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Ray

Quality mark Cultivation
/Keurmerk Wild
Green
Second choice
Avoid
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General

Sharks & Rays

Sharks and rays belong to the Chondrichthyes. This means that, unlike other fish, their entire skeleton is made of cartilage. Because rays can be more specialized in their choice of food, their habitats are often smaller and less widespread than sharks habitats.  Sharks are more mobile and do not live close to the sea bottom, therefore, their habitats are more vast and diverse. Sharks and rays inhabit all world seas. Their reproduction rate is fairly slow which makes rays and sharks populations very vulnerable to fishing pressure.

 

 

Ray

In the North Sea, there is a targetted fishery on some species, but most of the catch is bycatch in other fisheries. The thornback ray, spotted ray, star ray, common skate and stingray occur in the North Sea. Thornback ray, blond ray and spotted ray are the most traded species. Rays are very vulnerable to fishing pressure. It takes them years before they become sexually mature, and they have (relatively) few pups. Many species are under pressure and are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (eg dogfish).

Ray

Rajidae spp
Origin

Atlantic Ocean, northeast (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Beam trawl

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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

Several species of ray are often traded under the same name. Two North Sea species, the thornback ray and smalleyed ray, are on the IUCNIUCN:
International Union for the Conservation of Nature, an international institute for nature and natural resources. It is a partnership with both non-governmental organizations and governments. 
red list of endangered species. Rays are vulnerable to [fishing pressure], because the grow slowly have a low fecundity, and reach sexual maturity late. They get up to 50 years old, but due to the fishery in the North Sea, this age is not reached anymore. Rays are bycatch in the fishery on plaice and sole. There is evidence that they are often discarded.

In the [beam trawl] fishery more than 50% of the catch is discarded, of which the main part dies. The seafloor is ploughed by the heavy tickler chains that are used to get the flatfish out of the seafloor. The fuel usage is very high in this fishing method.

The management of rays is not effective and catches are often not registrated well, different species of sharks and rays are put in the same category. A decrease of the total bottom fishery intensity would be good for rays.

ASC label

Fish with the ASC label is farmed in a sustainable manner.

MSC label

Fish with the MSC label is caught sustainably.

Good fish

This fish is not being overfished or is being responsibly farmed, with minimal impact on the environment.

Second choice

This fish is a second choice. There are still some improvements to be made in this fishery or fish farm.

Avoid

Do not buy this fish. It's being overfished or the way it's farmed or caught has a negative impact on the environment.

Welfare

There is fish available of this species that is farmed or caught using high welfare standards.

GlobalG.A.P.

GlobalG.A.P. certified farms are doing a step in the right direction in terms of sustainability. A few species with this label are getting a better score on the VISwijzer.

Organic

Organic standards are the strictest when it comes to fish feed. They also require certain measures for animal well-being.