Assessment of elasmobranch species status in Gabonese artisanal fisheries in Corisco Bay, Gabon

Youri Ivann Mvomo Minko

WCS Gabon has managed an on-board observer programme for the industrial fleet, suggesting a total catch of around 240,000 rays per year in the industrial fishery. As several species of elasmobranches are known to occur close inshore, a higher number of caught individuals in coastal artisanal fisheries can be expected. This internship will focus on the largely unexplored area of Corisco Bay, which is north of the capital, Libreville, by assessing the population status of elasmobranches species, and by evaluating its vulnerability to different fishing practices. A suite of measures to improve the conservation status of elasmobranchs will be proposed.