In the absence of defined reference points, the status of the stocks of demersal skates and rays and demersal sharks cannot be evaluated. The following provides a qualitative summary of the general status of the major species based on survey and landings data.

Landings of skates and rays in the Celtic Seas have generally declined (Figure 5.4.39.1). There have been regional changes in species composition and indices of relative abundance.

Species	Scientific name	Area1	State of stock
Common skate	Dipturus batis	VI	Depleted
		VII
Thornback ray	Raja clavata	VIa	Stable/increasing
		VIIa,f,g
Spotted ray	Raja montagui	VIa	Stable/increasing
		VIIa,f,g
Cuckoo ray	Leucoraja naevus	VIa	Stable/increasing
		VII	Uncertain
Blonde ray	Raja brachyura	VIa, VIIa and VIIf	Uncertain
Undulate ray	Raja undulata	VIIj (Tralee Bay) and VIIde	Uncertain (but with cause for concern)
Smalleyed ray	Raja microocellata	VIIf	Stable/increasing
Sandy ray	Leucoraja circularis	VI	Uncertain
		VIIb,c,h–k	Stable/increasing
Shagreen ray	Leucoraja fullonica	VII	Uncertain
White skate	Rostroraja alba	VII	Severely depleted
Lesser spotted dogfish	Scyliorhinus canicula	VIa and VII	Stable/increasing
Greater spotted dogfish	Scyliorhinus stellaris	VII	Locally stable and increasing in VIIa
Smooth hounds	Mustelus mustelus and Mustelus asterias	VII	Stable/Increasing
Angel shark	Squatina squatina	VII	Severely depleted
1 There is insufficient information to assess the status of stocks in the Rockall area (Division VIb).

Skates and rays

Common skate Depleted. It was formerly widely distributed in the Irish Sea (VIIa), but is now rarely found in this division. Now mostly found off Northwest Scotland (VIa), west of Ireland (VIIb,c), and in the deeper waters of the Celtic Sea (VIIg–j), with occasional individuals in shallower areas (VIIe–f).

Thornback ray Stable/increasing. Catches in the main areas of abundance (VIa, VIIa,f,g) have been stable/increasing in recent years (Figures 5.4.39.2 and 5.4.39.3).

Spotted ray Stable/increasing. Catches in the main areas of abundance (VIa, VIIa,f,g) have been stable/increasing in recent years (Figures 5.4.39.4 and 5.4.39.5).

Cuckoo ray Uncertain and more robust studies on stock identity are required. Data from surveys give contrasting signals (Figures 5.4.39.6, 5.4.39.7, and 5.4.39.8), showing stable/increasing catches in VIa, but stable or declining catches within Subarea VII. French lpue in the Celtic Sea is also declining (Figure 5.4.39.9).

Blonde ray Uncertain. This species has a patchy distribution in the Celtic Seas ecoregion, so interpretation of survey trends is problematic.

Undulate ray Uncertain. Given that this large-bodied species has a patchy distribution in the inshore waters of the Celtic Seas ecoregion, it is susceptible to localized over-exploitation.

Smalleyed ray Stable/increasing. Catches in the main area of the stock distribution (VIIf) have been stable/increasing over the survey time-series (Figure 5.4.39.10).

Sandy ray Uncertain. This offshore species is not well sampled in most groundfish surveys. Catches on the Porcupine Bank have been stable/increasing in recent years (Figure 5.4.39.11).

Shagreen ray Uncertain. This offshore species is not well sampled in most groundfish surveys.

White skate Severely depleted and possibly extirpated from most parts of this ecoregion. No authenticated records in recent groundfish surveys.

Demersal sharks

Lesser spotted dogfish – Stable/increasing in all areas (Figures 5.4.39.12, 5.4.39.13, and 5.4.39.14).

Greater spotted dogfish – Stable/increasing in localized areas (e.g. off Northwest Wales) (Figure 5.4.39.15), but not well sampled by existing surveys, as it prefers rocky, inshore grounds, which are not sampled effectively in most surveys.

Smoothhounds Abundance seems to have been increasing in recent years both in survey catches (Figure 5.4.39.16) and in commercial/recreational fisheries, but the stock status is very uncertain. Identification by species is considered unreliable in the surveys.

Angel shark Severely depleted and possibly extirpated from parts of its former range where it was once common, including Start Bay (VIIe) and Cardigan Bay (VIIa).