Elasmobranch Mark–Recapture Experiment off the Balearic Islands: Insight into Scyliorhinus canicula Growth, Mobility, and Population Size

Abstract

Despite the high diversity of elasmobranch fishes in the Balearic Islands, knowledge of their biology and population dynamics is still scarce. A recent mark-and-recapture experiment off the Balearic Islands tagged 3738 individuals of 23 shark and batoid species during MEDITS and CANAL bottom trawl scientific surveys from June 2021 to August 2023. Retrieval was reported for the sharks Scyliorhinus canicula and Mustelus mustelus, revealing relatively small home ranges for these species (0.2–38.5 km and 7.8–15.3 km for S. canicula and M. mustelus, respectively). Recapture efficiency was higher from scientific surveys than from commercial catches, highlighting potential challenges in collaboration with fishermen and recapture reports. Density estimates obtained from the MEDITS bottom trawl survey suggest a much larger population for S. canicula than estimates from the mark–recapture data, indicating MEDITS density estimates for this species may be overestimated due to its scavenger behavior perhaps favoring individuals searching for discards aggregated in the fishing grounds. This study emphasizes the importance of monitoring, collaborative efforts, and improved reporting mechanisms to enhance our understanding of elasmobranch populations and provide support for sustainable management of these vulnerable marine species.