Angel shark  (Squatina squatina)

The angel shark is not particularly sought after by fisheries, and since 1989 catches have only been reported from Tunisia. The small numbers caught are utilised for human consumption, and possibly also used for oil and fishmeal (5). A more widespread, potential threat is the capture of this species as by-catch (5). As they lie on the bottom, angel sharks are particularly vulnerable to by-catch in trawl fisheries, an activity that has increased in the last 50 years. As a result, numbers of angel sharks have declined dramatically, and have even been declared extinct in the North Sea (1).

All Squatina species are protected within three Balearic Islands marine reserves, where fishing for these species is forbidden (1). The status of the angel shark in many parts of its range is unknown (1), and the impact of fisheries is unclear (5), and thus research is required and conservation measures urgently need to be implemented (1), to assure the conservation of this unusual and distinctive shark.