3.1

This relatively small skate (to 70 cm TL) may be endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. Records from off Portugal and the northern coasts of Morocco require verification and may be misidentifications of other Raja species. The Rough Ray (Raja radula) occurs from coastal waters to 300 m depth, but appears to be more common at less than 40 m depth in some areas, such as the Balearic Islands. Where recorded in scientific trawl surveys in the northern Mediterranean, this species appears rare. In northern Mediterranean wide MEDITS scientific trawl surveys from 1994–1999 (at 50–800 m depth) the Rough Ray was captured in only 21 of 6,336 tows. It is the most abundant skate in shallow waters off the Balearic Islands (<40m depth), comprising about 25% in abundance and 12% in biomass of total elasmobranch catch in the trammel net fishery there. The Rough Ray is taken as bycatch of demersal trawl, gillnet, trammel net and bottom longline fisheries, although no specific data are available on catches. Given that this species appears to be restricted to the Mediterranean Sea and fishing pressure is relatively intensive in areas of its range, this species’ status may be of concern. At present insufficient information is available from across its range to assess it beyond Data Deficient. Further investigation is required to determine this species’ full range, abundance, interaction with fisheries and population trends.