Black Roughscale Catshark

About the Black Roughscale Catshark

The Black Rough-scale Catshark is a species of catshark member of the family Scyliorhinidae, found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.

Biology:

This catshark is of uniform black colour, and slightly brownish in larger specimens. There is not much information regarding this species’ biology and ecology. The Black Rough-scale Catshark reaches a maximum length of 76.1 cm in males and 73.1 cm in females. Sexual maturity is reached between 55 – 59 cm TL for both male and female specimens.

Habitat:

This species is a bathydemersal shark that occurs on continental mid-slopes and seamounts at depths of 512-1,520 m. it has a widespread but very patchy distribution. In the Northeast Atlantic, it occurs off France, the British Isles and the Faroe Islands. In the Northwest Atlantic, it is known from off the northern United States of America. It is also known from the Southwest Pacific and Eastern Indian, including New Zealand, New Caledonia and southern Australia.

Conservation:

Based on advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) to end fishing for deepwater sharks, the European Union Fisheries Council established a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for deepwater sharks in 2007. This TAC was gradually reduced and in 2010 it was set at zero. In 2011, the allowable bycatch was reduced from 10% to 3% of the 2009 TAC and in 2012 it was further reduced to zero.

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