On the sandy bottoms of the Canary Islands, the shark, declared critically endangered, lives in its last stronghold.

On the sandy bottoms of the Canary Islands, the angelshark (Squatina squatina) lives in its last stronghold. The Canary archipelago has become a refuge for this shark declared critically endangered.

The angelshark’s historical range stretched from northern Norway to the coastal waters of Morocco, the Sahara and the Canary Islands, as well as the Mediterranean and Black Sea. However, today angelshark populations have already become extinct in the Baltic Sea, northern Mediterranean and Black Sea mainly due to bycatch.

Also known as shark or angelfish, it is believed that its name is due to its wide wing-like pectoral fins, which it uses to bury itself in the sand and ambush fish it encounters in its path. As an expert hunter, he manages to camouflage himself easily in the sand thanks to his flattened body and the asymmetrical patterns on his back, unique to each individual. It may look like a ray, but it belongs to the shark family.

Adults can reach a size ranging from 80 to 169 cm, although specimens have been sighted that exceed 2 meters. The angelshark likes to go outside at night, while during the day it tends to remain at rest, so it is more vulnerable to the impact of fishing gear such as trawling.

Due to its serious situation , urgent measures are required for its conservation. The LIFE IP INTEMARES project, coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and the Environment, through the Biodiversity Foundation, will carry out various actions for its protection.

Among other measures, the creation of new regulations for the regulation of nautical-recreational activities in the Canary Islands will be promoted in order to avoid possible impacts on angelshark specimens, among other species. This regulatory framework is expected to be approved in 2018.

These actions will complement those measures developed in the Canary Islands to promote its conservation, including the Angelshark Action Plan in the Canary Islands, promoted by a multidisciplinary group of experts, administrations and entities involved in its protection.

A participatory project  

The LIFE IP INTEMARES, the largest marine environment conservation project in Europe, aims to achieve a network of marine areas of the Natura 2000 Network, managed effectively, with the active participation of the sectors involved and with research as basic tools for decision-making.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and the Environment also acts as a partner through the Directorate-General for Coastal and Sea Sustainability. Project partners also include the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, WWF-Spain, SEO/BirdLife and the Spanish Fisheries Confederation.

The project has the financial contribution of the European Union’s LIFE Programme, as well as the European Social Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, among other sources of funding.