Angular Roughshark

About the Angular Roughshark

The Angular Roughshark is found in the eastern Atlantic, from Norway all the way down to South Africa and throughout the Mediterranean at depths between 35 and 805 meters (115–2,641 ft). They were once present in the Adriatic and Aegean seas, but are now rare in these areas.

When they reach maturity, both females and males are between 50 and 70 cm (19.6–27.5 in), with females being slightly longer. At full size, they are usually around 1 m (3.3 ft) but have been known to grow to 1.5 m (4.9 ft). Angular Roughsharks produce between 10 to 12 pups annually and they are usually between 20 and 24 cm (7.9–9.4 in) at birth. Reproduction is ovoviviparous, meaning the eggs hatch inside the mother before the pups are born. Generation length is thought to be around 20 years.

Their bodies are relatively large and they have big spiny dorsal fins which make it easy for them to get caught in fishing nets. They are not usually targeted by commercial fisheries, but they live in areas with high fishing pressure. Scientists estimate the global population has declined by 50-79% over the past 60 years, with some Mediterranean populations now thought to be locally extinct. As a result, the IUCN has assessed the species as Endangered.

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