Chondrichthyans Distribution Atlas within North-Eastern Atlantic and French Mediterranean waters
Résumé
Currently, 106 species of chondrichthyans (40 rays, 59 sharks, and 7 chimaeras) are known to be present in the marine waters of metropolitan France. As the spatial distribution of most of these species is little or poorly known, this chondrichthyan distribution atlas aims to address this issue to meet the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requirements, such as for distribution maps. Capture data from fisheries on-board observers’ program, scientific surveys, and citizen science data from 2003 to 2021 were compiled. Given the mobile nature of these species and the EU wide nature of the MSFD, our study area includes waters from the North-East Atlantic, in particular Greater North Sea (including Kattegat and English Channel), Celtic Seas, Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast, and French western Mediterranean waters. Each species has a fact sheet that includes: 1) raw occurrence maps broken down by 3 regions (North-East Atlantic; Gulf of Lion, and Corsica); 2) information on the ecology (seasonality and depth of captures); and 3) length distribution of individuals by fishing gear. To address potential misidentification issues and identify areas where the presence of a species is unlikely, a Certainty Of Data Occurrence Category (CODOC) was implemented. This CODOC is based on an analysis of the data consistency with the known distribution area of the species, referenced depths of species occurrence and/or the known maximum lengths of the species. French experts in this field within their range of knowledge have also reviewed the Atlas.
| Origine | Fichiers produits par l'(les) auteur(s) |
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