“We aimed to identify marine areas to protect elasmobranch [shark and ray] species by means of a systematic spatial planning approach.”

Highlights from this study include:

1. A proactive area-based protection strategy towards elasmobranch conservation is proposed

2. Elasmobranch conservation priority areas were identified in the southern part of the western Mediterranean Sea

3. The addition of complex cost layers and zoning strategy did not alter conservation priority areas for elasmobranchs

You can read more about research findings here.