Identification Guide of shark and ray species occurring in the Wider Caribbean Region

This guide was prepared under the “CITES-FAO collaboration on immediate actions in support of the implementation of CITES listings of sharks and manta rays” project and developed in close collaboration with the FishFinder Programme of the Marine and Inland Fisheries Branch, Fisheries Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United nations (FAO). 

It includes a selection of shark and ray species occurring in the Wider Caribbean Region, that is the waters of the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the waters of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent thereto. In total, 41 shark and 20 ray species are included. 

These species were selected because of their relevance to commercial fisheries or vulnerability to exploitation due to their life history characteristics. Of these, 29 shark and 9 ray species are presented in a full species card and depicted with a colour illustration and photo. Short accounts of 12 shark and 11 ray species that are less common in the region and could be misidentified with more common species, are also included. This guide is intended to help fishery workers collecting catch data in the field in the identification of the sharks and rays they might encounter for the specific purpose of improving the quality of catch and landings data. The guide is expected to be useful also for fisheries inspectors, observers and enforcement officers of the navy, coastguard and customs. Guide Download link