Activity category: Vulnerable species
Year: 2020
Type: Advocacy, Scientific research
Status: Ongoing
Target areas: Greece, Mediterranean
Target organisms: Sharks
Project website:
Partners
Funders
Activity category: Vulnerable species
Year: 2020
Type: Advocacy, Scientific research
Status: Ongoing
Target areas: Greece, Mediterranean
Target organisms: Sharks
Project website:
Partners
Funders
Objectives
The main objectives of the “Angel Shark Project: Greece” are to reduce Angelshark mortality, identify and protect critical habitats, and strengthen and enforce the national legal framework for their conservation. At the same time, the project aims to raise awareness and actively engage all relevant stakeholders and the public in the protection of the three Mediterranean Angelshark species that are found in Greece.
Description
Angelsharks are flattened, benthic sharks with broad pectoral fins, primarily found on the continental shelf and its slopes at depths of up to 500 m. In the Mediterranean Sea, three species occur: the Sawback angelshark (Squatina aculeata), the Smoothback angelshark (Squatina oculata), and the Angelshark (Squatina squatina). All three species have been assessed as Critically Endangered on the Greek Red List, due to severe population declines and local extinctions mainly linked to overfishing.
“Angel Shark Project: Greece” was launched in 2020 as a collaborative initiative led by iSea, with the support of international organisations (ULPGC, ZFMK, ZSL, Shark Trust), aiming to investigate the importance of the Aegean Sea for these threeAngelshark species. The project aligns with the Mediterranean Action Plan for the Conservation of Angelsharks and includes actions focused on monitoring, reducing bycatch, identifying critical habitats, strengthening the legal framework, and raising public awareness.
Special emphasis is placed on data collection through sighting reports submitted by citizens, divers, and fishers. These observations are recorded on the Angel Shark Sighting Map and shared with the project’s partners, contributing significantly to the protection of Angelsharks in Greece.
Results
At the same time, the first funded Angelshark conservation projectss in Greece were implemented, generating valuable scientific data and strengthening the foundation for the development of a National Action Plan. The project’s outcomes support the implementation of targeted conservation measures and the long-term recovery of viable Angelshark populations in the Mediterranean.