Only One Percent of Important Shark and Ray Areas in the Western Indian Ocean Are Fully Protected From Fishing Pressure

Authors

Jesse E. M. Cochran, Reef Ecology Lab, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
Ryan Charles, International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group Dubai UAE
Andrew J. Temple, Reef Ecology Lab, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
Peter M. Kyne, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin Northwest Territories Australia
Emiliano García‐Rodríguez, International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group Dubai UAE
Adriana Gonzalez‐Pestana, Carrera de Biología Marina Universidad Científica del Sur Lima Peru
Amanda Batlle‐Morera, International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group Dubai UAE
Théophile L. Mouton, International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group Dubai UAE
Asia O. Armstrong, School of Science, Technology and Engineering University of the Sunshine Coast Hervey Bay Australia
Christoph A. Rohner, Marine Megafauna Foundation West Palm Beach Florida USA
Darren J. Coker, KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative (KCRI) King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
Royale S. Hardenstine, Reef Ecology Lab, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
Alexander Kattan, Reef Ecology Lab, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
Ashlie J. McIvor, Department of Environmental Protection and Regeneration Red Sea Global Riyadh Saudi Arabia
Viktor Nunes Peinemann, Reef Ecology Lab, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
Kaitlyn A. O'Toole, Reef Ecology Lab, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
Lea Palm, Reef Ecology Lab, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
Eloise B. Richardson, Reef Ecology Lab, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
Kalli Valappil Akhilesh, ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute Kochi Kerala India
Haleh Ali Abedi, Midaf Nature Conservation Society Bandar Abbas Iran
Reem K. Almealla, Nuwat for Environmental Research & Education Janabiyah Bahrain
Dareen Almojil, Evolutionary Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biology New York University Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi UAE
Samantha Andrzejaczek, Hopkins Marine Station Stanford University Pacific Grove California USA
Arzucan N. Askin, Miyaru—Shark Programme Fuvahmulah Maldives
Avik A. Banerjee, Wildlife Conservation Society—India Program Bangalore India
Hamid R. Bargahi, Kish Island Fisheries Office Kish Island Iran
Alissa J. Barnes, Wildlife Conservation Society—India Program Bangalore India
Svetlana Barteneva‐Vitry, Marine Megafauna Conservation Organisation (MMCO) Blue Water Divers Building Trou aux Biches Mauritius
Siamak Behzadi, Persian Gulf and Oman Sea Ecology Research Center Iranian Fisheries Sciences Research Institute (AREEO) Bandar Abbas Iran
Aymeric Bein, Shark Citizen Association La Réunion France

DOI Link

10.1002/ece3.72690

Publication Date

2026-01-11

Publication Title

Ecology and Evolution

Volume

16

Issue

1

ISSN

2045-7758

Acceptance Date

2025-12-02

Deposit Date

2026-01-13

Funding

The Important Shark and Ray Areas project was funded by the SharkConservation Fund, a philanthropic collaborative pooling expertiseand resources to meet the threats facing the world's sharks and rays.The Shark Conservation Fund is a project of Rockefeller PhilanthropyAdvisors. Special thanks are extended to the Important Shark andRay Areas (ISRA) Independent Review Panel composed of ColinSimpfendorfer, Ana Barbosa Martins, Vanessa Jaiteh, and Eva Meyers,who reviewed and provided feedback on all ISRA proposals. Finally, wethank our web developer Elena Politi for support with the ISRA eAtlasand all those who contributed their knowledge and expertise to help de-lineate ISRAs and Areas of Interest in the Western Indian Ocean region

Additional Links

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.72690, http://10.1002/ece3.v16.1

Recommended Citation

Cochran, J., Charles, R., Temple, A., Kyne, P., García‐Rodríguez, E., Gonzalez‐Pestana, A., Batlle‐Morera, A., Mouton, T., Armstrong, A., Rohner, C., Coker, D., Hardenstine, R., Kattan, A., McIvor, A., Peinemann, V., O'Toole, K., Palm, L., Richardson, E., Akhilesh, K., Ali Abedi, H., Almealla, R., Almojil, D., Andrzejaczek, S., Askin, A., Banerjee, A., Bargahi, H., Barnes, A., Barteneva‐Vitry, S., Behzadi, S., & Bein, A. (2026) 'Only One Percent of Important Shark and Ray Areas in the Western Indian Ocean Are Fully Protected From Fishing Pressure', Ecology and Evolution, 16(1). Available at: 10.1002/ece3.72690