Physiological responses to capture, handling and tagging in the critically endangered flapper skate (<i>Dipturus intermedius</i>).

ABSTRACT: Catch-and-release angling is a popular recreational pastime and an essential component of many fish research programmes. Marked physiological disturbances have been documented in elasmobranchs in response to angling and handling, but skates and rays remain understudied. Here, we describe for the first time the physiological responses of the critically endangered flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) to angling, handling and tagging in Scotland. Sixty-one skate were captured by angling as part of a tagging research programme. We assessed individual health, measured blood parameters at two time points (post-capture and prior to release) and recorded heart and respiratory rates during handling and the surgical insertion of acoustic tags. Injuries or infections were identified in 10% of

SUBMITTER: Cole G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11604123 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature