Deep-water Sharks Fisheries off the Portuguese Continental Coast

Abstract

Deep-water sharks represent a major percentage of the total annual elasmobranch landings in mainland Portugal, primarily comprising Portuguese dogfish ( Centroscymnus coelolepis), Leaf-scale gulper shark (Centrophorus squamosus) and Gulper shark (Centrophorus granulosus). These species are usually taken as by-catch from fisheries targeting other species. The present work describes the main characteristics of the fisheries for the three species mentioned above that take place mainly from Sesimbra and Peniche. Sesimbra accounts for nearly 50% of the deep-water sharks landings in mainland Portugal and deep-water sharks constitute a by-catch of the black scabbardfish ( Aphanopus carbo) fishery and in Peniche, a by-catch of multispecies artisanal fisheries. The focus was placed on a comparative analysis of the fishing regimes adopted at these two ports.