Critical habitats for sharks and rays in Asia remain largely unprotected

Abstract The Asia region harbors exceptional chondrichthyan (shark, ray, and chimaera) diversity but faces intense fishing pressure. The Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) process provides a collaborative, evidence-based framework to identify critical habitats and inform spatial management. We assessed ISRAs across the Bay of Bengal, Southeast Asia, and the Northwest Pacific to characterize their extent, ecological significance, and conservation relevance. We delineated 122 ISRAs spanning ~ 1 million km 2 (~ 3% of the region) across 12 jurisdictions and international waters, encompassing habitats for 121 species (~ 30% of Asia’s chondrichthyans), 76% of which are threatened. Depleted taxa (e.g., giant guitarfishes, Glaucostegidae) were represented, but charismatic megafauna (e.g., Whale Shark Rhincodon typus ) were overrepresented. In contrast, deepwater and freshwater species were underrepresented. Reproductive Areas were the most common ISRA sub-criterion applied (52% of ISRAs), largely in nearshore zones, while areas for range-restricted species were less frequently (18%) identified. Twelve ISRAs overlapped with biodiversity hotspots, including seven in areas of high overall chondrichthyan species richness and five in areas of high range-restricted species richness. Citizen science was the predominant research method used to delineate ISRAs, while fisheries data were underused despite the region’s major fisheries footprint. Geographic coverage was uneven: Indonesia held the most ISRAs (n = 40; 71.7% of ISRA coverage) while eight jurisdictions (e.g., Viet Nam, China, Republic of Korea) lacked ISRAs due to data gaps. Protection shortfalls are stark: MPAs cover < 5% of national waters in 16 jurisdictions (eight with < 1%); 5.4% of ISRA area lies within MPAs; and only 2.8% of ISRA spatial extent overlaps with no-take zones. These results provide a regional foundation to guide spatial planning, prioritize management, close data gaps, and support recovery of Asia’s diverse and imperiled chondrichthyan assemblages.

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Publication Details

Journal
Biodiversity and Conservation
Published
2026-05-29
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-026-03356-2
Primary Topic
Ichthyology and Marine Biology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Critical habitats for sharks and rays in Asia remain largely unprotected

Rohani Ambo‐Rappe, Calvin S. Beale, Jessica-Anne Blakeway, Michael I. Grant et al.
Biodiversity and Conservation
Ichthyology and Marine Biology
article

Critical habitats for sharks and rays in Asia remain largely unprotected

Rohani Ambo‐Rappe, Calvin S. Beale, Jessica-Anne Blakeway, Michael I. Grant, Vanessa Bettcher Brito, Mochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra, Elisabeth Fahrni Mansur, Thanda Ko Gyi, Maizah M. Abdullah, Serena Adam, Alessandro Ponzo, Ryan Murray, Emiliano García‐Rodríguez, Bineesh Kinattumkara, Subal Kumar Roul, Alissa Barnes, Metavee Chuangcharoendee, Me’ira Mizrahi, Kirsty Magson, Simon Hilbourne, Gonzalo Araújo, Swatipriyanka Sen, Divya Karnad, Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, Kojiro Hara, Budi Nugraha, Daniel Fernando, Pascal Sebastian, RAISA NOOR, Peter Gausmann, Simon P. Oliver, Abraham B. Sianipar, Faqih Akbar Alghozali, Anna L. Flam, Marta D. Palacios, Keisuke Furumitsu, Petch Manopawitr, Bella Riskyta Arinda, Edy Setyawan, L. Remya, Asia O. Armstrong, Ramajeyam Gobiraj, Elisabeth Astari, Muhammad Wiralaga Dwi Gustianto, VĂN QUANG VÕ, Fung Chen Chung, Adriana González-Pestana, Efin Muttaqin, Aaron Savio Lobo, Sirachai Arunrugstichai, Jo Marie V. Acebes, Alp Gokgoz, Eurida Liyana, Andrew Chin, ALEXEI M. ORLOV, Christoph A. Rohner, Sweta Beura, Christine L. Dudgeon, Lisa-Marie Auditore, Nesha K. Ichida, Evan M. Nazareth, Neil Hutchinson, Amanda Batlle-Morera, Maria Theresa R. Aquino, Avik Banerjee, Shoba Joe Kizhakudan, Ariana S. Agustines, Peter M. Kyne, Muktha Menon, Ryan Charles, Lavina, Sharang Payyat, Mareike Dornhege-Lazaroff, Citra Septiani, Catherine D. McCann, Joshua Rambahiniarison, Titus E. Cañete, Eswar S. Jarugulla, Prehadi, David A. McCann, Nantarika Chansue, Mark V. Erdmann, Syamsidar Gaffar, Sue Andrey Ong, Alifa B. Haque, Hua Hsun Hsu, Supachok Chittapisan, Fahmi, Thilini Dilrukshi, Chethana L. Amadoru, Akbar Reza, Kooi Chee Ho, Anusha Neranjan, Chia-Yun J. Li, Richard N. Muallil, Anil Mohapatra, Clare M. Baranowski, David M. P. Jacoby, Nicolas J. Pilcher, Janis Argeswara
article en

Abstract

Abstract The Asia region harbors exceptional chondrichthyan (shark, ray, and chimaera) diversity but faces intense fishing pressure. The Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) process provides a collaborative, evidence-based framework to identify critical habitats and inform spatial management. We assessed ISRAs across the Bay of Bengal, Southeast Asia, and the Northwest Pacific to characterize their extent, ecological significance, and conservation relevance. We delineated 122 ISRAs spanning ~ 1 million km 2 (~ 3% of the region) across 12 jurisdictions and international waters, encompassing habitats for 121 species (~ 30% of Asia’s chondrichthyans), 76% of which are threatened. Depleted taxa (e.g., giant guitarfishes, Glaucostegidae) were represented, but charismatic megafauna (e.g., Whale Shark Rhincodon typus ) were overrepresented. In contrast, deepwater and freshwater species were underrepresented. Reproductive Areas were the most common ISRA sub-criterion applied (52% of ISRAs), largely in nearshore zones, while areas for range-restricted species were less frequently (18%) identified. Twelve ISRAs overlapped with biodiversity hotspots, including seven in areas of high overall chondrichthyan species richness and five in areas of high range-restricted species richness. Citizen science was the predominant research method used to delineate ISRAs, while fisheries data were underused despite the region’s major fisheries footprint. Geographic coverage was uneven: Indonesia held the most ISRAs (n = 40; 71.7% of ISRA coverage) while eight jurisdictions (e.g., Viet Nam, China, Republic of Korea) lacked ISRAs due to data gaps. Protection shortfalls are stark: MPAs cover < 5% of national waters in 16 jurisdictions (eight with < 1%); 5.4% of ISRA area lies within MPAs; and only 2.8% of ISRA spatial extent overlaps with no-take zones. These results provide a regional foundation to guide spatial planning, prioritize management, close data gaps, and support recovery of Asia’s diverse and imperiled chondrichthyan assemblages.

Biodiversity and ConservationVol. 35(7)
Public Agenda (US), Thai Red Cross Society (TH), WWF Colombia (CO), Wildlife Conservation Society (US), Zoological Survey of India (IN), University of Chester (GB), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (MY), Universiti of Malaysia Sabah (MY), Universitas Gadjah Mada (ID), University of the Sunshine Coast (AU), Murdoch University (AU), IPB University (ID), Ghent University Hospital (BE), Fisheries Agency (TW), Universitas Borneo Tarakan (ID), Mindanao State University (PH), The Ocean Foundation (US), Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (ID), Marine Megafauna Foundation (US), Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit (MM), Universitas Muhammadiyah Tangerang (ID), Marine Research Foundation (MY), Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (PH), Universitas Dian Nusantara (ID), Wildlife Conservation Society United Kingdom (GB), Okinawa Prefectural Agricultural Research Center (JP), National Trust (GB), Thai Health Promotion Foundation (TH), Blue Resources Trust (LK), Green Chemistry (PL), Wildlife Conservation Society India (IN), OGT Amenity (Ireland) (IE), WWF-Indonesia (ID), Institute of Marine Geology and Geophysics (VN), Thrive (US), Nagasaki University (JP), Institute of Oceanography, Lancaster University (GB), Nature Conservation Foundation (IN), Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (IN), Ruhr University Bochum (DE), Hasanuddin University (ID)
Charles Darwin University
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Ichthyology and Marine Biology
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