PROTECTING ANGEL SHARK IN CYPRUS

Angel sharks have been recognized as one of the world's most threatened shark families, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with the majority of the 23 listed species worldwide in need of immediate protection and conservation.

Three species of angel sharks are found in the Mediterranean: the Sawback angelshark (Squatina aculeata), the Smoothback angelshark (S. oculata) and the Angelshark (S. squatina), with the Mediterranean populations of all 3 already assessed as "Critically Endangered" according to the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which indicates an extremely high risk of extinction. Angel sharks are in this situation due to past population declines, as well as several local extinctions, as a result of their historical and current overfishing.

In 2017, following a series of participatory workshops by scientists and agencies involved in the study and conservation of angel sharks, the Strategy for the Conservation of Angel Sharks in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Seas was published. Of the four regions considered in the framework of this Strategy, the Mediterranean was identified as a priority region and the immediate need for the planning of a strategy and conservation actions for angel sharks was considered.

In this context, an Action Plan for the Protection of Angel Sharks in the Mediterranean was published in 2019 with the vision of restoring Mediterranean Angel Sharks to stable populations, able to fulfill their ecological roles in a healthy ecosystem. The primary objective of the Action Plan is to provide a framework of proposed actions for the conservation of angel sharks in the area. More specifically, the Action Plan sets three main objectives:

From 2023, we participate in a Mediterranean initiative together with the Shark Trust, Enalia Physis, SPOT, MERSEA and the ASCOB Syrti with the aim of implementing the Mediterranean Action Plan for Angel Sharks in Tunisia, Cyprus and Turkey. The objectives of the initiative are

Recently, through the collection of information in Cyprus, we managed to confirm the existence of all 3 species of angel sharks in the area, while at the same time we created the Action Plan for the Protection of Angel Sharks in Cyprus:

In this context, we are continuing the work in Cyprus in collaboration with Enalia Physis and SPOT with the aim of better understanding the important areas for angel sharks in the region and at the same time improving their protection. In order to achieve these goals, by 2025 the following actions are envisaged in Cyprus:

Help us learn more about angel sharks in Cyprus by submitting your observations to the Angel Shark Sighting Map. This information will be sent electronically to all the partners of the project and will essentially contribute to a better understanding of the distribution of the 3 species in the area.

Learn more about angel sharks in Cyprus and the Mediterranean:

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