Skate: Longnose and Big

Skate

N/A

Longnose and Big skate are the largest and most abundant of the skate species encountered in Canadian waters. Both the longnose skate and big skate are found from the eastern Bering Sea, along the Aleutian Islands through to Point Conception, California. The longnose skate can also be found further south through to Baja California and into the Gulf of California. Longnose skate are typically found on mud-cobble bottoms often near boulders, rock ledges, and other areas with vertical relief whereas big skate are found in shallower waters on sandy-muddy bottoms.

Longnose and big skate are characterized by relatively late maturation and slow growth. For both species, fecundity is largely unknown however it is considered to be low, resulting in low intrinsic rates of increase. Both skate species are very susceptible to bottom trawl gear due to sedentary behaviour. Overall skates in general are considered to be moderately vulnerable to fishing pressure.

Big and longnose skate are slow growing and have a moderate age of first maturity. Big and longnose skate have never received a proper stock assessment and therefore the status of the stocks is largely unknown. Unpublished indices of abundance combined with maintained catches suggest there is no immediate conservation concern. Stock status is a moderate conservation concern.

Approximately 82% of the skate landings are captured by bottom trawl and the remaining 18% is captured by longlines. The discard (bycatch) rate of non-targeted species by both gear types is typically over 20%. There are no legally protected endangered species regularly captured by
these fleets. Bycatch is a moderate conservation concern.

Most of the skate landed are captured by bottom trawling, a gear type considered to cause great damage to habitat. Capture of skates by longlining is generally thought to cause less damage to habitats. Habitat effects of bottom trawling is a high conservation concern whereas bottom longlining is a moderate conservation concern.

Skates are not actively managed in British Columbia. Aside from a single area TAC for the trawl fleet and a monthly vessel catch limit for the longline fleet there are no restrictions. Management has made no effort to reduce the amount of bycatch or habitat damage. Skates have never received a proper stock assessment which is the main shortcoming of this fishery pulling it towards a recommendation of ‘avoid’. Management is a high conservation concern.

No.