是推进我们对关键板蝗栖息地和潜在环境驱动因素的理解。该项目将整合新颖、尖端的elasmobranch实地调查技术（漂流诱饵相机）和社会科学（如半结构化访谈），以确定关键的elasmobranch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.