Revised analyses suggest that the lesser electric ray Narcine bancroftii is not at risk of extinction

Among rays inhabiting US coastal waters in the western North Atlantic Ocean, a species of potential concern is the lesser electric ray Narcine bancroftii. The most recent International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Assessment indicates the species is Critically Endangered, whi...

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Published in:Endangered Species Research
Main Authors: Carlson, JK, Pollack, AG, Driggers, WB, Castro, JI, Brame, AB, Lee, JL
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Inter-Research 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00799
https://doaj.org/article/942769fce9234ebb9e5a8e9c98f67087
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spelling ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:942769fce9234ebb9e5a8e9c98f67087 2023-05-15T17:34:44+02:00 Revised analyses suggest that the lesser electric ray Narcine bancroftii is not at risk of extinction Carlson, JK Pollack, AG Driggers, WB Castro, JI Brame, AB Lee, JL 2017-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00799 https://doaj.org/article/942769fce9234ebb9e5a8e9c98f67087 EN eng Inter-Research https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v32/p177-186/ https://doaj.org/toc/1863-5407 https://doaj.org/toc/1613-4796 1863-5407 1613-4796 doi:10.3354/esr00799 https://doaj.org/article/942769fce9234ebb9e5a8e9c98f67087 Endangered Species Research, Vol 32, Pp 177-186 (2017) Zoology QL1-991 Botany QK1-989 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00799 2022-12-31T15:19:18Z Among rays inhabiting US coastal waters in the western North Atlantic Ocean, a species of potential concern is the lesser electric ray Narcine bancroftii. The most recent International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Assessment indicates the species is Critically Endangered, which represents the highest risk of extinction based on IUCN criteria. The basis of this alarming designation was a reported 98% decline in abundance based on analyses of a long-term, fisheries-independent trawl survey conducted in the northern Gulf of Mexico since 1972. The status of this species generated considerable concern within the conservation community, prompting a petition for its inclusion under the US Endangered Species Act. We critically examined all available sources of data relative to the abundance of lesser electric ray, including those utilized in the original analysis, and found lesser electric rays do not appear to be at risk of extinction. Contrary to the earlier analysis, we found no evidence of decline in the relative abundance of lesser electric rays, with trends in abundance being relatively flat with high variability. Our investigation determined that analyses of previous trawl surveys did not address major changes over time in survey design and disregarded the strong habitat preference of lesser electric rays. It is critical that the best possible information be used when considering the conservation status of a given species to minimize undue burdens and ensure that increasingly limited resources are applied to the recovery of those species that are truly in peril. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Endangered Species Research 32 177 186
institution Open Polar
collection Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles
op_collection_id ftdoajarticles
language English
topic Zoology
QL1-991
Botany
QK1-989
spellingShingle Zoology
QL1-991
Botany
QK1-989
Carlson, JK
Pollack, AG
Driggers, WB
Castro, JI
Brame, AB
Lee, JL
Revised analyses suggest that the lesser electric ray Narcine bancroftii is not at risk of extinction
topic_facet Zoology
QL1-991
Botany
QK1-989
description Among rays inhabiting US coastal waters in the western North Atlantic Ocean, a species of potential concern is the lesser electric ray Narcine bancroftii. The most recent International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Assessment indicates the species is Critically Endangered, which represents the highest risk of extinction based on IUCN criteria. The basis of this alarming designation was a reported 98% decline in abundance based on analyses of a long-term, fisheries-independent trawl survey conducted in the northern Gulf of Mexico since 1972. The status of this species generated considerable concern within the conservation community, prompting a petition for its inclusion under the US Endangered Species Act. We critically examined all available sources of data relative to the abundance of lesser electric ray, including those utilized in the original analysis, and found lesser electric rays do not appear to be at risk of extinction. Contrary to the earlier analysis, we found no evidence of decline in the relative abundance of lesser electric rays, with trends in abundance being relatively flat with high variability. Our investigation determined that analyses of previous trawl surveys did not address major changes over time in survey design and disregarded the strong habitat preference of lesser electric rays. It is critical that the best possible information be used when considering the conservation status of a given species to minimize undue burdens and ensure that increasingly limited resources are applied to the recovery of those species that are truly in peril.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Carlson, JK
Pollack, AG
Driggers, WB
Castro, JI
Brame, AB
Lee, JL
author_facet Carlson, JK
Pollack, AG
Driggers, WB
Castro, JI
Brame, AB
Lee, JL
author_sort Carlson, JK
title Revised analyses suggest that the lesser electric ray Narcine bancroftii is not at risk of extinction
title_short Revised analyses suggest that the lesser electric ray Narcine bancroftii is not at risk of extinction
title_full Revised analyses suggest that the lesser electric ray Narcine bancroftii is not at risk of extinction
title_fullStr Revised analyses suggest that the lesser electric ray Narcine bancroftii is not at risk of extinction
title_full_unstemmed Revised analyses suggest that the lesser electric ray Narcine bancroftii is not at risk of extinction
title_sort revised analyses suggest that the lesser electric ray narcine bancroftii is not at risk of extinction
publisher Inter-Research
publishDate 2017
url https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00799
https://doaj.org/article/942769fce9234ebb9e5a8e9c98f67087
genre North Atlantic
genre_facet North Atlantic
op_source Endangered Species Research, Vol 32, Pp 177-186 (2017)
op_relation https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v32/p177-186/
https://doaj.org/toc/1863-5407
https://doaj.org/toc/1613-4796
1863-5407
1613-4796
doi:10.3354/esr00799
https://doaj.org/article/942769fce9234ebb9e5a8e9c98f67087
op_doi https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00799
container_title Endangered Species Research
container_volume 32
container_start_page 177
op_container_end_page 186
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