- Branches
- Campaigns
- Events
- Lodges
- News
- Partnerships
- Projects
- Publications
- 2010 Annual Report
- Annual Report 08/09
- A Sustainable Vision
- Branch Newsletters
- Fact Sheets
- Forest & Bird Magazine
- Media Releases
- The Best Fish Guide
- Fish Species
- Albacore Tuna
- Alfonsino
- Anchovy
- Arrow Squid
- Barracouta
- Bigeye Tuna
- Black Cardinalfish
- Blue Cod
- Blue Mackerel
- Blue Moki
- Bluenose
- Blue Shark
- Blue Warehou
- Butterfish/Greenbone
- Cockles
- Dark Ghost Shark/Pearl
- Eels
- Elephant Fish
- Flatfish/Flounder/Sole/Brill/Turbot
- Frostfish
- Garfish
- Gemfish
- Grey Mullet
- Groper
- Hake
- Hoki
- Jack Mackerel
- John Dory
- Kahawai
- Kina
- Kingfish/Yellowtail
- Leatherjacket/Creamfish
- Ling
- Lookdown Dory
- Mako Shark
- Moonfish
- Orange Roughy
- Oreos/Deepwater Dory
- Oysters - Bluff/Nelson
- Pacific Bluefin Tuna
- Packhorse Lobster/Crayfish
- Paddle Crabs
- Pale Ghost Shark/Pearl
- Paua
- Pilchard
- Porbeagle Shark
- Queen Scallops
- Red Cod
- Red Gurnard
- Red Snapper
- Ribaldo
- Rig Shark/Lemonfish
- Rock Lobster/Crayfish
- Rubyfish
- Scallops
- Scampi
- School shark/Tope/Flake
- Sea perch/Scarpee
- Silver Warehou
- Skates
- Skipjack Tuna
- Snapper
- Southern bluefin tuna
- Southern Blue Whiting
- Spiny Dogfish
- Sprats
- Stargazer/Monkfish
- Swordfish
- Tarakihi
- Trevally
- Trumpeter
- White Warehou
- Yellow-eyed Mullet
- Yellow Fin Tuna
- Best Fish Guide: Recipes
- Best Fish Guide: Symbols
- Fishing Methods
- The Best Fish Guide: Downloads
- Fish Species
- Reserves
- Success Stories
Protecting our native plants, animals and wild places, on land and in our oceans. Help us to help nature.
Skates
You are here:
Skates: Quick Facts
Scientific name: Zearaja nasutus (rough skate), Dipturus innominatus (Smooth skate).
Other names: manumanu, pakaurua, uku, waewae, whai (Maori), barndoor skate (NZ), suei, gangiei (Japan), gaori (Korea).
Ranking: E (Red - Worst Choice)
Best Fish Guide: Skates
Ranking: E (Red - Worst Choice)
Description: Skates are very closely related to sharks and are members of the cartilaginous fishes group (they have no bones). They are very distinctive, with flattened, wing-like bodies, and occur all around New Zealand from coastal waters to depths of about 200m. There are two species of skate commonly caught in our commercial fisheries – rough skate and smooth skate, the latter more common in deeper waters, living longer and growing larger. They are caught as a bycatch species in trawl nets and on lines across a number of fisheries in multiple management areas, each as a separate quota management species. The largest of these, extending from the coast of Fiordland out and round to just north of Kaikoura and including the Chatham Islands (QMA 3), accounts for more landings than all others combined.
Ecological concerns: The limited research on skates and absence of basic biological information on each skate species, the unknown sustainability of recent catch levels in QMA 3 or the total quota area, the lack of a quantitative stock assessment and the lack of a management plan. Also of concern are the impacts on deepwater habitats as a result of trawling and the bycatch of marine mammals, seabirds and non-target fish in other fisheries where skates are caught as bycatch.
Whilst there is no management plan for skates, in 2008 a New Zealand National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks was developed. However, there are no specific conservation actions for skates, nor is there any difference in its management from the status quo. Skates are finned at sea.
Economic value: Exports of around $0.6 m to Asia and Europe, especially France and Italy.
ASSESSMENT OUTPUT
Biology and risk of overfishing (score D)
Status and sustainability of fish catches (score D)
Impact of fishing method and protected, threatened and endangered species captures (score E and C)
Management and management unit (score D and E)
For a full ecological assessment, click here