# European_Red_List_2017_December

redListCategoryRationale:
Ciliata septentrionalis inhabits the waters of the northeast Atlantic and is found mostly around the British Isles and northward along the European coasts to northern Norway. This species is also found at the Faeroe Islands and Iceland and is found at depths ranging from 10 to 90 m. It is found in the sublittoral zone around European coastlines, on sand or mud bottoms. There is little species-specific population information available, however this species is considered common and there are no known major threats. It is likely found in marine protected areas throughout its range. Therefore, C. septentrionalis is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Ciliata septentrionalis inhabits the waters of the northeast Atlantic and is found mostly around the British Isles and northward along the European coasts to northern Norway. This species is also found at the Faeroe Islands and Iceland (Cohen et al. 1990). The depth range for this species is 10 to 90 m (Cohen et al. 1990).

population:
There is little species-specific population information available for C. septentrionalis.

habitat:
Ciliata septentrionalis is found in the sublittoral zone around European coastlines, on sand or mud bottoms (Cohen et al. 1990). This fish spawns in late March to early May (Dando 1975) and may occur in deep waters (Claridge and Gardner 1977). It is known to be oviparous (Breder and Rosen 1966) producing pelagic eggs (Elliot and Dewailly 1995). This species reaches first maturity at approximately 6.2 cm long (Cohen et al. 1990). It feeds mostly on decapod crustaceans, lobsters, crabs, mysids and polychaetes (Svetovidov 1986). In a laboratory environment, C. septentrionalis has been observed hiding under rocks and shells during the day (Dando 1975), indicating a possible crepuscular or nocturnal feeding habit. At one year, individuals measure between five and seven centimetres. At year two, individuals measure seven to nine centimetres, and after three years, at least 10 cm (Dando 1975). The age at first maturity is different for males and females, with females reaching first maturity at 6.2 cm SL and males at 7.2 cm SL (Breeder and Rosen 1966). This fish has been measured at 20 cm (Cohen et al. 1990). This fish is a favourite food of Atlantic Cod, Gadus morhua (Cohen et al. 1990).

threats:
Ciliata septentrionalis is not commercially important. There are no known major threats to C. septentrionalis.

conservationAction:
This species is listed as Least Concern on the Norwegian Red List. It is likely found in marine protected areas throughout its range (World Database on Protected Areas 2010).

useAndTrade:
This species is not commercially important in general. However, it is occasionally taken as bycatch in trawlers targeting the Cod, Gadus morhua (Cohen et al. 1990) and there is a fishery for rocklings in general in France. More research is needed to determine which rockling species are being harvested and how harvest effects the population dynamics of the exploited species.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: LC Enchelyopus cimbrius is found in the Atlantic Ocean. In the eastern Atlantic Ocean, this species is distributed in the eastern Atlantic from Norway and Iceland south to British Isles and northern Bay of Biscay (70oN to 20oN) including the Canary Islands and Madeira. It is found over a variety of substrates at depths typically ranging between 20 to 900 m,  however it is most common at depths between 20 and 50 m. This species is widespread and appears to be common. There have been documented localized population declines in parts of the Baltic Sea, which is reflected in the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) regional assessment category of Near Threatened in the Baltic Sea. Elsewhere populations appear to be stable. Enchelyopus cimbrius is taken as bycatch in parts of its range. It is likely found in marine protected areas throughout its range. Therefore, it is listed as Least Concern. There is a need to better understand the population trends in the Baltic Sea.

range:
Enchelyopus cimbrius is found in the Atlantic Ocean. In the eastern Atlantic Ocean, this species is distributed from Norway and Iceland south to British Isles and northern Bay of Biscay (70oN to 20oN). Its range extends south to Cape Blanc, Mauritania. There are additional records from the Canary Islands and Madeira which remain to be verified (T. Iwamoto pers. comm. 2012). Enchelyopus cimbrius inhabits a depth range usually found between 20 to 900 m (Moore et al. 2003). However, it is most often found between the depths of 20 and 50 m (Cohen et al. 1990).

population:
Enchelyopus cimbrius is considered common. In a study published in 1996, assessing the assemblages and distribution of inshore English fish, the mean catch rate for this species was 0.001, 0.010 and 0.005, respectively, in the three regions located around England (Rogers and Millner 1996). In 1979, E. cimbrius was thought to be fairly common in its native range (Cohen and Russo 1979). In a study published in 1999, it was determined that E. cimbrius has actually increased in occurrence (a function of the linear relationship between standard catch rate and time in years) within its natural range (Jennings et al. 1999). There have been some documented population declines in the Baltic Sea, and as a result this species was assessed as Near Threatened in the Baltic Sea by the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) in 2013. This species is primarily distributed in marine waters, but can also be found in the brackish waters of the Baltic Sea. Bottom trawl surveys in the Kattegat show a 54% decrease in abundance during the assessment period, from 1995 to 2010. German trawl surveys from Arkona basin (ICES SD 24) and the Belt Seas (ICES SD 22) show no trend while Swedish trawl survey data show a tendency for decline since 2001 in the same area. It is possible that the decrease in Kattegat is due to a resume to more natural values CPUE in trawling catches during 1997 to 2000. However data from 1991 to 2010 still display a significant decrease of 54 % (HELCOM Baltic Sea Assessment). It is not known why this species has exhibited population declines in the Baltic Sea. scientific surveys in the Arkona basin showed no trend. It may be threatened by bycatch. Scientific surveys in the Bay of Biscay also show no trend in catch rates for this species over the past 15 years (1991 to 2009) (IFREMER 2013).

habitat:
Enchelyopus cimbrius is a benthic fish as an adult. It is most often sedentary on mud or soft bottoms on the continental slope, and it often frequents shallow waters near shores. Juveniles are pelagic (Iwamoto and Cohen 2002). The depth range of this species is 20 m to 650 m (Cohen 1990). Enchelyopus cimbrius feeds primarily on flatfishes, amphipods, decapods, copepods, mysids, shrimps, isopods and other small crustaceans (Cohen et al. 1990). Enchelyopus cimbrius migrates inshore in autumn and winter and offshore during spring and summer. Enchelyopus cimbrius migrates to shallower waters in autumn and winter, then back to deeper waters in spring and summer. Spawning season is prolonged, from January through September, with the duration varying with area (Iwamoto and Cohen 2002). Spawning occurs primarily in the Baltic Sea (Muus and Nielsen 1999). Growth is relatively slow for this species, about 15 cm at 3 years, 20 cm at 5 years, 25 cm at 7 years, and 29 to 30 cm at 9 years. First maturity is at 3 years (Cohen et al. 1990). A generation length of 5 years was used in the 2013 assessment of this species in the HELCOM region, the Baltic Sea. Spawning is prolonged, occurring from January to August or even later. The larvae are silvery and pelagic. The maximum size recorded is 41 cm (TL), however this species is more common to lengths of 30 cm (TL). The maximum age recorded is 9 years (Cohen et al. 1990). The length at first maturity for this species is 25 cm.

threats:
Enchelyopus cimbrius is not a targeted species, however it is taken as bycatch in a number of fisheries, particularly demersal trawl fisheries targeting species such as cod. In the Baltic Sea, this species has been listed as Near Threatened (HELCOM 2013 Red List Assessment).

conservationAction:
Enchelyopus cimbrius has undergone regional Red List assessment in the HELCOM Region/Baltic Sea in 2013. It was assessed as Near Threatened based on estimated declines of 27% in the region. Population declines were estimated using data showing declines in CPUE of 54% in the Kattegat over the past 15 years, pooled with data from surveys in the Arkona Sea and the Belt Sea (HELCOM 2013 Red List Assessment). It is not known why this species has declined in scientific surveys in the Kattegat. Additionally, this species has been assessed as Least Concern in the Norwegian Red List. It is likely found in marine protected areas throughout its range.

useAndTrade:
This species may be utilized in some parts of its range (Cohen et al. 1990). The filet of this fish is sometimes mixed with soups and other hot-smoked food items (Cohen et al. 1990). There are conflicting opinions on the use and trade of E. cimbrius. This species may be utilized in some parts of its range, sometimes mixed with soups and other hot-smoked food items (Cohen et al. 1990). On the other hand, there are reports that this species is only incidentally caught as bycatch in trawl fisheries and is of no commercial value (Iwamoto and Cohen 2002).

redListAssessors:
Nedreaas, K., Lorance, P., Cook, R., Fernandes, P., Florin, A. & Nielsen, J.


taxonomicNotes:
The taxonomy of this genus may need revision.

redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: LC Gaidropsarus argentatus is relatively widespread in the North Atlantic, from Nunavut, off southeastern coasts of Greenland, all along the coastline of Iceland except the southernmost coast, and the Faroe-Shetland ridge to Norwegian coasts north from Bergen. It is most often found offshore in deep water, always on soft bottoms of gravel, sand, mud, shells, and stones. It is found at depths ranging from 150 and 2260 m.

range:
Gaidropsarus argentatus is restricted to the North Atlantic Ocean. In the western Atlantic, it is known from Nunavut, off southeastern coasts of Greenland, and south to southern Labrador. In the northeastern Atlantic, G. argentatus is found from Svaldbard south to Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland (Svetovidov 1986) and Porcupine Bank (Johnston et al. 2010). This species is most often found at depths of between 150 and 2260 m (Coad and Reist 2004).

population:
There is little species-specific population information available for G. argentatus. Preliminary research indicates that the population of G. argentatus in the northeast Atlantic is the source for the "stepping stone" dispersal of this species into the New England waters of the northwest Atlantic (Moore et al. 2004).

habitat:
Gaidropsarus argentatus is considered to be an epibenthic species (Coad and Reist 2004). It is most often found offshore in deep water over soft bottoms of gravel, sand, mud, shells, and stones. It occurs in water temperatures close to or below 0°C. This fish feeds on decapod, amphipod, and euphausiid crustaceans, sometimes fishes are included in the diet (Svetovidov 1986). The maximum length of this fish is 35 cm (Muus and Nielsen 1999). Little is known about the reproduction, fecundity, or length at first maturity of this species.

threats:
This species may be a component of commercial rockling fisheries, however there are no species-specific landings available. This species is taken as bycatch, although it is not listed among the top twenty species reported as bycatch of other larger commercial fisheries fishing for other species of fish (Chambers and Dick 2007).

conservationAction:
This species is listed as Least Concern in the Norwegian Red List. It is likely to be found in marine protected areas throughout its range.

useAndTrade:
Gaidropsarus argentatus is considered to be a commercial species by (Svetovidov 1986), and it may be a component of the French Rockling fishery. However there is no species-specific information available.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: LC Gaidropsarus biscayensis is endemic to the European Assessment Region. It is found in the eastern Atlantic, from from Spain and Portugal south to Morocco, including the offshore island of Madeira into the western Mediterranean and the northern part of central Mediterranean. This species of fish is most often found between 80 to 600 m over soft substrates. There is little population information available. The extent to which this species is impacted by bycatch is unknown. It is very likely that in deeper waters the species is more widespread and common than is currently known. There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for G. biscayensis, however its distribution likely overlaps with marine protected areas. Therefore, G. biscayensis is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Gaidropsarus biscayensis is restricted to the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is known primarily from the western and northern central Mediterranean Sea (Papaconstantinou 1988, Mytilineou 2005) as well as the adjacent Atlantic Ocean from Portugal to Morocco and Madeira (Svetovidov 1986). It is also known from the northern Bay of Biscay to Ireland. This species is most often found between 80 to 600 m (Svetovidov 1986).

population:
In the Mediterranean Sea, this species is considered common. But it is rare in fisheries catches throughout its range, it may occur in deeper areas out of the range of fisheries. In the past, this species was confused with Antonogadus megalokinodon. According to Mytilineou et al. (2005), this species was collected in the north-east Ionian Sea during four experimental survey (Sept. 1999, Apr. 2000, Jul. 2000, Sept. 2000), by means of trawls of 40 mm stretched mesh size in the cod-end, with mean of 0.1 individuals per haul in the depth range between 500-700 m (52 hauls). European Assessment Interestingly, there are only 7 occurrence records of this species worldwide, all of which have 3 or fewer individuals included in them (Accessed through the Fishnet2 Portal, www.fishnet2.org, 2013-09-22). There seems to be a very little information on the population dynamics of this species in the northeastern Atlantic, indicating that it may be very much less common in the northeast Atlantic than in the Mediterranean Sea.  However, in a study published in 2013, G. biscayensis was ranked third out of the top 11 most dominant spp. on the upper slope of the western Mediterranean Sea, with the 11 spp. contributing a combined 60% to the average similarity within depth ranges. Gaidropsarus biscayensis independently contributes 5.89% to the cummulative 60%. Also, G. biscayensis ranked third in mean abundance of fishes in the upper slope assemblage in the Catalan Sea (Fanelli et al. 2013). Furthermore, another study also conducted in the Baleric basin that is still in press reports that of the 13 most common species on the upper slope, G. biscayensis ranked 11th with 2.23% biomass composition (Fernandez-Arcaya et al. 2013) 

habitat:
Gaidropsarus biscayensis is a demersal and bathypelagic species, usually found in offshore waters on mud, shell and coral bottoms. Spawning for this species occurs relatively early in February (Svetovidov 1986). Juveniles and larvae are silvery sided and pelagic (Cohen et al. 1990).This fish feeds almost exclusively on crustaceans (Cohen et al. 1990).

threats:
There is no available population information for this species, and there are no known species-specific threats. However, research is needed to find out how often at to what degree this fish is taken as bycatch and how that bycatch affects the population and species density of this fish.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for this species. It is likely found in marine protected areas that fall within its distribution.

useAndTrade:
Gaidropsarus biscayensis is of minor importance to commercial fisheries, especially in view of its small size. No statistics are reported for this species. It is mostly taken as bycatch with bottom trawls, as well as by hook-and-line. Occasionally, this fish is present in markets in the Mediterranean (Cohen et al. 1990).


redListCategoryRationale:
Listed as Data Deficient as this is a rare species for which there is no information available on the population size and trends. Research should be conducted in order to determine its status throughout its range, as it may be threatened by pollution and fishing activities.

range:
In the east Atlantic, this species is present in the Canary Islands, having been recorded in Lanzarote (Brito et al. 2002, Cohen 1990), the Azores Islands (Fishbase 2014, Orsi 2013), Seine Seamount (Menezes 2009), and Galicia Bank (Bañon 2002, Bañón 2010).  In the Mediterranean Sea, it has been recorded in Chella Bank (unpublished data, Oceana pers. comm. 2014) in the Alboran Sea, Ulysses Seamount (Orsi 2013) in the Ligurian Sea (Di Natale et al. 2011), Sardinian waters (Mura and Cau 2003, Pais et al. 2008) and Sardinia Channel (Mura and Cau 2003) in the Thyrrenian Sea, Bari Canyon (Bo 2011) in the Adriatic Sea (Di Natale et al. 2011) and Rhodes (Zachariou-Mamalinga 1999, Corsini-Foka 2007) in the Aegean Sea. There is no information about the presence of this species in Sicily (Di Natale et al. 2011). Its depth lower limit is 823 metres, while its upper limit is 120 metres.

population:
There is no information available on the population size and trends of this rare species. Orsi (2013) suggested the existence of separated Mediterranean and Atlantic populations, because of remarkable differences in sizes of the specimens collected, which are smaller in the Mediterranean Sea. Nevertheless, R. Bañón (pers. comm. 2014) states that this proves the existence of different oceanographic conditions and not of different populations. Based on the scattered records of this species, which are mainly in seamounts and islands, the species' populations seem to be fragmented (R. Bañón pers. comm. 2014).

habitat:
This is a rare demersal species. It feeds on Decapoda, among them, palaemonid prawns (Pais et al. 2008). It is found in several types of substrate, such as sandy-bottoms (Zachariou-Mamalinga 1999) at 360-400 m depth, subtidal sandy-mud bottoms (Di Natale et al. 2011) and hard-bottoms (Orsi 2013) covered by sediments (S. Garcia pers. obs. 2014).

threats:
This is a commercial species (Di Natale et al. 2011).  The species can be impacted by fishing and pollution in some areas where it is present, such as the Chella Bank.

conservationAction:
The species is not listed in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. There are no specific conservation actions in place for this species. However, it is very likely that its distribution overlaps with marine protected areas throughout its range. Furthermore, Chella and Galicia Banks have been proposed by Spain as Sites of Community Importance, as a result of the LIFE+INDEMARES project. Thus, the species could potentially benefit from these conservation measures .Further research should be conducted to determine the population size and trends of the species.

useAndTrade:
This is a commercial species and it seems not to be uncommon in the fish market at Ponta Delgada (Azores).


redListCategoryRationale:
Listed as as Data Deficient as there is no information on the population size and trend of this littoral species, and some records need confirmation. Research is further needed on the threats to the species, as it could be impacted by urban development on the islands.

range:
Gaidropsarus guttatus is a littoral species that is confirmed to be present in the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands (Santos et al. 1997, Brito et al. 2002, Wirtz et al. 2008). Bañon et al. (2010) mention its presence in Galicia with no further details, as well as Quero et al. (2003), who state its presence in NW Spain. However, these records need confirmation. Its depth range is from 0.2 to 20 m.

habitat:
Gaidropsarus guttatus is commonly found in tide pools, and it can also be present on rocky reefs down to 20 m of depth (Brito et al. 2002). During the day, the species hides under rocks and crevices and is active at night, feeding mainly on invertebrates (Avila et al. 2014).

threats:
Due to the preference of this species for tide pools, loss of habitat due to alterations and building on littoral areas of the islands may pose a significant threat, but this has not been quantified yet.

useAndTrade:
The species is not exploited commercially, although it could eventually be used in aquariophyly.


redListCategoryRationale:
Bigeye Rockling, Gaidropsarus macrophthalmus, has been assessed as Least Concern. There is no directed fishery for this species, however it is occasionally taken as by-catch in some parts of its range.

range:
Gaidropsarus macrophthalmus is found in the northeast Atlantic, from the Bay of Biscay and northwards along the west coast of the British Isles to the Faeroe Islands (Cohen et al. 1990). This species of fish is most often found between 15 to 530 m (Cohen et al. 1990).

population:
There is little species-specific population information available for G. macrophthalmus. In a study published in 2011 conducted from the Cantabrian Sea, G. macrophthalmus had a density of 2.3 (indv./ha) on the slope-shelf transition zone and a density of 2.0 (indv./ha) on the western upper slope (Serrano et al. 2011)

habitat:
Gaidropsarus macrophthalmus is a non-migratory demersal species with a depth range of 150 to 530 m. It is often seen near the benthos where it feeds on crustaceans (Cohen et al. 1990). It may reach a maximum of 25 cm (Cohen et al. 1990). Larvae and juveniles are most probably pelagic (Cohen et al. 1990).

threats:
Gaidropsarus macrophthalmus is not a target species for large commercial fisheries. However, it is sometimes taken as bycatch during bottom trawling ventures for other targeted species (Cohen et al. 1990).

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for this species. Monitoring of the by-catch levels of this species is needed.

useAndTrade:
Gaidropsarus macrophthalmus is harvested by a few subsistence fisheries, but is not thought to be fished at heavy levels (Cohen et al. 1990).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) This species is widespread in the European region, is not commonly observed. It is a demersal and oceanodromous species which is generally found at shallow depths near the shores on rocky bottoms to depths of 450 m. Gaidropsarus mediterraneus is a very common bycatch species, particularly in the Mediterranean. There is little species-specific population information available and there are no indications of population decline. This species is likely found in marine protected areas. Therefore, G. mediterraneus is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Gaidropsarus mediterraneus is restricted to the eastern Atlantic Ocean, where it is found from Norway to Morocco. It is widely distributed in the Mediterranean and Black seas (Papaconstantinou 1988, Cohen et al. 1990). This fish is found at very shallow depths and in deeper water of up to 450 m (Cohen et al. 1990), although generally found to 60 m.

population:
There is no population data available on G. mediterraneus. In a study conducted in the North Sea and published in 2006, Gaidropsarus mediterraneus was only caught in German waters and caught very infrequently (ICES IBTSWG Report 2006). Catches of G. mediterraneus in European waters outside of the Mediterranean Sea are considered "very rare" (ICES IBTSWG Report 2006).

habitat:
This is a demersal and oceanodromous species that lives generally at shallow depths near the shores on rocky bottom with aquatic vegetation to 450 m depth. It feeds on fishes, crustaceans, worms, and algae. Gaidropsarus mediterraneus lives generally at shallow depths near the shores on rocky bottom with aquatic vegetation (Cohen et al. 1990) in sublittoral zones (Gibson 1972). It prefers exposed shorelines with lower sublittoral pools (Gibson 1972). In a controlled experiment published in 1996, several G. mediterraneus were placed in large aquariums and observed. Individuals rested on the soft bottoms, usually in crevices for 80.4% of the time (Almada et al. 1996). Some individuals were observed evacuating spaces beneath rocks by excavating the sand from beneath them and using the cleaned out spaces for a hiding place. Dominant individuals visited numerous hiding sites and pushed out smaller individuals from the best hiding spots to have for themselves (Almada et al. 1996). Gaidropsarus mediterraneus feeds on fish, crustaceans, worms and algae (Cohen et al. 1990).

threats:
Gaidropsarus mediterraneus is often taken as bycatch, and is either discarded or kept to be sold fresh in small markets or used as an ingredient in fishmeal (Muus and Nielsen 1999, Cohen et al. 1990). In a study conducted in the northeast Mediterranean and published in 1997, G. mediterraneus comprised 5.1% of the total catch in October and 1.7% of the total catch in March. It appeared in greater numbers than the targeted Merluccius merluccius, which comprised 3.7% of the total catch, and Nephrops norvegicus, which comprised 3.0% of the total catch (Stergiou et al. 1997). In March of 1994, Gaidropsarus mediterraneus was landed in higher numbers than species which were explicitly targeted by the fishery (Stergiou et al. 1997). The effect on the population and ecology of Gaidropsarus mediterraneus as a product of bycatch needs investigation. Gaidropsarus mediterraneus is also a component of the Rockling fishery. Modest landings are reported to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) by France (FAO 2011). This is a species with minor commercial importance. It can be sold fresh in markets, and is also used for fish meal (Yunokawa 1951). In the Mediterranean Sea, it is not extensively exploited. It is mainly caught as bycatch by various fishing gears (Muus and Nielsen 1999).

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for G. mediterraneus. However, this species may be present in marine protected areas that fall within its distribution.  This species was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Gaidropsarus mediterraneus is taken as bycatch by various fishing gears (Muus and Neilsen 1999). It can be occasionally sold fresh in markets and also made into fish meal (Cohen et al. 1990, Yunokawa 1951).


redListCategoryRationale:
Gaidropsarus vulgaris is found in the waters of northeast Atlantic, from the central Norwegian coast and the Faeroe Islands southwards through the North Sea and around the British Isles to the region around the Straits of Gibraltar including the Mediterranean Sea. This species is found at depths ranging from 20 to 120 m over a variety of substrates, favoring rocky bottoms. This species is widespread in the European region. It is taken as bycatch and may also be taken in the targeted Rockling fishery. There are no known threats to this species. Therefore, it is listed as Least Concern.

range:
Gaidropsarus vulgaris is restricted to the northeast Atlantic Ocean, where it is distributed from the central Norwegian coast and the Faeroe Islands southwards through the North Sea and around the British Isles to the region around the Straits of Gibraltar (Cohen et al. 1990). It has also been reported from Iceland (Jonsson 1992). Gaidropsarus vulgaris is also found in the western and northern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea (Cohen et al. 1990), including the Hellenic Seas (Papaconstaninou 1988). Most commonly, G. vulgaris is found at depths ranging from 20 to 120 m (Muus and Nielsen 1999).

population:
Gaidropsarus vulgaris is generally considered a common species (Cohen et al. 1990). In a study published in 2011 by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), Gaidropsarus vulgaris is listed as an "infrequent species in the North Sea demersal fish community" (ICES WGBIODIV REPORT 2011). After 24 years of observation, it was determined that the average population of Gaidropsarus vulgaris experienced relatively little flux, statistically, deviating just 0.104 standard deviation units for the period 2005 to 2008 relative to the mean population abundance between 1983 and 2008 (ICES WGBIODIV REPORT 2011). In a study conducted in the northwest European Continental slope, the mean catch rate of G. vulgaris was very low for the three regions studied, 0.002, 0.000 and 0.001, respectively (Rogers and Millner 1996). In a separate study, the frequency of occurrence for this fish was relatively low at 4.6% (Bergstad 1990). In a separate ICES report published in 2000, G. vulgaris experienced a decrease in trends of abundance in recent years (ACME Report 2000). No specific data are available to determine population trends or size. It is reported as rarely present in markets (Food and Agriculture Organization 1987). This species may be more abundant in Bay of Biscay and Celtic Sea, according to scientific surveys (IFREMER 2013).

habitat:
Gaidropsarus vulgaris is a demersal, non-migratory species. It is found on rocky bottoms at depths ranging from 10 to 120 m but is also found on mud, sand and gravel (Cohen et al. 1990). This species feeds on shrimps, crabs, isopods, small fishes, molluscs and polychaetes (Cohen et al. 1990). It spawns during spring and summer in the Mediterranean Sea. Spawning occurs from May to August in western Ireland and in the spring and summer in the Mediterranean. The eggs and larvae of this species are pelagic. Growth of G. vulgaris is rapid. At one year, it measures approximately 18 cm and at two years, 23 cm. At three years of age, it measures 27 cm, at four years, 31 cm, at five years, 34 cm, and at six years, 36 cm. It may reach a total of 60 cm maximum (Cohen et al. 1990). Gaidropsarus vulgaris feeds on shrimps, crabs, isopods, small fish, molluscs and polychaetes (Cohen et al. 1990).

threats:
This is species may be taken as by-catch in trawlers and bottom longline fishery. There are no known threats towards this species.

conservationAction:
There is no information available on specific conservation measures for this species. However, this species may be present in marine protected areas that fall within its distribution (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). Gaidropsarus vulgaris was assessed as Least Concern in the Mediterranean (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Gaidropsarus vulgaris is taken in trawls, bottom longlines and handlines (Cohen et al. 1990). This fish is of small commercial importance because the flesh is difficult to preserve, making it only occasionally available on some small fish markets (Cohen et al. 1990). Modest aggregated catch statistics for "rocklings" have recently become available through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and are declared by France (FAO 2011).

redListAssessors:
Nielsen, J., Florin, A., Fernandes, P., Cook, R. & Lorance, P.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Vulnerable (VU) Molva dypterygia in found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean from the southwest Barents Sea north to Spitsbergen, southeast Greenland,  the south coast of Iceland, around the British Isles and Ireland. It is also present in the northwest Atlantic around Newfoundland. It is a demersal, non-migratory species that is fished throughout its depth range to 1,200 m. This species has historically been overexploited. Based on a generation length of 11.3 years, there has been at least a 52-56% decline in SSB over the past 34 years (1978–2012) in at least three parts of its range (Iceland, West of Scotland-Faroes and Norway). However, since regulations have been put in place from 2003, there are indications that it is rebuilding at least in some areas of its range. In Norway, there are also signs that the decline has ceased. Molva dypterygia is therefore listed as Vulnerable under Criterion A1bd.

range:
Molva dypterygia is restricted to the North Atlantic Ocean. In the northwestern Atlantic, M. dypterygia is known from Greenland and Newfoundland, where it is rare (Svetovidov 1986). In the northeastern Atlantic, this species is present from the southwestern Barents Sea, sometimes north to Spitsbergen, south coast of Iceland, around the British Isles and Ireland (Svetovidov 1986). It is found at depths ranging from 150 to 1,200 metres, however it is concentrated at depths of 350 to 500 metres (Svetovidov 1986). In the Mediterranean Sea, the subspecies Molva dypterygia macrophthalma (Rafinesque 1810) is now a separate valid species Molva macrophthalma, distributed throughout the Mediterranean and north to Spain and France in the Atlantic.

population:
Scientific survey data in some areas within its range, such as off the coast of Scotland, show stable capture rates of this species over the past 10 years (2000–2012). However, these surveys may not adequately capture this species' population dynamics. This species has clearly been historically overexploited in Norway and other portions of its range, and catches have become very low. Based on one model for the West of the British Isles and Faroes, in 2013, current biomass is estimated to be 33% of historical biomass in 1960s. Abundance estimates declined from 16 million in 1995 to 12 million in 2003–2004, followed by an increase to 18–19 million in 2012–2013 (ICES 2014). In other words, the current abundance is higher than 20 years ago. However, based on a generation length of 12.4 (calculated from age class data from the previous 25 years in the West of Scotland), there has been a 56% decline in SSB over the past 37 years (1976–2013, from 207,000 tonnes to 92,000 tonnes) (ICES 2014). There are no reliable biomass or abundance trends for the stocks in 1) Iceland and East Greenland or 2) Norway. There has been almost no regulation for this species until 2003. ICES has recommended no directed fisheries and reduction of fisheries should be considered in most management areas within this species range. There is a recommendation to maintain catches in Subareas Vb, VI, and VII at no more than 5000 tonnes, corresponding to a fishing mortality expected to result in the long term in a stock biomass of 50% of the maximum spawning potential. In Iceland, according to trawl surveys, biomass has been increasing over the past 14 years (2000–2014); however, effort and catch are also increasing (ICES 2014). Global FAO reported landings from the Northeastern Atlantic show an overall trend of continual increase to a peak of 36,817 tonnes in 1981, followed by a fluctuating decline of 65% to 12,737 tonnes in 2010. The majority of landings are currently reported by Iceland, France, and the Faroe Islands. Landing statistics are available for ICES fishing areas I, II, III, IV, XII from 1988 to 2013. The overall trend in landings is one of decline, punctuated by peaks which have been attributed to the opportunistic exploitation of spawning aggregations. Taking as endpoints the three-year average at the beginning of the time series (1988–1990), and at the end of the time series (2010–2013), the percent decline over the time series is 88% (ICES 2014). However, there is an absence of abundance indices (based on biomass) for these areas, catches have been constrained by regulation since 2003, and there are no formal quantitative stock assessments. Although there is insufficient scientific information to establish stock boundaries, isolation of several fishing grounds is considered the basis of the following management units:Subdivisions Va and XIV (Iceland and Reykjanes ridge)Subdivisions Vb, VI, VII (Faroes Rockall and Celtic shelf)Subdivisions I, II, IIIa, IVa, VIII, IX, XII - a combination of isolated fishing grounds which have been grouped due to a lack of data.

habitat:
Molva dypterygia is a demersal, non-migratory species. It is mostly found from 150 to 1,000 m depth on muddy bottoms. This species feeds on crustaceans and fish (flatfishes, gobies, rocklings) (Cohen et al. 1990). Reproduction occurs from February to March between 500 and 600 m (Cohen et al. 1990). This species forms spawning aggregations, which make it particularly vulnerable to exploitation (ICES 2008). Maximum size in the Mediterranean Sea is less than 130 cm, and males are smaller than females, reaching a maximum of 115 cm. There is variability in the reported age of first maturity. Males can reach sexual maturity at nine years and 75 cm, while females can reach maturity at 11 years and 88 cm (Cohen et al. 1990). Longevity of males is at least 17 years, and longevity of females is at least 20 years (Cohen et al. 1990). However, age of female first maturity may be a young as seven years old, with a possible longevity of 30 years (ICES 2011). This species may have a generation length of between 9-15 years based on estimates of mortality and longevity, and the Norwegian Red List Assessment. A generation length of 11.3 years was calculated based on age class data from the previous 25 years in the West of Scotland.

threats:
This species is fished throughout its depth range. In the Northeast Atlantic, in Subdivisions Va and XIV (Iceland and Reykjanes ridge) this species is primarily taken as bycatch in fisheries for cod, haddock and saithe. It forms spawning aggregations, and as a result is susceptible to sequential depletion.  Fisheries on deep-water species, including Blue Ling, which are intrinsically vulnerable to exploitation, have developed rapidly and many have been depleted before appropriate management measures were designed/implemented. Additionally, landing statistics that are available may not reflect the scale of recent fishing activity, particularly in waters outside national exclusive economic zones (ICES 2010).

conservationAction:
This species is known to form spawning aggregations, some sites of which are protected. ICES has recommended that if new spawning grounds are discovered, that an immediate closure and area protections be set in place. The current regulation relies on catches limits and restrictions on fishing on spawning aggregations. To the West of Scotland and Faroe Island area, the recommended total allowable Catch (TAC) is based on a quantitative assessment, at Iceland its based on survey trends. This species was listed as Endangered under Criterion A1 on the Norwegian Red List. Based on a generation length of 15 years, declines over the past 45 years based on landings are about 80% (from 3000 tonnes in 1965 to between 300-400 tonnes in recent years). Catch rates in recent years indicate that the decline may have stopped. This species was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
The Blue Ling is a commercial species which is fished with bottom trawls and longlines, especially in the Northeastern Atlantic. It is primarily taken as by-catch in fisheries for cod, haddock and saithe. Spawning aggregations were targeted, but have been restricted by regulation in the 2000s. It is also taken as by-catch in fisheries targeting cod. Blue Ling is marketed frozen and as fresh fillets; past reports have also suggested it was reduced to fish meal (Cohen et al. 1990, ICES 2008).


taxonomicNotes:
This species was classified as a subspecies (Molva dypterygia macrophthalma) but is now recognized as a species (Cohen 1990).

redListCategoryRationale:
Molva macrophthalma is found in the northeast Atlantic at depths ranging from between 30 and 754 m. It has only recently been described as separate from M. dypetrygia, therefore, there is little species-specific information available. Habitat, ecology, and population information is inferred from M. dypterygia. It is taken as bycatch in fisheries with M. dypterygia, however the extent to which this has impacted the population is unknown. There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for M. macrophthalma. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Molva macrophthalma is restricted to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. It is distributed from the Bay of Biscay south to the Mediterranean Sea. Molva macrophthalma is widespread throughout the Mediterranean, including the east Ionian Sea (Cohen 1990) and Hellenic Seas (Papacontsantinou 1988). It is most often found at depths of between 30 and 754 m (Mytilineou et al. 2005).

population:
There is little species-specific population structure information for this species of fish, probably because it had just recently been identified as its own species, rather than as a member of the M. dypterygia species. This species is commonly present in scientific surveys along the slope in the Bay of Biscay and to the west of Ireland (IFREMER 2013). Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) landings statistics for M. macrophthalma are reported as "Molva dypterygia" as it has [1] been relatively recently that the two species have been considered separate (FAO Landing Statistics) and [2] is often misidentified as M. dypterygia (ICES Advice 2008). Therefore, it is important to look at the FAO landings of Blue Ling, as some of the reported landings of Blue Ling are misidentifications of actual Spanish Ling. From 1950-1975, the global capture for Blue Ling exceeded 10,000 tonnes only twice. By 1980, the global capture sky rocketed to about 37,000 tonnes. By 1984, the global capture plummeted to just over 20,000 tonnes. In 1986, the global capture production increased to 27,000 tonnes, but by 1994, that number had fallen to 8,000 tonnes. In 2001, the global capture reached 18,000 but then fell again to 7,000 tonnes in 2007 and 2008, with a final reported global landing in 2011 at 15,000 tonnes (FAO 2011). It is worth noting that landings of M. dypterygia reported from ICES Subareas VIII (Bay of Biscay), IX (Portuguese waters), and X (Azores) are likely to consist mainly of a closely-related species, M. macrophthalma (ICES advice 2008, ICES IBTSWG 2011). Mytilineou et al. (2005) mention that this species was collected in the northeast Ionian Sea during four experimental survey (Sept. 1999, Apr. 2000, Jul. 2000, Sept. 2000), by means of trawls of 40 mm stretched mesh size in the cod-end. The density of the catch was 0.3 individuals per hauls in the depth range between 300-500 m (44 hauls), 0.4 individuals per hauls in the depth range between 500–700 m (52 hauls) and 0.1 individuals per hauls in the depth range between 700–900 m (36 hauls). On the northern Iberian slope, the population density of this fish (in individuals/ha) in the shelf-slope transition zone was 1.2, in the Cape Penas area 0.2 and 1.2 in the middle slope (Serrano et al. 2011).

habitat:
Molva macrophthalma is a demersal species that occurs on the upper slope (Cohen 1990). It occurs at depths ranging from 388 to 754 m in the east Ionian Sea (Mytilineou et al. 2005). The bulk of the species-specific ecological information available for this species is the information listed for closely related M. dyptergia. The two species have relatively recently been considered separate, so the ecology and habitat may be very similar between the two species. Molva dypterygia is a bottom-dwelling species found on muddy flats. The males reach first maturity at nine years (75 cm) and the females at 11 years (88 cm). Spawning occurs at the end of winter. Females grow faster than males. At age three years this species reaches 40 cm, then grows three an additional five to six centimetres every year. Seventeen-year-old males usually reach 115 cm and 20 year-old females, 155 cm (Cohen et al. 1990). It feeds on crustaceans and fish (flatfishes, gobies, rocklings) (Cohen et al. 1990). Little else is known about the fecundity and other ecological aspects of this fish.

threats:
Species-specific landings have only recently become available, from Spain in the early 2000s (FAO 2011), as identification has improved. This is a species without any commercial interest, but is caught as bycatch in mixed-species fisheries. It is unlikely to be subjected to directed fisheries, as it is found in low abundance and does not aggregate like Blue Ling (Laurance pers. comm. 2013).

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for M. macrophthalma. It is likely found in marine protected areas throughout its range (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). Molva macrophthalma was assessed as Data Deficient in the Mediterranean (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Molva macrophthalma is taken in fisheries targeting Blue Ling, M. dypterygia. Landings of M. dypterygia have decreased by about 30% since the early 1980s (FAO 2011).

redListAssessors:
Nedreaas, K., Nielsen, J., Cook, R., Fernandes, P., Florin, A. & Lorance, P.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Molva molva is found in the northwest Atlantic, off south Greenland and Canada, and in the northeast Atlantic, from the Barents and Baltic seas and from Iceland to Morocco. Only 4 records are known from the Mediterranean Sea. Most stock management units exhibit stable or increasing trends in CPUE and biomass over the past 30 years (approximately 3 generation lengths, using an estimated generation length of 10 years). Drastic declines have been observed in catches in the Skaggerak and Kattegat regions, As well as in Norway, over the past 30 years,  however this represents is a small portion of the range of M. molva. Furthermore, if a shorter generation length is used assumed to be shorter (such as 8 years as used in Norway) population trends appear to be stable. Molva molva is therefore listed as Least Concern. However, although populations appear to have remained stable at very low levels without directed management for many years, it is likely that its ability to maintain and rebuild in areas where it has been reduced depends on continued indirect management and general reduction in fishing pressure.

range:
Molva molva is restricted to the North Atlantic Ocean. In the northwestern Atlantic, M. molva is present off south Greenland and Canada. In the northeastern Atlantic, it is distributed from the Barents Sea and Iceland south to Morocco (Cohen et al. 1990). In the Baltic Sea, Ling is found mostly in the Kattegat and the northern part of the Sound. The stock in the Kattegat and the Sound are believed to belong to the North Sea population. This species only known from four official records in the Mediterranean Sea, from along the coasts of France and Italy. It occurs between 15 to 600 m depth.

population:
This species was previously common in the North Sea 400 years ago, and was commonly eaten in the UK (Poulson et al. 2007). Although it is less common than in historical records, especially in the North Sea, this species population is considered to be relatively stable over the past 30 years. In several management stocks across its range, CPUE is increasing. Populations in the Faroes, Iceland and off of Norway are stable or increasing, with some concern over the North Sea population. In the Skaggerak and Kattegat, landings for this species have drastically decreased. In the North Sea, the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) was almost 4,000 tonnes in 2005, and decreased to 2,428 tonnes in 2012 (Laurant pers. comm. 2013, ICES Advice 2013). The overall trend in global FAO reported landings is one of increase to a plateau of 60,000 tonnes in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Following this period, landings decreased, and have been below 40,000 tonnes since 2004 (FAO FishStat J). Specific Stock Information: There is currently no evidence of genetically distinct populations within the ICES area; however, Molva molva at widely separate fishing grounds may still be sufficiently isolated to be considered management units (ICES 2012).   Division Vb (Faroe Bank): About 70 to 75% of M. molva  were landed by Faroese longliners in 2010-2011, and the rest by trawlers (25-30%). Total landings have been stable since the 1970s, varying between 4000 and 7000 tonnes without any obvious trend. Common ages in landings range from 5 to 9 years. Survey CPUE series indicate a stable situation since the 1990s and an increase in recent years. Length distributions indicate improved recruitment since the 1990s (ICES 2012). Subareas I and II: Mean length has varied with no clear trend from 1988 to 2011. Nominal CPUE series shows an increase from 2001 to 2011. Landings, which are principally declared from Subarea I, have increased from 2001 to 2011. Division Va (Iceland): This fishery has changed from a by-catch fishery to more of a mixed fishery from 2000-2005. This change has been attributed to an increase in Ling abundance during that time period. Commercial CPUE has been relatively stable since 1991, with the highest values observed in the last few years. In spring and autumn surveys in the deeper waters south and west off Iceland, the total biomass index, and the index of fishable biomass (>40cm) in the March survey gradually decreased until 1995. From 1995 to 2003, these indices were half the mean from 1985 to 1989. From 2003 to 2007, the indices increase sharply to the highest observed value in 2007. Models suggest a four-fold increase in biomass (10 kt to 40 kt) from 2005-2010 due to high recruitment and reduced fishing mortality (ICES 2012). Other Areas (IIIa, IV, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII, XIV): There was a decline in landings from 1988 to 2003, after which the landings have been stable. The decline in landings has been simultaneous in the main Areas IV, VI, and VII, but area VII has had a greater reduction in landings than Areas IV and VI. ICES has recommended a constraint on catches to a recent average (2003 to 2008) and a reduction in catches to be considered. Length at 50% maturity was reported as 71 cm for females, and 62 cm for males (ICES 2012). Baltic Sea: Swedish landings have decreased from 30 tonnes in the beginning of the 1970s in the Kattegat to less than 1 tonne in 2008 (Fiskeriverket 2011).

habitat:
Molva molva, the Ling, is a demersal and oceanodromous species. It mainly occurs on rocky bottoms in fairly deep water exceeding 600 meters (Frimodt 1995). It is more commonly found between 100 to 400 m. Juveniles are found in more littoral waters. Juveniles aged 1-2 are coastal (15-20 meters depth) and pelagic. Individuals greater than 3 years migrate to greater depths. This species reaches a maximum size of 200 cm. Molva molva feeds on fishes (cod, herring, flatfish), lobsters, cephalopods, and starfishes. Principal spawning areas are Biscay, slopes west of the British Isles and off the Faeroes and south Iceland (Muus and Nielsen 1999). Its major spawning grounds are located at 200 m depth from the Bay of Biscay to the Gulf of Norway between 100 to 300 m off south Iceland. Its fecundity may reach 20 to 60 million eggs per female (Cohen et al. 1990).  The age of first maturity is reached at 5 years for males (80 cm) and 5–6 years for females (90–00 cm). Maximum reported age for this species is 10 years for males and 14 years for females (Cohen et al. 1990).  A generation length of 12.7 years was used to assess this species in the Baltic Sea (HELCOM 2013), and one of 8 years was used in the Norwegian National Red List. Generation length is therefore estimated to be between 8 and 12 years.

threats:
In the northeastern Atlantic, M. molva is both a targeted and bycatch species in deep-water fisheries operating at depths of greater than 400 meters. Gears used include by demersal trawls and seines. Fisheries on deep-water species, which may be intrinsically vulnerable to exploitation, have developed rapidly and many have been depleted before appropriate management measures were designed/implemented. Additionally, landing statistics that are available may not reflect the scale of recent fishing activity, particularly in waters outside national exclusive economic zones (ICES 2010).

conservationAction:
ICES has advised a 30% reduction in fishing effort, relative to the fishing effort in 1998, for Ling. Ling is primarily taken as by-catch in many fisheries, and the stock status is unknown, as there is not enough information available to perform an analytical assessment of the stock (ICES 2010). However, this species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution. Only four official records of the species are known from the Mediterranean Sea, and it was therefore assessed as Data Deficient in the Mediterranean regional assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011). Based on an at least 50% decrease in landings (35 tonnes to less than 1 tonne) over the past 30 years (1980s to present), this species was listed as Endangered on both the Swedish and HELCOM Red List, although this area may represent the limit of this species range (calculated generation length was 12.7 years). This species is listed a Least Concern on the Norwegian Red List (generation length was 8 years).

useAndTrade:
Molva molva is a high-value commercial species which is primarily taken as by-catch in deep-water fisheries operating below the continental shelves (>400 meters), but also in shallow-water fisheries targeting other species. It is marketed fresh, dried or salted and frozen, it is eaten steamed, fried, broiled and baked (Frimodt 1995). It is also used as fishmeal.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Asthenomacrurus victoris is a widely-distributed species, which within Europe is restricted to the Azores. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
This species is known from very few specimens, collected from widely scattered localities. One of these records is European, being from just within the Azores EEZ (Carneiro et al. 2014).

population:
There is a lack of information regarding this species' population. It is known from very few specimens.

habitat:
This is a marine, bathydemersal species, with a depth range of 2,320-3,530 m (Sazonov and Shcherbachev 1982).

useAndTrade:
There is a lack on information regarding use and trade of this species.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: LC Bathygadus melanobranchus is found on both sides of the Atlantic. Within the assessment region it is found from the Irish continental slope and the west coast of the British Isles to the Azores, Canaries and Madeira. It is found at depths from 700 to 1400 m. There are no major species-specific threats, however it is occasionally taken as bycatch. This species is listed as Least Concern.

range:
Bathygadus melanobranchus is found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In the northeastern Atlantic, B. melanobranchus is found from the Irish continental slope (Marshall 1973) and the west coast of the British Isles (Allain et al. 2003) to the Azores (Melo and Menezes 2002, Menezes et al. 2012), Canaries and Madeira (Lloris et al. 1991). It has a depth range of 450 to 2560 m, but is centered at 700 to 1400 m (Marshall 1973). This species is mostly found in Azores, with some records from off the coast of France. It is more abundant off North Africa than off Europe (Merrett and Marshall 1981).

population:
There is little species-specific population data for B. melanobranchus, however in one study it is represented with a 0.015351% of total catch weight (Melo and Menezes 2002). Also, in northwest Africa it was one of the most frequently collected species (407 specimens). However it was only caught in seven catches which may have been attributed to a narrow depth range (Merrett and Marshall 1980). This species is more abundant at depths deeper than 700 m. It is usually taken between 800 to 1400 m. Bathygadus melanobranchus is one of the more common grenadiers in the upper slope depths off northwestern Africa. It is not abundant in NANSEN survey data, but this may be an artifact of sampling depth. It is more common in the Western Atlantic (Tomio pers. comm. 2012).

habitat:
Bathygadus melanobranchus is a pelagic feeder, with a diet primarily of mysid, Gnathophausia zoea, chaetognaths and copepods. G. zoea and copepods with the top two food items in the Bathygadus melanobranchus diet (Merrett and Marshall 1980).

threats:
Bathygadus melanobranchus is taken as bycatch, however the extent to which this has impacted the population is unknown. 

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for Bathygadus melanobranchus. This species may be present in marine protected areas that occur within its distribution.

useAndTrade:
Bathygadus melanobranchus is not a commercially fished species in the northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean or Black Sea. However, this species is taken as bycatch by the French fisheries in the western British Isles (Allain et al. 2003)


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Listed as Data Deficient as there is no information available on the population size and trend of the species. However, the species is present in trawling depths and bottoms, and it is commonly caught by Mediterranean trawlers and discarded, where it is threatened by these fishing activities. There is also evidence of longliners in the Azores catching the species, but it is unknown if the species has been caught or discarded in other Atlantic fisheries.

range:
The species is present in the northeast Atlantic Ocean, from Iceland and Norway to the Azores and the Canary Islands (Fishbase 2014). It is found in several seamounts such as Plateau, Le Danois and Josephine in the Atlantic Ocean (Fishbase 2014). It is also widely distributed across the Mediterranean Sea, where it is known from several seamounts in the Alborán Sea, in Morrot de Formentera and Nao Seamounts in the Ibiza Channel (R. Aguilar pers. obs. 2014), and in the Palos and Mallorca Channel Seamounts (Marín et al. 2011a,b). Its depth limits range from 90 to 1,250 metres depth.

population:
Long line surveys analyzed by Borges et al. (2010) in the Azores show an increase of abundance of the species in 2004 to 2007. However, the overall population trend of the species remains unknown. In Irish offshore waters, it is considered a common species. In the Atlantic African coast, it seems to be quite abundant (Sobrino et al. 2012), but there is a lack of data for European Atlantic waters.

habitat:
The species is present mainly in soft bottoms. In the Adriatic, the species was caught by experimental trawls on muddy bottoms of the upper slope, from 100 to 800 metres depth (Isajlović et al. 2009). It is estimated to live for eight years, and it has a maximum size of 40 cm (TL). The species is considered a high vulnerable species and its resilience is calculated as low, with four to 14 years to double the population (Fishbase 2014). In the Straits of Messina, it spawns from December to March (Cohen et al. 1990).

threats:
The species is considered a high vulnerable species and its resilience is calculated as low, with four to 14 years to double the population size (Fishbase 2014). It is commonly caught by Mediterranean trawlers, although in Israel 100% of the catches are discarded (Edelist et al. 2011), as it inhabits trawling bottoms and depths. In Atlantic fisheries, the species is also captured by longliners in the Azores. Being a deep-sea species, it is threatened by increasing fishing pressure and other human activities (Isajlović et al. 2010).

conservationAction:
The species is not listed in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. It is present and common (1.74% of relative abundance) in the GFCM Fisheries Restricted Area of the Gulf of Lion. Its distribution overlaps with protected areas throughout its range, such as the Natura 2000 site El Cachucho (Spain), and the proposed Site of Community Importance by the Spanish Government of Chella Bank seamount. Further research should be conducted to determine the population size and trends of the species.

useAndTrade:
The species is caught by longlines in the Azores (Borges et al. 2011). In Ireland, the species was previously taken but generally discarded (due to its relatively small size), by deep-water trawlers as a non TAC/Quota by-catch species, along with other Macrouridae (e.g. Coryphaenoides rupestris). However, it has rarely been reported to species level (Gordon et al. 1994). It is commonly caught by Mediterranean trawlers.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: LC Coelorinchus labiatus is found in the eastern Atlantic, from 61oN south to Mauritania. It is widely distributed within the assessment region comprising the northeastern Europe, Mediterranean and Black Sea. This species is found at depths ranging 460 to 2220 m. This species is taken as bycatch in deepwater trawl fisheries. There is little species-specific population information available. It is listed as Least Concern.

range:
Coelorinchus labiatus is found in the eastern Atlantic, from 61oN south to Mauritania. In the northeastern Atlantic, Coelorinchus labiatus is widely distributed from the Rockall Trough (Narayanaswamy et al. 2013) and the Porcupine Seabight (Merrett et al. 1991) to the Azores (Menezes et al. 2012) and from the Mid-Atlantic ridge (Bergstad et al. 2008) to the Galacian waters in northwest Spain (Banõn et al. 2010). Seventeen specimens have been collected of the Israeli Mediterranean coast between 1988-1999 (Goren and Galil 2002), but it is not known whether there is a stable population there. This species is found at depths ranging 460–2220 m (Cohen et al. 1990).

population:
This is little species-population data on C. labiatus available with the exception of the Porcupine Seabight in which 799 specimens were caught with a 0.07 to 0.23 specimens per 1000 m2 depending on gear used (Merrett et al. 1991) and the Mid-Atlantic ridge in which Coelorinchus labiatus was found and recorded clustered with other species at an abundance of 50% at 1000 m (Bergstad et al. 2008).

habitat:
Coelorinchus labiatus is a benthopelagic species found at depths ranging from 460 to 2220 m. It feeds primarily on small fish and bottom-living crustaceans. This species reaches a maximum size of 50 cm (Cohen et al. 1990).

threats:
Coelorinchus labiatus is not a commercially fished species in Europe. However, this small species is caught as bycatch and discarded in the bottom-trawl fisheries along the slope In France, this species is present as bycatch in less than 1% of commercial catches. This species may be taken as bycatch in deep water trawls the northeastern Atlantic (Priede et al. 2010, Tomio pers. comm. 2012).

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for Coelorinchus labiatus. This species may be present in marine protected areas that occur within its distribution.

useAndTrade:
Coelorinchus labiatus is not a commercially fished species within the assessment zone waters, however, is listed as the main macrourid species discarded by the French trawl fisheries. The effects of bycatch and discards on these stocks are unknown (Lorance et al. 2008). This species may be taken as bycatch in deep water trawls the northeastern Atlantic (Tomio pers. comm. 2012).


redListCategoryRationale:
Coelorinchus mediterraneus is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. It occurs in deep waters and is not commercially fished at present. There are no known widespread threats. It may occur in marine protected areas that exist within its range. There is a GFCM recommendation forbidding fishing below 1,000 m in the Mediterranean Sea, which includes the depth range of this species. Therefore, C. mediterraneus is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Coelorinchus mediterraneus is endemic to the bathydemersal lower continental slope of the Mediterranean Sea, present in the Catalan Sea, Ligurian Sea, Adriatic Sea (Iwamoto and Ungaro 2002) and east Ionian Sea (Mytilineou et al. 2005). It is found at depths ranging from 800 to 1,500 m.

population:
Coelorinchus mediterraneus one of the more abundant species in areas deeper than 1,000 m in the southern Adriatic and Catalan Seas (Iwamoto and Ungaro 2002). According to Mytilineou et al. (2005), this species was collected in the northeast Ionian Sea during four experimental surveys (Sept. 1999, Apr. 2000, Jul. 2000, Sept. 2000), by means of trawls of 40 mm stretched mesh size in the cod-end, with mean of 0.1 individuals per haul in the depth range of 800-1,200 m (13 hauls).

habitat:
Coelorinchus mediterraneus is a bathydemersal species, preferring deep-water of 1,200-1,500 m (Mytilineou et al. 2005, Iwamoto and Ungaro 2002). The species displays a sex ratio of 1:1.9 (males vs. females) and mature females can be found year round, although the peak reproductive time is fall and winter followed by spring, during which <5% of females are in the spawning stage (Fernandez-Arcaya et al. 2013a, Fernandez-Arcaya et al. 2013b).

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats to C. mediterraneus.

conservationAction:
There is no information available on specific conservation measures for this species. Currently there is a GFCM recommendation (GFCM/2005/1) forbidding trawl and dredge fishing below 1,000 m. This species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). Coelorinchus mediterraneus was prevsiously assessed as Least Concern, globally and in the Mediterranean (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011). Research is needed into any possible threats to the species.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Coryphaenoides armatus is a common species in the bathypelagic of the most ocean basins on the abyssal plain. It lives at depths too great to be of commercial interest, and there are no known major known threats. Therefore, C. armatus is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Coryphaenoides armatus is common to the deep waters of most oceans, between 2000 and 4700 m (Cohen et al. 1990). In the northeastern Atlantic, C. armatus is found from southern Iceland and Ireland to Madeira and the Canary Islands. It is likely more widely distributed than what is known. It is found at depths ranging from 2000 to 4700 m.

population:
The estimated combined abundance of Coryphaenoides armatus and C. yaquinae increased by 275% (from an annual average abundance of 7.5 ind/ha in 1989 to 28.1 ind/ha in 2004) via towed cameras between 1989 and 2004 at approximately 4100 m depth at Station M (Bailey et al. 2006). Station M is located in the abyssal northeast Pacific about 220 km west of Point Conception, California. The abundance was not reported by species, so it is unclear whether the increase is attributable to C. armatus. Coryphaenoides armatus was the most abundant macrourid sampled by long-line in the Mid-Atlantic ridge (Fossen et al. 2008).

habitat:
Coryphaenoides armatus is a deep-slope, upper continental rise species found between 2000 and 4700 m. The diet of C. armatus changes ontogenetically, from benthic invertebrates (especially crustaceans and holothuroids) when young to mesopelagic and bathypelagic fish, sea urchins and cephalopods as adults (Cohen et al. 1990). Examination of the stomach contents of C. armatus collected by trawling at depths below 2600 m in Hudson Canyon provided evidence that a major portion of the diet comes from the deep mesopelagic and bathypelagic regions (Haedrich and Henderson 1974). The largest C. armatus collected by trawling at depths below 2600 m in Hudson Canyon in 1973 was 102 cm total length (Haedrich and Henderson 1974). It has been suggested that C. armatus is semelparous, as few ripe females and no spent individuals have been collected (Stein and Pearcy 1982, Drazen 2001).

threats:
Coryphaenoides carapinus is not a commercially targeted species, however it is taken as bycatch in deepwater fisheries (Priede et al. 2010)

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation initiatives.

useAndTrade:
Coryphaenoides armatus is large and taken in moderate numbers by oceanographic research vessels, but lives at depths too great to be of commercial potential (Cohen et al. 1990).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Coryphaenoides brevibarbis is a rare, deep-water species in the bathypelagic zone of the Atlantic Ocean. However, it is not utilized and there are no major threats. Therefore, it is listed as Least Concern.

range:
Coryphaenoides brevibarbis is distributed throughout the bathypelagic North Atlantic, to depths of 4700 m (Coad and Reist 2004). In the northeastern Atlantic, C. brevibarbis is found from Iceland south to Madeira and the Canary Islands.

population:
There is little information about the population trends of C. brevibarbis. During trawl sampling along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in 2004, C. brevibarbis was collected from 1500 to 3000 m depth, although the majority of the catch occurred between 2000 and 2500 m (Bergstad et al. 2008).

habitat:
This species is a benthopelagic found on the abyssal plain. Stomach contents from 54 individuals collected suggested that Coryphaneoides brevibarbis prey upon chaetognaths and pelagic crustaceans. The majority of the stomach contents was unidentifiable, heavily digested material that may have been either gelatinous organisms or cephalopods. The larger individuals had fish remains as well (Hunter et al. 2012).

threats:
Coryphaenoides brevibarbis is not a commercially targeted species, however it is taken as bycatch in deepwater fisheries (Priede et al. 2010)

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation initiatives in place.

useAndTrade:
While this species is not commercially important itself, it is a common bycatch in deep-water fisheries (White et al. 2011).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Coryphaenoides carapinus is a very rare, deep water species in the bathypelagic of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Although little is known about its ecology or population status, it is not utilized and there are no known major threats. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Coryphaenoides carapinus is a very rare species in the abyssal North Atlantic, the southeastern Atlantic and Indian oceans (Coad and Reist 2004, Iwamoto et al. 2004). In the northeastern Atlantic, C. carapinus is known from the Irish continental slope (Geistdoerfer 1986) southwards to off Sierra Lione. It has been collected at depths ranging from 1600 to 5610 m (Iwamoto et al. 2004, Coad and Reist 2004).

population:
There is little information about the population status of Coryphaenoides carapinus.

habitat:
Coryphaenoides carapnus has a maximum age of 13 to 14 years (Bergstad 2013). It inhabits the abyssal North Atlantic and Indian Oceans (Coad and Reist 2004, Iwamoto et al. 2004).

threats:
Coryphaenoides carapinus is not a commercially targeted species, however it is taken as bycatch in deepwater fisheries (Priede et al. 2010)

useAndTrade:
The deep distribution and rarity of Coryphaenoides carapinus limit fisheries interest.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Coryphaenoides guentheri is a deep water species found at depths of  831 to 2830 m. It is not a targeted species, but may be taken as bycatch in deep water trawls. Although deep water fisheries have been impacting population structure in C. guentheri, based on reductions in the mean size per individual, since the 1970s, there is no evidence that it is impacting the abundance of C. guentheri at this time. Therefore, this species is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Coryphaenoides guentheri is restricted to the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Coryphaenoides guentheri is widely distributed from the Denmark Straight (Marshall 1973), Rockall Trough and Porcupine Seabight (Gordon et al. 1996) to the Azores and Canary Islands (Marshall 1973, Bergstad et al. 2008 and Menezes et al. 2012), including the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Hunter et al. 2012). Coryphaenoides guentheri is found throughout the Mediterranean Sea (Geistdoerfer 1990, Moranta et al. 2003, Cartes and Carrasson 2004, Stefanescu et al. 1994 and Goren and Galil 2002), including the Spanish Mediterranean Sea, but not the Alborian Sea (L. Gil de Sola pers. obs. 2014) and the Hellenic Seas (Papaconstantinou 1988). It is a benthopelagic species that has a depth range of 831 to 2830 m (Marshall 1973), but may occur in shallower waters.

population:
In the Rockall Trough, C. guentheri has been found to have the following abundance percentages in scientific surveys according to depth: 3% abundance at 1250 m, 13% abundance at 1500 m, 23.9% abundance at  1750 m, 39.7% abundance at 2000 m, 62.8% abundance at 2250 m and 37.7% abundance at 2500 m (Gordon and Bergstad 1992), It has been found with 1.1% of total catch in monitoring studies in the Levant Sea between 1988 and 1999 (Goren and Galil 2002) and in the following areas (with species densities n/km2); western Balearic Islands 295 n/km2, western Ionian Sea 85.1 n/km2 and the eastern Ionian Sea 54.6 n/km2 (Tecchio et al. 2011). Cartes and Carrasson (2004) mentioned that 418 specimens were collected with a bottom trawl, during a series of cruises performed in June, July and October 1987-1989 in the Catalano-Balearic basin between 1,308 and 2,251 m depth.

habitat:
Coryphaenoides guentheri is a benthopelagic species with a depth range of 800 to 2800 m (Cohen et al. 1990). It feeds primarily on Gammarid amphipods and Cumaceans with polychaetes being listed as accidental prey (Carrassón and Matallanas 2002, Geistdoerfer 1986).

threats:
Coryphaenoides guentheri is not a commercially fished species in the assessment zone and there are no specific threats to Coryphaenoides guentheri. This species may be taken as bycatch in deep water trawls in the northern part of its range (Priede et al. 2010, Tomio pers. comm. 2012).

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for Coryphaenoides guentheri. This species may be present in marine protected areas that occur within its distribution. This species was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Coryphaenoides guentheri is not a commercially targeted species within the northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea assessment zone, however it is taken as bycatch in deep water trawls (Tomio pers. comm. 2012). Deep-water fisheries have had a substantial impact on this species since the 1970s, causing populations to shift towards smaller individuals (Carrassón and Matallanas 2002).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Coryphaenoides leptolepis is a deep-dwelling species which is restricted to the eastern Atlantic, and is found to depths exceeding 4000 m. It is not commercially targeted, however it is taken as bycatch in deepwater trawl fisheries. There is little species-specific population information available, and this species likely benefits from protection measures in place for the commercially important C. rupestis. Coryphaenoides leptolepis is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Coryphaenoides leptolepis is distributed found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. In the eastern Atlantic, C. leptolepis is found from the Porcupine Seabight (Priede et al. 2011) and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Marshall 1973, Bergstad et al. 2008) to the Azores Islands (Bergstad et al. 2008). It has a depth range of 610 to 4000 m according to (Marshall 1973) and a depth range of 1993 to 4865 m (Priede et al. 2011). 

population:
There is little species-specific population information available for C. leptolepis. In 2004 the MAR-ECO expedition along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge found Coryphaenoides leptolepis to have a 0.2 CPUE in the northern Azores (Fossen et al. 2008). In the Porcupine Seabight Coryphaenoides leptolepis showed an overall mean abundances of 110 and 83 km-2 between two survey periods 1977 to 1989 (95 trawls) and 1997 to 2002 (59 trawls) respectively (Priede et al. 2011).

habitat:
Coryphaenoides leptolepis is a benthopelagic species which can be found to depths exceeding 4000 m (Marshall 1973). This species feeds primarily on benthopelagic prey. It has has a smaller swimbladder than other macrourids found at similar depths, indicating it may be more restricted to the bottom (McLellan 1977). The maximum recorded length for this species is 62 cm (TL).

threats:
Coryphaenoides leptolepis is not a targeted species within the assessment zone, however it is taken as bycatch in deep-water fisheries (Priede et al. 2010).

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures are in Coryphaenoides leptolepis. This species may be present in marine protected areas that occur within its distribution.

useAndTrade:
Coryphaenoides leptolepis does not appear to be utilized.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Coryphaenoides mediterraneus has a wide range both in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. It is found to depths of 4246 m. It is not a commercially important species, however it is taken as bycatch in deepwater trawls and there have been documented localized population declines in parts of this species' range. There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for C. mediterraneus, however protection measures in place for the commercially important congener, C. rupestris, are likely to benefit this species. Coryphaenoides mediterraneus is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Coryphaenoides mediterraneus, also known as Chalinura mediterranea in the Mediterranean Sea, is found from Greenland (Møller et al. 2010) and Iceland (Bergstad et al. 2008), the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Porcupine Seabight (Priede et al. 2011) to the Azores (Priede et al. 2011). It is found throughout the Mediterranean from the Balearic basin (Massutí et al. 2004) to the Levant Sea (Jones et al. 2003). It has a depth range from 1,200 (Bergstad et al. 2008) to 4,264 m (Jones et al. 2003).

population:
In the Mid-Atlantic Ridge C. mediterraneaus has an abundance of 100 individuals/n.m. and it described as somewhat common (Bergstad et al. 2008), with a CPUE of 0.3 along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Fossen et al. 2011). In the Porcupine Seabight, there has been a significant reduction in abundance (p < 0.001) with an overall mean that has decreased from 196 to 39 individuals km-2 from two sampling periods 1977 to 1989 and 1997 to 2002 respectively (Priede et al. 2011).

habitat:
Coryphaenoides mediterraneus is a bathypelagic species. This species feeds on small benthic invertebrates (Geistdoerfer 1986). This is a bathypelagic species. Its depth range is reported at 1,000 to 3,000 m. This species feeds on small benthic invertebrates (Geistdoerfer 1986).

threats:
Coryphaenoides mediterraneus is not a commercially targeted species, however it is taken as bycatch in deepwater fisheries (Priede et al. 2010). There have been localized population declines of this species which have been attributed to fishing activity (Priede et al. 2010).

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for Coryphaenoides mediterraneus. It may be present in marine protected areas that occur within its distribution. It is likely to benefit from protection measures in place for the commercially important C. rupestris, and from area closures. This species was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Coryphaenoides mediterraneus is not a commercially targeted species. It does not appear to be utilized when taken as bycatch.


redListCategoryRationale:
Coryphaenoides profundicolus is a widely distributed, deep water (>5,000 m) benthopelagic species in the Atlantic Ocean. It is little known member of the genus Coryphaenoides. There are no known species-specific threats, however this species is likely taken as bycatch. It is a wide-ranging species which is found at great depths. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Coryphaenoides profundicolus was collected at depths ranging from 3,639 to 4,865 m in the Porcupine Seabight and Porcupine Abyssal Plain between 1977 and 2002 (Merrett et al. 1991, Priede et al. 2010). It was also collected at one location on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge during the 2004 MAR-ECO expedition at about 51o N, 29o W (Bergstad et al. 2008). Its depth range may extend beyond 5,440 m (Merrett 1987).

population:
Coryphaenoides profundicolus is a rare and poorly-known species. Along the mid-Atlantic ridge, Coryphaenoides profundicolus was the rarest species of Coryphaenoides (Bergstad et al. 2011).

habitat:
Coryphaenoides profundicolus is a deep dwelling, benthopelagic species (Merrett et al. 1991).

threats:
Coryphaenoides profundicolus is not a commercially targeted species, however it is taken as bycatch in deepwater fisheries (Priede et al. 2010)


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Endangered (EN) Coryphaenoides rupestris is known from the North Atlantic Ocean from Baffin Island and Greenland in the northwestern Atlantic, and off Iceland and Norway south to north Africa in the northeastern Atlantic. It is long-lived and slow-growing, with a generation length of at least 30 years. It is one of the main target species of deepwater fisheries in the northeast Atlantic. In the northeast Atlantic it was overexploited along the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the 1970s, to the west of the British Isles from the 1990s and in the Skagerrak in the mid-2000s. Fisheries have been regulated from 2003 and current catches are expected to be low enough to allow stock rebuilding. Data are not available for the entire three generation lengths (more than 90 years), but it is assumed that the stock was at virgin biomass prior to exploitation. In the northeastern Atlantic, fisheries-independent data are only available from west of Scotland, where there has been a 70% decline in spawning stock biomass (SSB) over the past 25 years. Over about the same time, simulated mean exploitable biomass from the Faroes south to the English Channel declined by 50%. Other indications of overexploitation in this species included truncated life history characteristics (e.g., reduced average size) and reduced CPUE (e.g., near the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge). As C. rupestris was exploited throughout the entire assessment zone, it is inferred that the population has declined by at least 50% over the past three generation lengths. The cause of population decline, overexploitation, is understood to have largely ceased. Only small catches have been permitted in recent years for 2 of the 3 main populations (Skagerrak and mid-Atantic Ridge) and a low harvest rate for the third one (West of the British Isles). Surveys indicate some increase in abundance and biomass since 1998 along the West of Scotland Slope. Therefore, Coryphaenoides rupestris is listed as Endangered under Criterion A1bd.     

range:
Coryphaenoides rupestris, the Roundnose Grenadier, is distributed in the North Atlantic, from about 37°N to Baffin Island and Greenland in the northwestern Atlantic, and off Iceland and Norway south to north Africa in the northeastern Atlantic. It may occur east of Andros Islands (about 24°N, 77°W) in the Bahamas. It occurs at depths of 180-2,600 metres.

population:
Based on the 2012 ICES Assessment (ICES 2012), spawning stock biomass (SSB) for this species has declined by at least 70% from 140,000 tonnes in 1988 to about 40,000 tonnes in 2010 in the west of Scotland. SSB has increased slightly over the past 5 to 7 years after management measures were implemented. Current harvest rates in this area are half of recommended MSY. ICES advice for this region, recommends catches to be no more than 6000 tonnes per year. The current fishing mortality is below Fmsy and biomass is estimated to below Bmsy (ICES 2012). Scientific survey data from west of Scotland and west of the British Isles show stable catch rates from 1998 to 2010 (Neat and Burns 2010, ICES 2012). Globally reported FAO landings of C. rupestris are declared from the following FAO fishing regions: Arctic, Antarctic, Northeast Atlantic, and Northwest Atlantic. From 1965 onwards, landings from the Northwest Atlantic accounted for the majority (>90%) of declared landings in the early 1970s. After peaking at 83,764 tonnes in the early 1970s, landings in this region declined continuously to 518 tonnes in 2010, representing a decline of 99.3%. From the late 1980s onwards, the overall trend in landings has been driven by landings in the Northeast Atlantic. Landings in the Northeastern Atlantic increase to a maximum of 48,163 tonnes in 2001, and since 2001 have decreased by 85% to 7,093 tonnes in 2010 (FAO 2011, FishStatJ accessed 2013 September). However, overall catches reported from the assessment zone from the 1950's for this species show an increase until the late 1990's and then a decrease from 2000—2006.  Population and Stock Structure: In the Northeast Atlantic, this species has been divided into four management units: Skagerrak (IIIa); the Faroe Hatton area and Celtic Sea (Divisions Vb and XIIb, Subareas VI, VII); Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Divisions Xb, XIIc, Subdivisions Va1, XIIa1,XIVb1), and all other areas (Subareas I,II, IV, VIII, IX, Division XIVa, Subdivisions Va2, XIVb2). No genetic results are available to validate this stock structure. Samples of 800 individuals from across the species' range suggest a pattern of increasing genetic structure with distance among samples at very small spatial scales (Knutsen et al. 2009). All these areas are covered by European Union Total Allowed Catches (TACs), although the TAC areas do no match the stock structure. The main current catch are in line with ICES recommended catch levels. Stock Specific Information Division III (Skagerrak): There was a mostly bycatch  fishery  of 1000-2000 tonnes per yearin this region in the 1990s and early 2000s. A directed fishery then developed and peaked at 11,000 tonnes in 2005. This fishery was considered unsustainable and was stopped in 2006 (ICES 2014). Stock status is unclear, and ICES advises that expansion of the fisheries should not be allowed until reliable assessments are available and only a few tonnes per year have been caught since 2007 owing to the end of the targeted fishery and increased selectivity in other fisheries. Bergstad (1990) based on data for 1987 in this region suggests that age distributions could span over 20—30 years. Northeast Atlantic Division Vb and XIIb, Subareas VI and VII (North of Azores, Rockall, W of Scotland,  West of Ireland, Porcupine Bank, Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea, SW of Ireland, Faroes): The targeted fishery for this species in Division Vb and XIIb, Subareas VI and VII became established in the early 1990s. There are a great deal of uncertainties concerning the exploitable biomass of this species, and simulations present a decline of around 50% in median exploitable biomass from 1988 to 2003, followed by relative stabilization (ICES 2010). This has been accompanied by a reduction in the average size and proportion of large individuals in landings over time (ICES Cooperative Research Report 255, ICES 2010). A deep-water survey carried out along the West of Scotland slope, covering the main area were the species has been fished since 1988 shows a increase in abundance and biomass sincThis species reaches a maximum size of 100 cm (Cohen et al. 1990). The average pre-anal length of individuals landed by France decreased from 20.8 cm in 1990, to 16.0 cm in 2009; the average size of landed individuals reported by Spain decreased from 15.5 cm to 14 cm (females) from 2002 to 2009 (ICES 2010).  Since 2010, the stock has been assessed quantitatively providing estimates of biomass and harvest rates. Although uncertain harvest rates have been strongly reduced in recent years and are below the level corresponding to MSY. Recommended catch are below the catch corresponding to Fmsy. These levels are considered appropriate to allow stock rebuilding, which can only be slow owing to the low productivity of this species. The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) implemented by the European Union are in line with the ICES recommendations.. Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge (divisions Xb, XIIc, and Subareas Va1, XIIa1, XIVb1): Dense concentrations of this species were exploited over seamount peaks by the USSR in the 1970s. Recent trawl acoustic surveys indicate that biomass of the pelagic component of the grenadier only amounted to about 130,000 t, and that the distribution and structure of aggregations on the mid-Atlantic ridge may have changed considerably as compared to the 1970s to the 1980s. CPUE trends show a decline beginning in 1978, followed by a period of relative stability until the early 1990s. Further declines took place in the 1990s, and current CPUE from the MAR is almost half of what it was in the early 1970s. . Biomass estimated from Russian acoustics surveys, on part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge from 2003 to 2010 were higher in 2010 comparatively 2003 at most of the seamounts. The average biomass per seamount increased from 3900 t in 2003 to 4600 t in 2010. Some increasing of biomass, stable length composition and limited fishery scale of grenadier give grounds to make a preliminary conclusion on the stable state of its stock during several last years (ICES, 2014). Catch has been small from the early 2000s, although some increasing landings have been reported since 2011. Other areas (I, II, IV, Va2, VIII, IX, XIVa, XIVb2): Catches in these regions are insignificant, either as by-catch or as targeted fisheries. Catch data for each of the above fishing regions from 1989—2009 shows fluctuations, with declines in more recent years (ICES 2010).

habitat:
Coryphaenoides rupestris is a benthopelagic to bathypelagic species that has a depth range of 180 to 2600 m (Coad and Riest 2004).  They form large schools in depths of 600 to 900 m. It is a slow-moving species, which prefers substrates with slow currents. It undergoes vertical diurnal migrations. This species is a poor swimmer, and there is no evidence of long-distance migration in this species. Juveniles ranging in size from 2—8 cm in length were caught in mid-water 120—840 m over bottoms of 1200—3200 meters (Vinnichenko and Khlivnoy 2007). They feed on a variety of fish and invertebrates, but primarily on pelagic crustaceans such as shrimps, amphipods and cumaceans; cephalopods and lantern fishes constitute a lesser portion of their diet.  Maximum length recorded is 110 cm total length (Muus and Nielsen 1999), and maximum weight recorded is 1690 g (IGFA 2013).  This species is a batch spawner, with a fecundity of 4000—70 000 oocytes per batch (Allain 2001, Murua and Saborido-Rey 2003).  This species is slow-growing and long-lived. Maximum reported age is 54 years (Allain and Lorance 2000), and length at first maturity is 50.5cm.  Maximum age attained from survey samples in the Northeast Atlantic is 60 years for females and 50 years for males (Clarke et al. 2003), with age of first maturation at approximately 11 years, and <57,000, of large eggs  produced (Alekseyev et al. 1992; Kelly et al. 1997). T In other estimates in the Northeastern Atlantic, length-at-first-maturity is reached at 11.5—12.5 cm and age-at-first-maturity at 9—14 years (ICES 2010). Given that age of first maturity is between 9—14 years, and maximum longevity is 50 to 60 years, generation length is likely to be between 30—37 years. .  

threats:
Coryphaenoides rupestris was one of the main target species of deepwater fisheries in the Northeast Atlantic (Lorance et al. 2008), as it forms dense concentrations in waters of 600 to 900 meters.  It was over-exploitated in the North Atlantic from the late 1980s to the mid-2000s. The primary fishing method for this species is factory stern trawlers, which may fish as deep as 1300 m (Cohen et al. 1990). Fisheries on deep-water species, which may be intrinsically vulnerable to exploitation, have developed rapidly and many have been depleted before appropriate management measures were designed/implemented. Additionally, landing statistics that are available may not reflect the scale of recent fishing activity, particularly in waters outside national exclusive economic zones (ICES 2010). This species is reported to reach a maximum size of 100 cm; however, where data are available, reductions in the sizes of landed individuals have been reported from many parts of this species' range (ICES 2010). In the Northwestern Atlantic, as with many new fisheries, the initial quota was set quite high but was never achieved. As catches declined, subsequent quota revisions and reductions were not based on any particular biological or assessment information, primarily because that information was severely lacking (Atkinson 1995). Most basic biological information was not gathered until 15–25 years after the fishery began (Haedrich et al. 2001). By the early 1990s, the fishery in the Northwest Atlantic was no longer commercially viable and came to a halt. However, in the eastern central Atlantic portion of its range it is not fished as heavily.  Therefore, this species may be afforded some refuge from over-exploitation in this part of its range. The depth distribution also extends deeper than depth fished by fisheries.

conservationAction:
Total allowable catches (TACs) for EU vessels for deep-water species have been set since 2003. Additional measurement measures applicable to EU fleets are a licensing system, fishing effort limits, minimum size regulations, and the obligation to land the fish in designated harbours (ICES WGDEEP 2010). In the North Sea, ICES recommends that fishery should not be allowed to expand until it is proven sustainable. Historically, this species was fished on the mid-Atlantic Ridge with landings up to 30,000 tonnes in the 1970s (USSR), however, for the last 8 years, there has been no additional fishing for this species on the mid-Atlantic Ridge. There are no reported catches from Iceland. Given the dramatic declines in global catch over three generation lengths, future monitoring and reduction in catch is recommended.  It has been suggested that increasing mesh sizes would be an efficient management strategy to avoid the discards of smaller individuals (Lorance et al. 2001).This species was categorized as Vulnerable in the 2007 HELCOM Red List Assessment, likely as a result of its overexloitation in the Skagerrak in the mid-2000s. It is considered Endangered in Sweden. In Norway, this species was estimated to have a generation length of 17.5 years, and has been listed as Least Concern. Landings in Norway greatly fluctuated since 1989 and then have remained low over the past 10 years. However, landings in Norway represent only a small portion of the overall fishery for this species. Since 2006, the fishery for this species has been closed in Skagerrak (ICES WGDEEP 2012).This is a UK priority species in the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, which states that if conservation measures are not taken, this species may be extinct in as little as 10 years (JNC 2010).In the Western Atlantic, this species has declined 99.6% from 1978 to 2003 (Baker et al. 2012).This species has been listed as Endangered in Canada (Devine et al. 2006).

useAndTrade:
Coryphaenoides rupestris is targeted in deep-water fisheries which operate below 400 meters, and is also taken as by-catch. Although it had previously been taken exclusively as by-catch, the fishery for C. rupestris developed in the 1980s, when it began to be explicitly targeted within the Northeastern Atlantic fishing zone (ICES 2010).


redListCategoryRationale:
Listed as Data Deficient as there is no information available on the distribution, population size, trends, life history and ecology. It inhabits deep waters and it can be accidentally caught in Madeira, but it is not commercially traded and there are no major threats to this species. Research should be conducted to establish the status of the species throughout its range.

range:
Coryphaenoides thelestomus is a deep benthopelagic species inhabiting the waters off Madeira and the Canaries, in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Up to the present it has not been recorded elsewhere. Its depth range is from 1,000 to 1,400 m (Maul 1951, Geistdoerfer 1986, Geistdoerfer 1990, Brito et al. 2002).

population:
There is no information available on the population size and trends of the species.

habitat:
This species inhabits the deep waters of the islands' rocky slopes, below 1,000 m depth, and it is probably carnivorous (Maul 1951, Geistdoerfer 1986). There is no information available on its reproduction.

threats:
There are no major threats to this species, although in Madeira it can be accidentally caught on the Black Scabbard fish longlines, which are set at 800-1,200 m depth.

conservationAction:
The species is not listed in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. It is not the target of any specific conservation measures, and it is unknown whether it occurs in protected areas. Research is needed on the population size, distribution, trends, life history and ecology.

useAndTrade:
Although it is edible, this species is not utilized.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) Listed as Least Concern as this deepwater species is not utilized and there are no major threats to the species. However, research should be conducted on its population size and trend.

range:
Coryphaenoides zaniophorus is distributed throughout the warm waters of the North Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, to off Chesapeake Bay in the west, and from Morocco to Angola in the east (Cohen et al. 1990). In Europe, it occurs off Madeira and the Canary Islands (Geistdoerfer 1986, Cohen et al. 1990, Brito et al. 2002). It is present at depths ranging from 400 to 2,375 m.

population:
There is no information available regarding the population size and trends of this species.

habitat:
Coryphaenoides zaniophorus is a benthopelagic species that has a depth range of 400-2,375 m (Cohen et al. 1990). Specimens off the Canary Islands were caught at around 1,350-1,400 m (Brito et al. 2002), and its maximum recorded length is 40 cm (TL). It feeds primarily on benthic organisms, especially gammarian amphipods and, to a lesser extent, lamellibranchs, copepods, polychaetes, ostracods, isopods, mysids, Natantia and echinoderms (Cohen et al. 1990).

conservationAction:
The species is not listed in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. There are no conservation measures in place for this species, and it is unknown whether it occurs in protected areas. Further research should be conducted on the population size and trend.

redListContributors:
Carpenter, K.E., Strongin, K. & Polidoro, B.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Listed as Data Deficient as there is no information on the population size, trends, ecology and threats to the species. Further research should be conducted to establish the status of the species throughout its range.

range:
Echinomacrurus mollis occurs along the east part of the mid-Atlantic Ridge, up to southern Iceland (Geistdoerfer 1986). Outside of European waters, it may also be found in the Western Indian Ocean. It occurs at depths ranging from 5,000 to 5,500 m.

population:
There is no information on the population size and trends of this species.

habitat:
This is a bentho- to bathypelagic species inhabiting abyssal depths, which feeds on bathybenthic small crustaceans and polychaetes. It attains over 40 cm TL, but there are no data available on its reproduction (Geistdoerfer 1986).

conservationAction:
The species is not listed in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. There are no conservation measures in place, and it is not known if it is found in any protected areas. Further research should be conducted on the population size, trends, ecology and threats to the species.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Listed as Data Deficient as there is no information on the population size and trends of this benthopelagic species, and further research is needed on its ecology and life history in order to establish its status throughout its range.

range:
The species is present in the Eastern Atlantic off Morocco and western Sahara (Cohen et al. 1990), and in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean in the Western Atlantic Ocean. In European waters, Gadomus arcuatus is found in the Cantabrian Sea, off the Azores and off the Canary Islands (Brito et al. 2002, Menezes et al. 2012, Bañon et al. 2013). It is found at depths ranging from 610 to 1,450 m.

habitat:
Gadomus arcuatus is a benthopelagic species, inhabiting continental slopes between 610 m and 1,450 m depth (Cohen et al. 1990, Bañon et al. 2013). Off the eastern islands of the Canaries, it was caught between 906 m and 1,365 m (Brito et al. 2002) and in the Aviléz Canyon (Cantabrian Sea) it was caught at 1,450 m (Bañon et al 2013). This is a medium-size species, reaching at least 60 cm TL (Geistdoerfer 1986). There is no information on its feeding habits and reproduction.

conservationAction:
It is not included on any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. There are no conservation measures in place for this species, and it is unknown whether it occurs in protected areas. Research is needed on the life history, ecology, population size, trends and distribution of the species.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Listed as Data Deficient as there is no information available on the population size and trend of this benthopelagic species, and further research should also be conducted on its ecology and life history.

range:
In European waters, Gadomus dispar is known from the Cantabrian Sea, off Portugal and the Canary Islands (Marques and Saldanha 1998, Brito et al. 2002, Sánchez et al. 2013). Elsewhere, it is found off Morocco and the Caribbean (Geistdoerfer 1986). It is found at depths ranging from 550 and 1,543 m.

habitat:
Gadomus dispar is a benthopelagic species that inhabits the slopes of continents and islands. It can attain at least 36 cm TL. It feeds on small planktonic crustaceans, but there is no information available on the reproduction of the species (Geistdoerfer 1986).

conservationAction:
The species is not listed on any national Red Lists or Red Data Books. It is not the target of any conservation measures, and it is unknown whether its distribution overlaps with protected areas. Research should be conducted on the population size, trends, ecology and life history.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC)Gadomus longifilis is a wide-spread species in the bathypelagic of the Atlantic Ocean. Although very little is known about the population status of this species, it is not utilized and there are no major threats. Therefore, G. longifilis it is listed as Least Concern.

range:
Gadomus longifilis is widely distributed throughout the Atlantic Ocean. In the eastern Atlantic, G. longifilis is distributed from Portugal and Spain south to Mauritania, with additional records from Gabon (Sobrino et al. 2012). In the Western Atlantic, G. longifilis is found off the east coast of Florida, Straits of Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea.  It is also reported off the Guianas.   This species is benthopelagic, most commonly living in depths between 400 and 1100 m (Cohen et al. 1990).

population:
There is very little information regarding the population status of this species.

habitat:
Gadomus longifilis is a marine, benthopelagic species that has a depth range of 630 to 2165m.  Maximum length is 30cm TL.  It feeds on small crustaceans.

threats:
This species is not utilized. There are no known threats.

redListAssessors:
Fernandes, P., Cook, R., Lorance, P., Florin, A., Nedreaas, K. & Nielsen, J.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: LC Hymenocephalus italicus is a common bathypelagic species in the Atlantic Ocean. Although it is taken as bycatch in trawl fisheries large numbers, it is not of significant interest to fisheries due to its small size. It is likely found in marine protected areas throughout its range. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Hymenocephalus italicus occurs throughout most of the tropical and temperate Atlantic Ocean, from Portugal to Angola, including the Mediterranean Sea, in the east and the Florida Straits to northern Brazil in the west, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea (Cohen et al. 1990). It is also found in the Indian Ocean, often under the synonym Hymenocephalus heterolepis, based on an examination by Marshall and Iwamoto (1973) as cited in Cohen et al. 1990. In south Sardinian waters, the depth range of H. italicus was 546-1202 m (Follesa et al. 2011). A similar depth distribution were found in the southern Ionian Sea, with abundances highest in the 300-500 m strata and lowest in the 700-900 m strata (Politou et al. 2008). In the Mediterranean Sea, this species occurs in the Catalan Sea (Massuti et al. 1995, Coll et al. 2006), Alboran sea and Algerian basin (Moranta et al. 2007), Tyrrhenian sea (Colloca et al. 2003), strait of Sicily (Gristina et al. 2006), Ionian Sea (D'Onghia et al. 2000, Madurell et al. 2004, Mytilineou et al. 2005, Madurell and Cartes 2006), Hellenic Seas (Papacontsantinou 1988),  Cretan sea (Kallianiotis et al. 2000) and Thracian sea and Thermaikos Gulf (Labropoulou and Papaconstantinou 2005).

population:
Hymenocephalus italicus is abundant in many places. Hymenocephalus italicus was sampled off the Catalonian coasts during two study periods (1988-1992 and 2007-2008) using trawls (Cartes et al. 2009). The estimated abundance of H. italicus declined by about 31% between the two sampling periods in the depth stratum where it was most abundant (600 to 750 m) from an average of 7.995 ind/ha during 1988-1992 to an average of 5.475 ind/ha during 2007 to 2008 (Cartes et al. 2009). During that same period, it declined by about 60% in the 750 to 950 m depth stratum from an average of 0.748 ind/ha to an average of 0.299 ind/ha (Cartes et al. 2009). According to Moranta et al. (2007), 650 specimens were collected with a research bottom trawl (710 hauls at depths between 27 and 795 m) carried out along the Iberian coast covering a distance of approximately 1,200 km (Alboran sea, Algerian basin and Balearic basin), during spring and for seven consecutive years (i.e., between 1994 and 2000). The average towing speed was 2.8 knots. The average horizontal and vertical openings were estimated on 16.4 and 2.8 m respectively. Their lengths ranged from 1 to 5 cm (PAL, pre-anal length). It was the least abundant of four macrourid species collected off the Iberian Peninsula, and there was no clear trend in abundance. According to Massuti et al. (1995), 1,001 specimens were obtained from 76 bottom trawls in the Catalan Sea at depths between 147 and 1290 m, using two different semi-balloon otter-trawls.  Madurell et al. (2004) mentioned that a total of 29 hauls were taken during four experimental trawl survey cruises on a seasonal basis (April 1999, July-August 1999, November 1999, and February 2000) in the Ionian Sea at two stations between 473 and 603 m depth, using an otter trawl equipped with a cod-end bag liner of 14 mm stretched mesh size. Eighty-nine specimens-per-hour were caught during spring, 619 during summer and 633 during winter. According to Gristina et al. (2006), 88 specimens were sampled during two trawl surveys (Autumn 1997, Autumn 1998) carried out in the strait of Sicily using an otter trawl with a 28 mm codend mesh opening. According to Mytilineou et al. (2005), this species was collected in the north-east Ionian Sea during four experimental surveys (Sept. 1999, Apr. 2000, Jul. 2000, Sept. 2000), by means of trawls of 40 mm stretched mesh size in the cod-end, with density of 321.5 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 300-500 m (44 hauls), 70.1 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 500-700 m (52 hauls) and 2.1 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 700-900 m (36 hauls). D'Onghia et al. (2000) mentioned that 6,351 specimens were sampled during eight seasonal trawl surveys from April 1996 to March 1998 in the north-west Ionian Sea (Roccella Ionica Bank). The depth range examined was between 250 and 750m. The surface of the study area was around 754 km2. During each survey 12 hauls of 3 h duration were carried out from dawn to dusk. The locations of the tows were generally the same for each survey. The final data set comprised 96 hauls for a total of 288 h sampling. A professional 75t gross tonnage motor powered vessel, with 360 hp engine and equipped with nylon otter trawl net, with stretched mesh of 40 mm in the cod-end, was hired. A cover with stretched mesh of 20 mm was employed on the cod-end to sample small specimens.

habitat:
This is a benthopelagic, non-migratory species. It is most common at depths less than 500 m (Cohen et al. 1990). In the Mediterranean Sea, it is usually found at depths between 100 to 800 m. This species exhibits diurnal changes in diet and feeding intensity, preying mainly on mobile suprabenthic prey (Madurell and Cartes 2006). It mainly feeds on pelagic copepods, to a lesser extent on euphausiids and gammarian amphipods, and to a minor extent on shrimps, ostracods, cumaceans and other small crustaceans and small fish (Cohen et al. 1990). This species reaches a maximum reported age of 9 years (Massuti, Morales-Nin and Stefanescu 1995).   In the Mediterranean, the maximum recorded size is 25 cm TL and the length at maturity is 8.1 cm TL (Tsikliras and Stergiou 2014).

threats:
Due to its small size, it is not of significant interest to fisheries (Cohen et al. 1990). There are no known species-specific threats.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for H. italicus. It is likely found in marine protected areas throughout its range. This species was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Due to its small size, it is not of significant interest to fisheries (Cohen et al. 1990).


taxonomicNotes:
The taxonomy of this species is not currently well understood.

range:
The distribution of this fish is the tropical Western Atlantic, off the coast of Morocco and Mauritania (Schwarzhans 2014). It is also found in the Indian and west Pacific Oceans. It is found at depths ranging from 160 to 345 m (Geistdoerfer 1986). In the European region the fish is known from Portugal (off the the Azores archipelago; off the Azores, in the Great Meteor Tablemount area (Pakhorukov 2008, Carneiro et al. 2014 and from the Canaries (Schwarzhans 2014).

population:
There is little species-specific population information available. Apparently scarce in the European region.

habitat:
A deep-water species found at depths ranging from 160 to 450 m. This species reaches a maximum size of 13 cm. This species has been seen in the vicinity of seamounts (Pakhorukov 2008).

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place of required.

useAndTrade:
There is no species-specific use and trade information available. A small, deep water fish, and unlikely to be found in fisheries.


redListCategoryRationale:
Kumba dentoni is a rare species which is only known from a single specimen taken in deep waters in the Bay of Biscay. It is listed as Data Deficient. More information is needed on this species distribution, population, habitat and impact of any major threats.

range:
Kumba dentoni is known from a single specimen collected from the Bay of Biscay in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. This specimen was collected at 1,207 m depth. (Iwamoto and Sazonov 1994).

population:
Nothing is known about the population trends of Kumba dentoni. This species is known from only one specimen collected in the Bay of Biscay (Iwamoto and Sazonov 1994).

habitat:
Kumba dentoni is a deep demersal species found in the Bay of Biscay. The only known specimen was 22.0 cm TL (Iwatomo and Sazonov 1994). 

threats:
There are no known threats to Kumba dentoni.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Macrourus berglax is a common benthopelagic species of the North Atlantic. As a relatively long-lived species (up to 25 years) with potentially low fecundity (between 8,000 and 61,000 eggs per female), M. berglax may be susceptible to overfishing. Although the population in Canadian waters of the northwest Atlantic was estimated to have declined by 99.7% between 1978-2003, but in the northeast Atlantic, landings appear to be increasing in at least some parts of its range, and this species may be increasingly targeted. However, landings may not have been reported correctly due to misidentifications. Macrourus berglax is therefore listed as Least Concern.   As this is a long-lived species, with a generation length of at least 15-16 years and is increasingly being targeted, there is a need for increased monitoring of this species population in the northeast Atlantic, especially given the drastic declines in the Northwest Atlantic. In particular, scientific survey data for the Greenland Halibut should be examined to determine the status of this species population in this area. Connectivity between populations in the northeast and northwestern portion of this species range is unknown.

range:
Macruorus berglax is distributed along the eastern and western North Atlantic in temperate to Arctic waters (Cohen et al. 1990). The highest abundances are typically found between 300-500 m, but it has been collected from about 100 to 1,000 m depth (Cohen et al. 1990). The distribution of this species extends southward to waters south of the Charlie–Gibbs Fracture Zone (52o N) on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Bergstad et al. 2013).

population:
Catch statistics for this species are not generally separated from that of the roundnose (or rock) grenadier, Coryphaenoides rupestris. Landings of grenadiers in the North Atlantic have shown a steady decline since the high in 1972 of more than 83,000 metric tons to 3587 metric tons in 1983 (Cohen et al. 1990). It is not known whether the decline is attributable to reduced stocks of the Coryphaenoides rupestris, Macrourus berglax or Trachyrincus scrabras (Cohen 1990). Discrepancies in landing data in 2009 and 2010 raised concerns about misreporting/mis-identification of these three Grenadiers.Landings from the Barents Sea by commercial longliners show a slight declining trend from 2001 to 2005 (Dolgov et al. 2008). From 1997 to present, Spanish Fleets were reporting landings of 3000 to 4000 tonnes a year, with these landings coming from the Northwest Atlantic. Only in recent years, are the Spanish landings reported from the Northeast Atlantic (P. Lorance pers. comm. 2013).From 1982 to 1991, catch landings reported from Norway increased rapidly, to a peak of more than 800 tonnes in 1991, as bycatch in the increasing trawl fishery for Greenland halibut. Since then, it has significantly declined, but this is likely due to regulation of the of the Greenland halibut, which may have affected this species as it was a by-catch species of the Greenland Halibut. However, regulations have since been lifted, but there has not been a corresponding increase in landings for this species. The reported catches decreased from an average level of about 400 t during 1986 to 1991 to about 50t in recent years. Scientific survey data collected during the Greenland halibut surveys needs to be analyzed for M. berglax, as it may provide fishery-independent information on the status of this species (K. Nedreaas pers. comm. 2013). Bergstad et al. (2014) have done this for the survey period 1997-2013. Due to the lack of comparable data from years prior to the mid-1990s, it is unknown how present abundance levels compare with historical levels or whether trends in abundance occurred prior to the survey period. The time-series of abundance and biomass estimates vary extensively, but without any apparent temporal trend. Size distributions comprised the entire size range, and the proportion of small fish (PAFL<15cm) varied and was comparatively high in some years (e.g. 2008 and 2009), suggesting some temporal variation in recruitment.Beginning in 1986, global FAO landings for Marcourus berglax were reported separately from the Northeast and Northwest Atlantic. Landings from the Northeast Atlantic for this species are consistently low, with less than 1000 metric tonnes (FAO 2011, FishStatJ accessed 2013 September).  Landings from the Northwest Atlantic increased to about 4000 metric tonnes in 1991, decreased to 1000 metric tonnes by 1996, and then increased in 2000 to a maximum of almost 9000 metric tonnes; afterwhich landings declined in  2001 and remained around 2000 metric tonnes through 2012 (FAO 2011, FishStatJ accessed 2013 September).

habitat:
Macrourus berglax is a benthopelagic species in the temperate to arctic North Atlantic (Cohen et al. 1990). It appears to be associated with the along-slope transition layer, where it is most abundant (Bergstad et al. 2013). This species was found to be most abundant in areas containing large gorgonians and/or antipatharians at shallow depths (200-400 meters), but in deeper waters (400-1000 meters) they were most abundant in areas containing soft corals (Edinger et al. 2007b.) Amphipods predominate in the diet, although polychaetes and various natant crustaceans are also important. Bivalves, isopods, echinoderms (notably ophiuroids), and ctenophores are important at times (Cohen et al. 1990). Age determination studies have shown a life span of at least 25 years (Cohen et al. 1990). Females mature at 42 cm, males at 53.7 cm, and the maximum size is likely greater than 100 cm (Cohen et al. 1990). The length and age at first maturity were estimated at 28.5 cm and 15.6 years, respectively, in females collected off of the Flemish cap between 1991 and 2001 (Murua 2003). Male M. berglax collected off of Greenland in October-December 1985 were up to 13 years old, while females were up to 20 years old (Savvatimsky 1994). A similar difference in age as a function of sex was found on the Flemish cap between 1991 and 2001, with males up to 16 years old and females up to 18 years old (Murua 2003). Spawning probably takes place between late winter and early summer, and may vary with regions. Some evidence suggests a prolonged reproductive period (Cohen et al. 1990). Yanulov (1962) counted 25,000 eggs in a female 70.5 cm long (cited in Cohen et al. 1990). Total fecundity ranged from 8,522 to 61,844 eggs for females collected off the Flemish cap between 1991 and 2001 (Murua 2003). In the Canadian waters of the Northwest Atlantic, generation length was estimated at 19 years (Devine et al. 2006).  In the Norwegian Red List, a generation length of 16 years was estimated.

threats:
This species was previously discarded in Norway, but is now considered a marketable species.  In 2010, the Spanish started a new target bottom fishery for this species in Division XIVb (ICES WGDEEP Report 2011). In other regions, this species is primarily taken as by-catch in fisheries targeting other species. It is not always distinguished from the commercially prized Coryphaenoides rupestris, which has experienced significant declines in biomass throughout its known range. M. berglax is also captured as bycatch in the deep-water Greenland halibut  fishery (Devine and Haedrich 2008), the redfish fishery (Devine et al. 2006) and the deep sea shrimp fishery. Fisheries on deep-water species, which are intrinsically vulnerable to exploitation, have developed rapidly and many have been depleted before appropriate management measures were designed/implemented. Additionally, landing statistics that are available may not reflect the scale of recent fishing activity, particularly in waters outside national exclusive economic zones (ICES 2010).

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation initiatives for Macrourus berglax.  In Norway, this species was listed as Least Concern, with a generation length of 16 years. The extensive reported bycatch fishery during late 1980's and early 1990's may have caused the species to be listed in a threatened category, but since no survey data exist prior to mid-1990's that are comparable with a stable (but variable) abundance index series afterwards, and nothing is known about discarding of M. berglax in other fisheries in recent years, the expert group decided to assess the species as LC for the time being.  During an assessment of M. berglax in the Northwestern Atlantic, generation time was estimated at 19 years via the formula: age at maturity + 1/mortality (Devine et al. 2006). They further estimated a decline in abundance of 99.7% over 3 generations (from 1978-2003) in the Canadian waters of the Northwest Atlantic (Devine et al. 2006). This species was designated as Endangered in 2008 by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (Environment Canada 2011).

useAndTrade:
In the Northeast Atlantic Fishing Zone, Macrourus berglax is predominantly taken as bycatch in trawl and longline fisheries targeting Greenland halibut in Subareas I and II but substantial catches have been reported in recent years from mixed trawl fisheries on the Hatton Bank. Since 2010, Spanish trawlers have reported significant landings of this species in subarea XIV (ICES 2010). Catch statistics for this species are not always separated from that of the roundnose (or rock) grenadier, Coryphaenoides rupestris, but the ICES WGDEEP report presents estimates of landings of M. berglax for 1990-2013 (ICES 2014).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Malacocephalus laevis is a widely distributed species in the bathydemersal of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Additional taxonomic work is required to determine if separate species in the Pacific and Indian Oceans are additional populations of M. laevis. However, little information is available regarding population status. Although it is regularly caught as bycatch, there are no known major threats to this species. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Malacocephalus laevis is widely distributed in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans (Cohen et al. 1990). In the western Atlantic. M. laevis is distributed from the Straits of Florida to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. In the eastern Atlantic, M. laevis is distributed from Iceland (Jonsson 1992), the Faroe Islands to South Africa (Cohen et al. 1990). Malacocephalus laevis is a benthopelagic species typically found on continental slopes in depths of 200 to 1000 m, but most common in about 300 to 700 m (Cohen et al. 1990).

population:
There is little information available regarding the population status of this species.

habitat:
Malacocephalus laevis is a marine, bathydemersal, non-migratory species that has a depth range of 200 to 1000 m, commonly 300 to 750 (Cohen et al. 1990, T. Iwamoto pers. comm. 2012).  Juveniles can attain sizes up to 20 cm prior to settlement (Tomio pers. comm. 2012).  Maximum length recorded is 60 cm (TL).

threats:
Malacocephalus laevis is of minor use to commercial fisheries. There are no known major threats. It appears to be a relatively minor component to the bycatch of roundnose grenadier (Coryphaenoides rupestris). An estimation by a French observer program from 2004 to 2006 found only 52 kg of Malacocephalus laevis discarded out of a total of more than 650,000 kg of discards (Lorance et al. 2008). There may be more bycatch and discard of this species in fisheries for demersal fisheries on the upper slope.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place. Further taxonomic research is needed (T. Iwamoto pers. comm. 2012).

useAndTrade:
Malacocephalus laevis is of minor use to commercial fisheries but is commonly taken as bycatch of bottom trawlers in  many areas. It may utilized mainly for fishmeal for aquaculture and poultry in some parts of its range. In the past, fishers in the North Atlantic were reported to have used the luminescent excretion from the ventral light organ to enhance baits used for cod fishing (Cohen et al. 1990).


taxonomicNotes:
Populations south of Mauritania may represent another species; further taxonomic research is warranted (T. Iwamoto pers. comm. 2012).

redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Nezumia aequalis is a common species in the bathypelagic of the Atlantic Ocean. It is of only minor commercial importance throughout its range and there are no major threats. It is regularly caught as bycatch and discarded in deepwater trawl fisheries. There is some evidence of localized population declines in parts of this species range, particularly off the Catalonian coast. However, elsewhere there have been increases in abundance, and there is no clear trend for the region. Nezumia aequalis is assessed as Least Concern. 

range:
Nezumia aequalis is widespread in the Atlantic Ocean. In the western Atlantic, it is present from the Davis straits to northern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea (Cohen et al. 1990).  In the eastern Atlantic, this species is present from Faroe Bank to northern Angola, including the Mediterranean Sea. However, populations south of Mauritania may represent another species (T. Iwamoto pers. comm. 2012). In the Mediterranean Sea, this species occurs along the whole Spanish coast from Catalan Sea (Massuti et al. 1995, Cartes and Carrasson 2004) but also in the Alboran sea and in the Algerian basin (Moranta et al. 2007). It is not known from the Adriatic Sea. It is present in the Hellenic Seas, except for the Aegean Sea (Papaconstantinou 1988).

population:
Nezumia aequalis is a common species in the Mediterranean Sea. Off the Catalonian coasts, estimated abundance of N. aequalis decreased in each of the three depth strata at which it was sampled by trawls between 1988 to 1992 and 2007 to 2008 (Cartes et al. 2009). In the 600 to 750 m and 750 to 950 m depth strata, abundance decreased by 86% and 80%, respectively, while in the 950 to 1100 m depth stratum, abundance decreased by 49% (Cartes et al. 2009). In a comparison between biomass estimated via trawl surveys of the Porcupine Seabight and adjacent abyssal plain during 1977 to 1989 and 2000 to 2002, N. aequalis showed a small decrease in biomass between 800 and 1400 m, but an increase in biomass between 1400 and 1650 m (Godbold et al. 2013).  According to Massuti et al. (1995), 995 specimens of Nezumia aequalis were obtained from 76 bottom trawls in the Catalan Sea at depths between 147 and 1290 m using two different semi-balloon otter-trawls.  Cartes and Carrasson (2004) mentioned that 22 specimens were collected with a bottom trawl, during a series of cruises performed in June, July and October 1987-1989 in the Catalano-Balearic basin between 862 and 2261 m depth.  According to Moranta et al. (2007), 14,353 specimens were collected with a research bottom trawl carried out down to 800 m depth along the Iberian coast covering a distance of approximately 1200 km (Alboran sea, Algerian basin and Balearic basin), during spring and for seven consecutive years (i.e., between 1994 and 2000), for a total of 710 hauls at depths between 27 and 795 m. The average towing speed was 2.8 knots. The average horizontal and vertical openings were estimated on 16.4 and 2.8 m. Lengths (PAL pre-anal length) varied from 0.5 to 8 cm. Nezumia aequalis showed a maximum of density and biomass on the upper slope (400 to 1050 m) in the northwest Mediterranean Sea (Fernandez-Arcaya et al. 2013).

habitat:
This is a benthopelagic, non-migratory species. In the Mediterranean Sea, this species is demersal and lives on muddy bottoms between 200 to 2320 m, more commonly 200 to 1000 m. Maximum length recorded is 36 cm (Geistdoerfer 1990), common to 25 cm. Maximum recorded age is 9 years (Massuti et al. 1995). It feeds on benthic as well as pelagic animals like mysids, amphipods, small shrimps, copepods, isopods, ostracods, and polychaete worms (Geistdoerfer 1986). In the Catalan Sea this species preys on benthopelagic resources such as copepods and suprabenthic peracarid crustaceans (Cartes and Carrasson 2004). In the Catalan Sea ripe females were found all year round (Massuti et al. 1995, Fernandez-Arcaya et al. 2013), with the peak number of spawning females occurring in the winter months (Fernandez-Arcaya et al. 2013). In the Eastern Central Atlantic, individuals larger than 30 cm have not been observed south of Mauritania (Iwamoto pers. comm. 2012). This species appears to be associated with Nematocarcinus shrimp.

threats:
This is a species with minor commercial importance, it is mainly used as fish meal and oil source. Its main catching method is trawls. In the Mediterranean Sea, it is rarely marketed. This species is caught as by-catch, and is present as less than 1% of the discard biomass. It is not utilized in the Eastern Central Atlantic.  There are no known threats within the region.

conservationAction:
Nezumia aequalis was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Regional Red List Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011). Currently there is a GFCM recommendation (GFCM/2005/1) forbidding trawl and dredge fishing below 1,000 m in the Mediterranean Sea. However, this species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution.

useAndTrade:
This is a species with minor commercial importance, it is mainly used as fish meal and oil source. In the Mediterranean Sea, it is rarely marketed. Estimated discards of N. aequalis via the French observer program suggested that 2.6 individuals per 4 hour haul were discarded (Allain et al. 2003).  It is not utilized in the Eastern Central Atlantic.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Listed as Data Deficient as this deep water benthopelagic species is only known from one specimen in Europe, and there is no information available on the taxonomy, population size, trend, ecology and habitats of the species. Further research is needed to establish the status of this species throughout its range.

range:
Nezumia longebarbata is a rare deep sea Macrourid known from off Madeira, the Gulf of Mexico and the East coast of the US, up to 39ºN (Geistdoerfer 1986, Iwamoto 2002). It is present at depths ranging from 1,400 to 1,700 m.

population:
There is no information on population size and trends of this species, as in Europe it is only known from one specimen.

habitat:
Nezumia longebarbata is a deep water benthopelagic fish, known in European waters from only one specimen (26.5 cm TL). There is no information on the life history and ecology of the species.

conservationAction:
The species is not listed in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. It is not the target of any conservation action, and it is unknown whether it is found in protected areas. Further research is needed on the taxonomy, population size, trend, habitats and ecology of the species.

useAndTrade:
The species is not traded or used commercially.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Nezumia sclerorhynchus is common and widespread in the northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. It occupies a wide depth range of 500 to 3,200 m. Although it is taken as bycatch in some fisheries, it is generally discarded. There are no known species-specific threats. This species is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Nezumia sclerorhynchus is present in the North Atlantic from the British Isles south to Liberia in the east and from Nova Scotia to Florida in the west (Cohen et al. 1990). In the Mediterranean Sea, this species occurs in the Hellenic Seas (Papaconstantinou 1988), Alboran Sea (Rannou 1976), Tyrrhenian Sea (Colloca et al. 2003), Cretan Sea (Kallianiotis et al. 2000), Levantine basin, and Ionian Sea (D'Onghia et al. 2000, Labropoulou and Papaconstantinou 2000, Madurell et al. 2004, Mytilienou et al. 2005). It is found at depths ranging from 130 to 3200 m.

population:
This species is widespread and common in the Mediterranean Sea, and can be easily confused with Nezumia aequalis. In south Sardinian waters, Nezumia sclerorhynchus was collected in trawl samples at depths of 591 to 1598 m between June 2003 and November 2006  (Follesa et al. 2011). It was present in 89% of the samples, and accounted for 1.88 and 0.32% of the abundance and biomass, respectively (Follesa et al. 2011). In trawls on the Rockall Trough during 1998 to 2004, N. sclerorhynchus was collected between 1000 and 1500 m (Neat et al. 2008). In the Ionian Sea, N. sclerorhynchus was collected between 300 and 900 m, with the highest abundances between 500 to 700 m (Politou et al. 2008). Labropoulou and Papaconstantinou (2000) mentioned that 3,948 individuals were collected during 12 experimental trawl surveys carried out monthly between December 1996 and November 1997 in Ionian Sea (Greece), with an otter trawl with a cod-end liner of 16 mm stretched mesh size, within a depth range from 350 to 1,000 m in a total of 76 stations. Higher mean abundances were gathered at 500 to 550 m depth (116 individuals/h). Size ranged from 0.8 to 6.0 cm. According to Madurell et al. (2004), a total of 29 hauls was taken during four experimental trawl survey cruises on a seasonal basis (April 1999, July-August 1999, November 1999 and February 2000) in the Ionian Sea at two stations between 473 and 603 m depth, using an otter trawl equipped with a cod-end bag liner of 14 mm stretched mesh size. During these cruises, 251 individuals/h were caught during spring, 696 during summer, 39 during autumn and 478 during winter. D'Onghia et al. (2000) mentioned that 9331 specimens were sampled during eight seasonal trawl surveys from April 1996 to March 1998 in the north-west Ionian Sea (Roccella Ionica Bank). The depth range examined was between 250 and 750 m. The surface of the study area was 754 km2. During each survey 12 hauls of 3 h duration were carried out from dawn to dusk. The locations of the tows were generally the same for each survey. The final data set comprised 96 hauls for a total of 288 h sampling. A professional 75 t gross tonnage motor powered vessel, with 360 hp engine and equipped with nylon otter trawl net, with stretched mesh of 40 mm in the cod-end, was hired. A cover with stretched mesh of 20 mm was employed on the cod-end to sample small specimens. The population was generally made up of small individuals the year round, and a maximum age was around nine years. According to Mytilineou et al. (2005), this species was collected in the north-east Ionian Sea during four experimental surveys (Sept. 1999, Apr. 2000, Jul. 2000, Sept. 2000), by means of trawls of 40 mm stretched mesh size in the cod-end, with density of 0.2 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 300 to 500 m (44 hauls), 46.5 individuals-per-haul in the depth range of 500 to 700 m (52 hauls), 35.1 individuals-per-hauls in the depth range of 700 to 900 m (36 hauls) and 18.5 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 900 to 1200 m (13 hauls).

habitat:
Nezumia sclerorhynchus is a bathypelagic, non-migratory species. It occurs between 500 to 3,200 m, but it is more abundant between 450 to 730 m in the open Atlantic and between 500 to 800 m in the Mediterranean Sea. In the Ionian Sea its abundance increased with depth and a seasonal pattern was shown in the depth distribution of juveniles (D'Onghia et al. 2000). This opportunistic species has a day-night change in the diet and in feeding intensity, preying mainly on mobile suprabenthic preys (Madurell and Cartes 2006) such as small crustaceans (copepods, amphipods, decapods, mysids, etc.) and polychaetes (Cohen et al. 1990). This species reproduces serially as a multi batch spawner. It appears to have a delayed reproduction.  However, continuous, aseasonal spawning can be assumed (D'Onghia et al .1999). The maximum length recorded is 36 cm (TL) (Geistdofer 1990), although it may be larger (Iwamoto pers. comm. 2012) and the length at maturity is 15.9 cm TL (Tsikliras and Stergiou 2014)

threats:
Within the assessment zone consisting of the northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black sea this a bycatch species which is typically discarded (Monteiro et al. 2001).

conservationAction:
Currently there is a GFCM recommendation (GFCM/2005/1) forbidding trawl and dredge fishing below 1,000 m. However, this species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). This species was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

redListAssessors:
Nielsen, J., Lorance, P., Fernandes, P., Cook, R., Florin, A. & Nedreaas, K.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) In Europe, this species is found in the Azores and Madeira. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
In Europe, this species is found in the Azores and Madeira (Santos et al. 1997, Carneiro et al. 2014). Globally, Odontomacrurus murrayi is widespread in the mid-waters of the eastern Atlantic from north of the Azores to South Africa. It is also found in the Indian Ocean and the southwest Pacific (G. Ralph pers. comm. 2015). This species is found at depths ranging from 300 to more than 2,000 m (Parin et al. 1993)

population:
There is little species-specific population information available. Odontomacrurus murrayi is represented by 41 lots in museum collections (FishNet2 database searched June 2014).

habitat:
This is a mesopelagic species which is found to depths of 3,000 m (Iwamoto et al. 2004).

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats to O. murrayi.

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for O. murrayi.

useAndTrade:
There is no species-specific use and trade information available for O. murrayi.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Listed as Data Deficient as this deep water species species is only known from a few specimens taken from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and one specimen from the Indian Ocean. Further research is needed on the distribution, population size and trend, ecology and major threats to the species.

range:
Paracetonurus flagellicauda is a little-known, deep water bathypelagic Macrourid found in the NE Atlantic Ocean at several locations along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge north of the Azores, off south Portugal, the Porcupine Seabight and Rockall Trough. One single specimen was caught at the Madagascar Plateau, Indian Ocean (Iwamoto and Orlov 2006). The fact that there is only one specimen from the Indian Ocean specimen suggests a considerable disjunction in population or may be evidence that the species ranges along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge into the South Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean (Iwamoto and Orlov 2006). The P. flagellicauda specimens from the MAR-ECO cruise in 2004 were collected from from 2,085-3,120 m depth (Iwamoto and Orlov 2006); the specimens taken previously from the Porcupine Seabight in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean were collected from 2,486-3,098 m depth (Merrett et al. 1991). According to Iwamoto and Orlov (2006) the depth distribution is likely approximately 2,000-3,000 m.

population:
There is little species-specific information available about the population trend of P. flagellicauda. This species may be continuously distributed along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and into the Indian Ocean, or there may be a semi-isolated population in the Indian Ocean (Iwatomo and Orlov 2006). It is only known from a few specimens taken near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and one in the Indian Ocean.

habitat:
Paracetonurus flagellicauda is a deep-demersal species which is primarily known from the North Atlantic Ocean. It is present on the lower slope.The maximum size of the specimens examined by Iwamoto and Orlov (2006) was 39.3 mm TL. That specimen and another of 33.5 mm (TL) were females with large gonads and well-developed oocytes (Iwamoto and Orlov 2006). There is no information available on its reproduction and feeding habits.

conservationAction:
The species is not listed in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. It is not the target of any conservation action, and it is unknown whether it is found in protected areas. Further research is needed on the population size, trend, habitats and ecology of the species.

redListAssessors:
Fernandes, P., Cook, R., Florin, A.-B., Lorance, P., Nielsen, J., Nedreaas, K. & Conceicao Biscoito, M.J.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) Listed as Least Concern as this deepwater species is moderately common and abundant within its natural range and there are no major threats affecting the species.

range:
Sphagemacrurus hirundo is endemic to the Eastern Atlantic (33oN to 14oN), where it is present most notably in Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde (Geistdoerfer 1990). It mostly inhabits depth ranges from 1,266 to 2,330 m (Geistdoerfer 1990).

population:
There are 11 records of this species in museums, all of which are in either Portugal or Spain (Fishnet 2012). This is known to be a moderately common and abundant species within its natural range (Bergstad et al. 2008). The population trend of this species is unknown.

habitat:
This is a benthydemersal species that lives in relatively deep waters (Geistdoerfer 1990). Its maximum length recorded is 21 cm (TL) (Reiner 1996).

conservationAction:
The species is not listed in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. It is not the target of any conservation action, and it is unknown whether it is found in protected areas. Further research is needed on the population size and trend of the species.

redListContributors:
Iwamoto, T., Strongin, K., Carpenter, K.E. & Polidoro, B.


range:
In Europe, this species occurs only in the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014). Globally, this species is broadly distributed throughout the Atlantic (off Gabon to the Gulf of Mexico), Indian, and Western Pacific Oceans (off Japan), specifically near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Sierra Leone and off Ascension Island. It is mostly found in water depths between 600-1,740 m (Hoese et. al 2006).

population:
There are at least 70 records of museum specimens of this species found in 49 countries throughout the world (accessed through www.FishNet2.net). There is no scientifically documented data concerning the specific population density or occurrence of this species. However, it is reported to be relatively abundant within its natural range.

habitat:
This species is known to inhabit midwater, as well as benthopelagic, levels (Cohen et al. 1990). It is often found close to seamounts and knolls (Stocks 2009). It is primarily a pelagic feeder, feeds primarily on pelagic copepods, but also takes mysids, shrimps, cephalopods, fish, polychaetes and gastropods (Cohen et. al 1990). The maximum length recorded is 35 cm (TL) (Geistdofer 1990).

threats:
This species holds no value for commercial exploitation and has no foreseen threats to its existence.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Trachonurus sulcatus is a wide-spread benthopelagic species in the species in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean; however, it is known only from southern Portugal to the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands in the assessment zone. There are no known widespread threats. Therefore, T. sulcatus is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Trachonurus sulcatus is distributed in the warm waters of the North Atlantic, particularly between 700 and 1500 m depth (Cohen et al. 1990). In the northeastern Atlantic, this species is known only from southern Portugal south to Madeira and the Canary Islands (Whitehead et al. 1986), including the Azores (Santos et al. 1997).

population:
Little is known about the population trends of Trachonurus sulcatus.

habitat:
Trachonurus sulcatus is a deep demersal species found in warm waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. Little is known of its ecology, but the maximum size is around 50 cm (Cohen et al. 1990).

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats to T. sulcatus.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation actions in place for this species.

useAndTrade:
Trachonurus sulcatus is taken as bycatch in the western Atlantic (Cohen et al. 1990); however it is not confirmed to be taken as bycatch within the assessment zone, where it appears to be rare.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA)     Trachonurus villosus is widely distributed in the Atlantic and Pacific. In the European region is it known from the Azores, Madeira, and maybe the southern coast of Portugal. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
Trachonurus villosus is widely distributed in the Atlantic and Pacific. In the European region is it known from the Azores, Madeira, and maybe the southern coast of Portugal.

population:
Trachonurus villosus appears to be uncommon (www.fishnet2.org, Accessed on 2 March 2015). There is limited information available on its population status and trends.

habitat:
Trachonurus villosus is a deep-water species found in depths between 514 - 1,590 m. There is limited information available on its life history characteristics.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: LC Trachyrincus murrayi is a widely distributed species in the benthopelagic of the Atlantic Ocean. Although it is not utilized, it can be a significant proportion of macrourid bycatch, however there are no indications of population impacts. Therefore, T. murrayi is assessed as Least Concern. 

range:
Trachyrincus murrayi is restricted to the North Atlantic Ocean. In the northwestern Atlantic, T. murrayi is found from Greenland south to Newfoundland. In the northeastern Atlantic, T. murrayi is known from Iceland, the Faroe bank and the Irish continental slope (Geistdoerfer 1986). It collected at depths ranging from 750 to 1750 m in the Rockall Trough from 1975 to 1978 (Gordan and Duncan 1985). Trachyrincus murrayi was collected at depths ranging from 1000 to 1900 m in the Porcupine Seabight (Merrett et al. 1991) and at depths ranging from 1250 to 1500 m in the Rockall Trough and Porcupine Seabight in the mid-1980s (Lorance et al. 2008, modified from Gordon and Bergstad 1992). In a comparison of data from nine trawling surveys, T. murrayi had location-specific depth distributions. In two of the four locations where T. murrayi was present (off Newfoundland and Iceland) it was present only in the middle slope region (750 to 1500 m).  However, in Rockall Trough and Porcupine Seabight, it was collected from middle and lower slopes and the upper, middle, and lower slopes, respectively (Haedrich and Merrett 1988).

population:
Little is known about the population trends of Trachyrincus murrayi. Trachyrincus murrayi can be a dominant bycatch species in the fishery for roundnose grenadier. Near Rockall Trough, T. murrary accounted for 2.3 and 2.8 % of the total discarded catch at depths of 1000–1299 and 1200–1399 m, respectively (Allain et al. 2003). These two species were the main macrourid species discarded in the French observer programme, possibly due to their dominance in the biomass of small macrourids (Lorance et al. 2008). Preliminary studies suggest that discarding rate of small grenadiers is 5 to 20 kg/hour when fishing at 1000–1500 m, but it is unknown what effect these discards have on the populations of small grenadiers. Scientific surveys have shown that populations are stable in the West of Scotland (Lorance et al. 2008).

habitat:
Trachyrincus murrayi is a benthopelagic species that is widely distributed around the Atlantic basin. Species in the genus Trachyrincus may grow to more than 85 cm (TL). It is typically found at depths of up to 1750 m.

threats:
Trachyrincus murrayi can be a dominant bycatch species in the fishery for roundnose grenadier (Allain et al. 2003) and is typically discarded (Lorance et al. 2008).

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation initiatives. Trachyrincus marrayi is likely to benefit from protections afforded to the commercially important C. rupestris.

useAndTrade:
Trachyrincus murrayi is taken as bycatch and is typically discarded (Cohen et al. 1990)


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Trachyrincus scabrus is common and widespread throughout the northeast Atlantic, found at depths ranging from 500 to 1700 m. This species is taken as bycatch in demersal trawl fisheries, and is used for fishmeal and for fish oil. There is little species-specific population information available. Trachyrincus scabrus is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Trachyrincus scabrus is present from the Irish slope to the Cape Verde Islands including the Mediterranean Sea (Iwamoto pers. comm. 2012). In the Mediterranean Sea, this species occurs in the Spanish and Moroccan Mediterranean Sea (L. Gil de Sola pers. obs. 2014), Catalan Sea (Coll et al. 2006), east Ionian Sea (Mytilineou et al. 2005), the Hellenic Seas (Papaconstantinouo 1988) and also in the Ligurian Sea (Relini et al. 1986). It is found at depths ranging from 300 to 1700 m.   .

population:
Trachyrincus scabrus has been described as common and abundant. The estimated depth-distribution and abundance of T. scabrus has changed over the last 30 years (Cartes et al. 2009). Depth-specific abundance estimates from trawling surveys off the Catalonia coast in 2007 to 2008 were compared to those in the same region in 1988 to 1992. The 600 to 750 m depth strata saw approximately 1% increase in abundance, from 3.616 ind/ha from 1988-1992 to 3.646 ind/ha from 2007-2008. However, in the two deeper strata (750 to 950 m and 950 to 1100 m), the abundance has declined substantially. In the 750 to 950 m depth strata, the abundance decreased by 95%, from 4.623 ind/ha to 0.228 ind/ha, and in the 950 to 1100 m depth strata the abundance decreased by 85%, from 4.460 ind/ha to 0.588 ind/ha (Cartes et al. 2009). In the central-western Mediterranean Sea, Trachyrincus scabrus was collected from 619 to 1202 m depth (Follesa et al. 2011). It was present in 38% of the tows, and accounted for 3.72% of the abundance and 6.72% of the biomass (Follesa et al. 2011). It was collected between 500 to 1250 m in the Rockall Trough in the mid-1980s (Lorance et al. 2008, modified from Gordon and Bergstad 1992). Adult T. scabrus were distributed between 900 and 1400 m, while the juveniles were typically shallower, between 300-800 m in Blanes canyon and the adjacent slope in 2003-2004 (Fernandez-Arcaya et al. 2012).

habitat:
Trachyrincus scabrus is a bathydemersal, non-migratory species occurring at depths ranging from 400 to 1,700 m on soft substrates. It feeds primarily on pelagic copepods but also takes mysids, shrimps, cephalopods, fish, polychaetes and gastropods (Cohen et al. 1990). The spawning season is in winter. The maximum size in the Mediterranean Sea is 50 cm.  The maximum age of Trachyrincus scabrus in the Ionian Sea was 10 years (Sion et al. 2012). The estimated size (AL, anal length) at maturity for females was 10 cm (20%), 11.8 cm (50%), and 13 cm (80%) (Fernandez-Arcaya et al. 2012).

threats:
This is a species with minor commercial interest. It is considered generally taken as bycatch, mainly caught with trawlers. It is mainly used for fishmeal and oil (Cohen et al. 1990). Trachyrincus scabrus is taken as bycatch in fisheries operating below 400 metres, or in slope fisheries for demersal fishes. Fisheries on deep-water species, which are intrinsically vulnerable to exploitation, have developed rapidly and many have been depleted before appropriate management measures were designed/implemented. Additionally, landing statistics that are available may not reflect the scale of recent fishing activity, particularly in waters outside national exclusive economic zones (ICES 2010).

conservationAction:
Currently there is a General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean recommendation (GFCM/2005/1) forbidding trawl and dredge fishing below 1,000 m. However, this species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution. There are no species-specific conservation measures in place. This species was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
This is a species with minor commercial interest. It is mainly used for fishmeal and oil (Cohen et al. 1990).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Melanonus zugmayeri is a circumglobal species found at depths ranging from 350 to 1500 m. This species is occasionally taken as bycatch. This species is found in deep waters, is not commercially utilized and has no known threats. It is rarely observed in eastern Atlantic waters. It is listed as Least Concern.

range:
Melanonus zugmayeri is circumglobal in both tropical and subtropical seas. Melanonus zugmayeri is a meso-bathypelagic fish that is found from the Rockall Trough (Clarke et al. 1999) and the Porcupine Seabight (Gordon et al. 1996) down to the Azores Islands (Santos et al. 1997, Carneiro et al. 2014) and a few specimens have been collected off Portugal and northwest Spain (Serrano et al. 2011, Carneiro et al. 2014). It has a depth range of 350 to 1500 m (Henriques et al. 2001).

population:
There is no population data on available on M. zugmayeri. There are 390 specimens of this species in museums around the world. There are no quantitative data available regarding the population of this species.

habitat:
This is a meso (Cohen 1990) and bathypelagic (Mundy 2005) species. It  is known to gravitate to seamounts and knolls (Stocks 2009). Maximum size is 29.4 cm TL (Henriques et al. 2001). This species is common to 26.6 (SL) (Cohen 1990 CLOFETA) .

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats. It is taken as bycatch in some fisheries (Melo and Menezes 2002). This species does not have any commercial value.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for this species, it may be present in marine protected areas that occur within its distribution.

useAndTrade:
Coryphaenoides mediterraneus is not a commercially fished species in Europe waters. This species is not utilized.

redListAssessors:
Fernandes, P., Cook, R., Florin, A., Lorance, P. & Herrera, J.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Lyconus brachycolus is a rare species in the bathydemersal of the Atlantic Ocean. After 20 years of surveys, this has never been caught in the Bay of Biscay and Celtic Sea. The distribution of this species appears to be disjunct, and the depth range is not well known. It is listed as Data Deficient

range:
Lyconus brachycolus is rarely captured, with only isolated references from the northwestern Atlantic (Canada), northeastern Atlantic (to the east of Ireland, southeast of Madeira, and the coast of Morocco), and in the southeastern Atlantic (Lloris et al. 2005). Deep-water trawling to the west of Scotland collected adult L. brachycolus from 1000 m trawls, but they were not present in shallower (500 m) or deeper (1500 and 1800 m) trawls (Neat et al. 2008).

population:
Lyconus brachycolus is considered rare. There is no species-specific information for population trends for L. brachycolus.

habitat:
Adults of Lyconus brachycolus are typically found over the continental shelf and sea mounts, while the juveniles are captured at a depth range from 150 to 700 m in the deep ocean (Lloris et al. 2005). The maximum known length is 52.5 cm (TL) (Lloris et al. 2005, Fock and Ehrich 2010). In 1982 to 83, the smallest L. brachycolus collected from the European continental shelf (250 to 3200 m deep) by trawling was 14.8 cm (Fock and Ehrich 2010).

threats:
There are no known threats to Lyconus brachycolus.

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation actions in place for Lyconus brachycolus, although its range may overlap with Marine Protected Areas (World Database on Protected Areas 2010).

useAndTrade:
There are no known fisheries for Lyconus brachycolus.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Merluccius merluccius is distributed in the eastern Atlantic from Norway and Iceland, south to Mauritania, and including the Mediterranean Sea. In the North east Atlantic, this species appears to be expanding its range, and is managed as two distinct stocks (northern and southern), trends in SSB are variable. Based on estimates of SSB for the Northern Stock, which is the larger of the two, over the last 5 years SSB has increased by a factor of 5. The southern stock is still slightly overfished, but SSB over the past 10 years has been increasing. Therefore, M. mercluccius is assessed as Least Concern.  Merluccius merluccius populations in the Mediterranean were previously assessed as Vulnerable due to declines in abundance which were attributed to high fishing pressure in the region. In the Med, there is no current evidence of reducing fishing or recovery of this species, and declines are likely greater than 30% over the past 20-40 years based on reported FAO landings in the Mediterranean. Fishing mortality is currently well above Fmsy for most stocks in the Mediterranean region, and this species is considered to be overfished throughout the Med region. No current estimates of biomass or SSB trends are available. Juveniles are also extensively fished in this region. Better data and management for this species is needed in the Mediterranean region.

range:
Merluccius merluccius is distributed in the east Atlantic from Norway and Iceland, south to Mauritania, and including the Mediterranean Sea (Svetovidov 1986). The distributional limit of this species in the Baltic Sea is the Kattegat (HELCOM  2013). It has been found in depths ranging from 30 to 1075 m (Lloris et al. 2005) but is most often found between 70 and 400 m (Muus et al. 1999).  Genetic testing indicates that a subspecies of M. merluccius may be forming in the southern extremity of this species range (Roldan et al. 1998).

population:
Population structure There are two stocks for this species, the northern and the southern. Based on estimates of SSB for the Northern Stock, which is the larger of the two, over the last 5 years, SSB has increased by a factor of 5. This species appears to be expanding its area (Paul Fernandes per comm., paper in review in 2013). The southern stock is still slightly overfished, but SSB over the past 10 years has been increasing (ICES Advice 2013).  There has recently been evidence of spawning in Kattegat, which may also indicate recolonization (HELCOM Fact Sheet). The Atlantic population structure appears to be more complex than previously suggested by the placement of stock boundaries by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). Analyses based on various models of microsatellite evolution all suggest that differentiation exists between Bay of Biscay and Portuguese samples, θ = 0.013 (P < 0.001), RST = 0.036 (P < 0.001) which are currently managed as one stock. By contrast, fixation indices indicated no differentiation between southern Bay of Biscay samples and Celtic Sea samples, θ = 0.003 (P = 0.02), φST = 0.007 (P = 0.10) which are managed as separate stocks. These results suggest that if the observed trends are stable through time, current management policy of European hake may need revision [Lundy et al. 1999]. This species shows certain genetic differences between the populations in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea.  Results of genetic testing identify the boundary between Atlantic and Mediterranean stocks more precisely in the Almeria- Oran front (AOF), instead of the Gibraltar Strait, as generally postulated by previous studies. This leads to the conclusion that the Alboran Sea is a zone of steep transition between Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea populations [Cimmaruta et al. 2005].  FAO landings statistics summary: Landings are reported from the following FAO fishing areas: Mediterranean, Eastern Central Atlantic, and Northeast Atlantic. The overall trend in landings is one of continuous, steady decline from the beginning of the time series (1950) to present (2011). Landings have declined approximately 30% over the this time series, from 131,600 (thousand?) tonnes in 1950 to 94,166 (thousand?) tonnes in 2011. In the past 10 years, global landings have increased from 57,194 tonnes in 2001 to 94166 in 2011. The global trend in landings is driven by landings in the Northeast Atlantic Fishing Area, which accounted for greater than 80% of total landings until the 1970s, and has accounted for 45-65% of total landings in the last 10 years. In the last 10 years, landings from this area have fluctuated, with a gradual increase from 33,731 tonnes reported in 2003 to 55407 tonnes reported in 2011. Spain and France reported the majority of landings originating from the Northeastern Atlantic. The Mediterranean Fishing Area accounts for the second largest proportion of total reported landings, and has accounted for between 40% and 20% of total landings in the last 10 years. The trend in Mediterranean landings is one of gradual increase to a peak of 48280 tonnes in 1995, followed by a gradual decrease of (38%) to 18425 tonnes in 2011. The trend in landings over the last 10 years is one of gradual decline (approximately 20% decline) with some fluctuation. Morocco accounts for the large majority of landings declared in the Mediterranean, followed by Spain. Population Information by region: NEA General Information- ICES assumes two different stock units, although there is no biological basis for this - a widely distributed northern stock, and a southern stock. There are two major nursery areas in the Bay of Biscay and off Southern Ireland. This species is widely distributed in the NEA; spawning stock biomass in the northern part of its range (from Kattegat down to the Bay of Biscay) has been increasing since 1998, and is estimated to be at a record high (ICES 2011). Baltic Sea: Hake has only recently been re-discovered in the Baltic Sea area. Spawning sites have been identified in the northern part of the Kattegat (Svensson 2010), and recruits and feeding adults are though to be found in deeper parts. The stock in the Kattegat is at the edge of the distributional limit in the Baltic Sea, and this species does not occur elsewhere in the Baltic Area. This species was assessed at Near Threatened in the HELCOM Region utilizing a criteria B1a+2a.  Hake in Division IIIa, Subareas IV, VI, and VI, and divisions VIIIa,b,d (Northern Stock) - Fcurrent < Fmsy; Spawning biomass has been increasing since 1998 and is estimated to be at a record high in 2013, the highest SSB since 1978 Although biomass reference points are undefined, qualitative evaluations indicate that biomass is well above possible reference points. Current Biomass is estimated at about 260k tonnes.  Hake in Bay of Biscay and Atlantic Iberian Waters (Divisions VIIIc and IXa) Southern stock Fcurrent > Fmsy; Fishing mortality has decreased in recent years, but is still well above Fmsy proxy. Most recruitment since 2005 have been above the mean of the time period from 1982-2011). Although SSB has been increasing since 1998, stock biomass has been below safe biological limits. Current biomass is estimated at 26.6k tonnes (SSB=35000 tonnes) since 1988. Hake in the Gulf of Cadiz: Hake in this region has been removed from the Southern Hake stock since 2003, due to differences in the length distribution of this area. LPUE has fluctuated from 1993 to 2006 (ICES WGHMM Report 2007). Summary: This species appears to be increasing in abundance in the NEA portion of its range. Other population information by region: Mediterranean This species is among the main target species of the demersal fisheries of the Mediterranean (Gucu and Bingel 2011). Stock Assessments: General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean All Assessed stocks are considered over-fished, growth over-fishing is a persistent issue, and recommendations for dramatic reductions in effort are unlikely to be met. In the 1970s, this species ranked 5th in relative abundance along the Catalonian coasts, accounting for roughly 1.1% of the cumulative composition of species. In the same region, from the 1980s to 2007, this species was not among the top 10 most abundant species (Cartes et al. 2013). Northern Alboran Sea: GSA01: 2012 Assessment: Observed increases in landings from 2003 to 2004, followed b y a stabilization in catches around 300t from 2005 - 2008, peaking in 2009 and gradually declining to 614t in 2011. Decreasing trend in the last year in recruits and spawning stock biomass, with stock estimated to be at about 3% of the maximum spawning stock biomass per recruit (to maintain stock at precautionary levels, must be at 39%) abundance is very low, and decreases over the entire time series. Stock is overfished.Balearic Islands: GSA05: 2012 Assessment: Targeted by commercial bottom trawlers on the deep shelf (80 - 250m) and upper slope (350-600 m). Stock is considered overfished [[go back and interpret the stats]]]]. Northern Spain: GSA06: 2012 Assessment: Landings are predominantly juveniles (age 0 and 1 individuals) living on the continental shelf. Decreasing trend in landings and total biomass, with SSB representing 13% of total biomass. Decline in recruitment from 1999 onwards; Stock expected to increase with decreases in Fishing Mortality (F). Stock is overfished. Fishery based on year 0-1 individuals.Gulf of Lions: GSA07: 2012 Assessment: In past 10 years, fishing capacity of trawlers has declined (30%) due to large decline of small pelagics in the area, remaining fleet targets demersals as a result. Average size at trawl capture: 21cm; Gillneters capture 39 cm individuals, while longliners capture individuals averaging 52cm. Heavy growth over exploitation due to exploiting of juvenile fishes by trawl fishery. Stock at very low level of abundance. Since 2007, recruitment has reached lowest level of the historical series (1998 - 2011). Stock overfished.Strait of Sicily/North of Tunisia: GSA12, 13, 14, 15, 16: Length of catches range between 8 and 66 cm TL, average 20 cm TL. Stock abundance is low, stock is overfished, and is characterized by growth overexploitation. To reach F0.1, a reduction in effort of 80% is recommended Southern Adriatic: GSA18: 2012 Assessment: Lm50%= 33.4 cm ± 0.15 cm. Catches and mortality dominated by trawl fishing system; Observed increase in recruitment. Stock overfished, attributed to overexploitation of juveniles.Ligurian and North Tyrrhenian Sea: GSA09: 2011 Assessment: Catch is primarily juveniles; current F 6X higher than the limit and target reference point F. Decrease in relative SSB, with lowest values in recent years (2009-2010). Low recruitment.Levant Sea extirpation In the Levant Sea, the first signs of over-exploitation of this species were detected during the 1950s (Aasen and Akyüz, 1956; Akyüz, 1957), before it became an explicitly targeted species in the region. During the mid-1980s, M. merluccius gained commercial importance. Due to augmentation of fishing effort and explicit targeting of M. merluccius, landings continued to increase in the Levant Sea until 1998 which marked a dramatic and un-reversed decline in landings. Total Biomass indices, estimated based on basin-wide survey, peaked at 45 tonnes per km-2 in 1984. In 2007-2010, BI-total for the Levant sea was estimated at 0.28. A combination of factors including over-exploitation, variability in penetration of Atlantic waters into the Mediterranean, and the impact of exotic species (the Erythrean lizardfish Saurita undosquamis) has been evoked to explain the disappearance of M. merluccius from the Levant Sea (Gucu and Bingel 2010).

habitat:
Habitat and Ecology  This is a demersal species, that is found usually between 70 and 370 m depth. In the Mediterranean Sea, it has been found from 30 to 1,000 m. In the Ligurian Sea the species was caught starting from 18 m depth (Relini et al. 1986). It lives close to the bottom during the day, but moves off-bottom at night. Adults feed mainly on fishes (small hakes, anchovies, pilchard, herrings, cod fishes, sardines and gadoid species) and squids. The young feed on crustaceans (especially euphausiids and amphipods). Currents, such as the Poleward Current in the Gulf of Biscay (Sanchez and Gil 2000) and the East Corsica current in the Lingurian Sea (Abella et al. 2008) determine the major nursery grounds of M. merluccius by producing meso-scale eddies which retain larvae and favor the feeding behavior of recruits (Gucu and Bingel 2011). High-productivity areas are important nursery grounds for hake throughout its range (Gucu and Bingel 2011). Life History and Reproduction Maximum length recorded is 140 (TL) for males and 100 for females (Cohen et al. 1990).  Maximum age is 20 years (Muus and Nielsen 1999).  Size at maturity is between 26 and 27 cm for the males and 26 and 40 cm for the females (Golani et al. 2006). In the Tyrrhenian sea, size at maturity is 35 cm for the females (Sbrana et al. 2007). Bouaziz (2002) found the size at maturity to be females = 30.6 cm, males = 21.3 cm. Generation length is estimated at around 3 to 3.5 years, depending on the area (Bouaziz et al.1992). In the Mediterranean, the maximum recorded size is 91 cm TL and the length at maturity for females ranges from 26.5 cm to 42.5 cm TL and for males ranges from 21.0 cm to 29.5 cm TL (Tsikliras and Stergiou 2014).  Adult fish of these species are mainly demersal, usually inhabiting depths between 70 and 370 m. Age of first maturity is reached during the seventh year for most females (57 cm) and during the fifth year for males (40 cm) for the Atlantic population. Their main spawning grounds are in the southern portion of their range in the Bay of Biscay, mainly in the canyons and rocky bottoms of the shelf break area [Casey and Pererio 1995]. Spawning generally occurs between April and December, with a peak between February and March [Sanchez and Gil 1999]. Maximum egg abundance occurs around 200m. [Valdes et al. 1996]. The fecundity is reported as 2 to 7 million eggs per female [FishBase].  Depending on the direction of the sea current, the larva are either deposited in the nursery areas of the Bay of Biscay or swept further out to sea [Sanchez and Gil 1999]. The deposition of larvae in nursery areas has a high correlation with successful recruitment of the species [Sanchez and Gil 1999].  In two month's time, the eggs metamorphose into juveniles. During their juvenile phase, these fish demonstrate vertical migration, preferring the muddy bottoms during the day and feeding at shallower depths at night. Adults also leave the bottom at night but do not migrate nearly as close to the surface as juveniles [Sanchez and Gil 1999].  Adults feed mainly on fish (small hakes, anchovies, pilchard, herrings, cod fishes, sardines and gadoid species) and squids. The young feed on crustaceans (especially euphausiids and amphipods) [FishBase].                                             The number of migrants between the Bay of Biscay and the Celtic Sea calculated with the IAM was 62 individuals and with the SMM was 34 individuals. In addition, at least one locus revealed significantly different genotype distributions (Lundy et al. 1999). These results suggest that migration between these fishing grounds is restricted and therefore relevant to fisheries management. However, until the temporal stability of this limited rate of migration between stocks from the southern Bay of Biscay and the Celtic Sea can be genetically demonstrated, caution should be taken in the management of these areas (Lundy et al. 1999).A generation length of 11.3 years was estimated for this species by the HELCOM Red listing Project.·      

threats:
This is a species with high commercial importance in the Mediterranean. There is evidence to support that this species is over-exploited and that over-fishing is a major threat to the populations.  The main fishing methods used catch this fish are trawls, fixed nets and seines. Bottom longline and set-net fisheries are targeting adults of this species in some areas (not in Turkish waters at present). Details of this fishing effort are only rarely available.  The European hake is the most important demersal species in western European continental shelf fisheries [Casey & Pereiro 1995]. For this reason it has been extensively studied, but some uncertainty still remains concerning both the population structure and the state of the stocks. Indeed, recent molecular studies have shown that the spatial pattern of hake populations is more complex than previously thought, with possible roles for ecological and oceanographic factors in temporal variation of population genetic composition in the Bay of Biscay (Lundy et al. 1999). Moreover, hake stocks are generally considered over-exploited [Alheit & Pitcher 1995]. In 1955. over 160000 tonnes were harvested; more recently, in 2000, approximately 60000 tonnes were harvested, but in 2009 and 2010, nearly 100000 tonnes were hauled in each year and sold on the market [FAO Fishery Statistics]. According to the annual harvesting of this species, the species may seem to be relatively abundant. However, signs of overfishing could be dramatically reducing its numbers [FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department]. The number of migrants between the Bay of Biscay and the Celtic Sea calculated with the IAM was 62 individuals and with the SMM was 34 individuals. In addition, at least one locus revealed significantly different genotype distributions [Lundy et al. 1999]. These results suggest that migration between these fishing grounds is restricted and therefore relevant to fisheries management. However, until the temporal stability of this limited rate of migration between stocks from the southern Bay of Biscay and the Celtic Sea can be genetically demonstrated, caution should be taken in the management of these areas [Lundy et al. 1999]. Furthermore, high dispersive capabilities of a marine organism do not necessarily translate into high levels of realized gene flow. Population structure often does exist in such species [Palumbi 1994] and in these cases the evolutionary and ecological processes responsible nearly always have direct relevance to any management plans for exploited species involved [Avise 1998]. By identifying genetically meaningful units, the management of economically important marine species can be improved by targeting individual units, or stocks with definable levels of recruitment and mortality [Lundy et al. 1999].

conservationAction:
This species has undergone regional Red List Assessment in the Mediterranean (VU) (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011), the Baltic Sea (NT), and the ECA (LC). This species is widely distributed in the Northeast Atlantic. The distributional limit in the Baltic Sea is the Kattegat - there is no specific management plan for this stock (HELCOM 2013 RedList Assessment). Merluccius merluccius is a priority species for the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). It is regulated through fishing effort controls, selectivity, fishing closures, minimum landing size, etc. in the GSAs. There are also some national regulations regarding minimum landing size (e.g., in Turkey, minimum landing size is 25 cm, in Morocco minimum size is 20 cm) and an EC regulation for minimum landing size of 20 cm. It occurs in some marine protected areas. Recommendations for this species are: implementation of GFCM recommendations (fishing effort controls, selectivity, fishing closures, minimum landing size, etc.) and improved enforcement of fishing controls in the Mediterranean Sea.

useAndTrade:
This is a species with high commercial importance in the Mediterranean. It is used fresh, dried or salted and frozen (Frimodt 1995).

redListContributors:
Di Natale, A., Molinari, A., Öztúrk, B., Srour, A. & Pollard, D.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Antimora rostrata is a globally distributed deepwater species that is occasionally caught in trawls as bycatch. It is common and abundant within the assessment region. It is taken as bycatch, however the extent to which this impacts the population is unknown. This species is likely found in marine protected areas throughout its range. Antimora rostrata is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Antimora rostrata is a globally-distributed species. In the eastern Atlantic, this species is found around the coast of Greenland to the Denmark Strait to Iceland and southwards along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to the Azores. The northerly distribution limits of A. rostrata in the northeast Atlantic north of the Denmark Strait, Iceland, Faroe Islands and the British Isles remains somewhat uncertain; it is worth noting that this species has not been observed along the eastern Norwegian Sea slope (Fossen and Bergstad 2006). It is common southwards to the Bay of Biscay, and there are single records from the slope off northern Morocco (Cohen 1986, Haedrich and Merrett 1988). This species is found at depths ranging 402 to 2904 metres.

population:
Antimora rostrata is probably one of the most abundant fishes frequenting abyssal depths in the world's oceans (Iwamoto 1975). Females predominate in catches: large males are uncommon (Iwamoto 1975). In depths between 1000 and 1500 m at Greenland the proportion of females increased to 55.6% (n = 692). In trawl hauls from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge similar numbers were 70.5% at depths between 1000 and 2000 m (n = 342) and 98.8% at depths exceeding 2000 m (n = 181) (Fossen and Bergstad 2006). Within its peak depth range (1200–2700 m) A. rostrata is among the most numerically dominant species (Fossen and Bergstad 2006).

habitat:
Antimora rostrata is a benthopelagic species, feeding on free-living macrofauna. This species is most abundant at depths ranging from 1300 and 2500 metres (Iwamoto 1975, Fossen and Bergstad 2006). It is more abundant in the western north Atlantic than in the eastern North Atlantic. Males are smaller in average size than females – an examination of specimens showed that none of the males exceeded 322 mm in length (Iwamoto 1975). There is a skewed sex-depth relationship, with a larger percentage of the catch in shallower water being male. The middle Atlantic continental slope may serve as a feeding habitat for this species (Wenner and Musick 2011). This species forms aggregations. The absence of this species from semi-enclosed basins has been attributed to shallow sill depths and/or incompatible temperature. This species has a preference for waters of 1.5 to 4.5C (Iwamoto 1975). Counts of annuli indicate a maximum age of 25 years, with females appearing to live longer (Fossen and Bergstad 2006). This species is likely a generalist feeder, as suggested by the weak and unmodified dentition and large mouth. The flat, pointed, spadelike snout may aid in rooting out organisms, however rooting is not the primary mode of feeding. Length at first sexual maturity in A. rostrata is 41 to 43 cm (Fossen and Bergstad 2006). This species sizes of over 65 cm TL. At this size, it is likely to be near the top of the food chain. Individuals less than 50 to 60 mm TL are pelagic.The proportion of females differs by depth. Trawl data from Greenland indicated the overall proportion of females was 42.7% in stations shallower than 1000 m. At greater depths (1000-1500 meters) the proportion of females increased to 55.6%. In all other waters along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, proportions of 70.6% at depths of 1000 to 2000 m, and 98.9% at depths exceeding 2000 m.An overall increase in average size with depth occurs with A. rostrata (Fossen and Bergstad 2006). However, as it matures in size and age, it tends to move off the coast and spawn in the deeper parts of its range (Paulin 1995). This species is known to feed on benthic invertebrates (Paulin 1995). Maximum size recorded is 42.75 cm (SL).

threats:
Antimora rostrata is not utilized. There are no known threats to this species. Species in the family Moridae are often misidentified as Mora moro. This species can be caught as bycatch in trawls.

conservationAction:
Landings of M. mora are often combined with other species of Moriidae (ICES WGDEEP 2011). There are no known conservation measures in place for this species. This species is likely found in marine protected areas throughout its range (World Database on Protected Areas 2010).

useAndTrade:
This species is abundant in certain areas, but supports no commercial fisheries (Iwamoto 1975).

redListAssessors:
Nielsen, J., Florin, A., Fernandes, P., Lorance, P. & Cook, R.


taxonomicNotes:
Although there have been concerns as to the taxonomic status of Eretmophorus kleinenbergi (Cohen 1986), it is currently considered a valid species (Eschmeyer 2014).

redListCategoryRationale:
Eretmophorus kleinenbergi is thought to be endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, where is it widely distributed but rare. Although the taxonomic status of E. kleinenbergi is uncertain, it is considered a valid species. Little is known about population size, trends, range or ecology for this deep-water species. However, there are no known threats to this species, or its deep-water habitat; therefore, Eretmophorus kleinenbergi is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Within the Mediterranean Sea, Eretmophorus kleinenbergi occurs in the Ligurian Sea (Ariola 1904), Tyrrhenian Sea (Mazzarelli 1917) and the Strait of Messina (Giglioli 1889, reviewed in Battaglia et al. 2012). Most specimens have been captured in the central Mediterranean, but a few have been found in the western part of the sea, specifically the Catalan Sea of Gibraltar (Lloris et al. 1994). It possibly also occurs in the north subtropical Atlantic, as evident from one captured specimen (Howe 1991), but is generally considered an endemic species of the Mediterranean Sea.

population:
Population size and trends are unknown for this species. It appears to be widespread throughout most of the Mediterranean Sea.

habitat:
This is a epipelagic species (Lloris et al. 1994) that feeds on zooplankton and other planktonic invertebrates. Lloris et al. (1994) captured this species at depths of 930 to 1,151 m.

threats:
This is a species with no commercial interest and is not thought to have any threats.

conservationAction:
There is no information available on specific conservation measures for this species. However, this species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). Research is needed into its taxonomy, life history traits and any possible threats. It was previously assessed as Data Deficient, globally and in the Mediterranean (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).


taxonomicNotes:
Gadella maraldi is quite often misidentified as G. imberbis in tropical waters where G. maraldi probably does not occur (Iwamoto in press).

redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) This species is widespread the eastern Atlantic, and is found at depths ranging from 150 to 748 m. It is not commercially targeted, and when taken as bycatch in demersal trawlers it appears to be principally discarded. There are no species-specific protection measures in place for G. maraldi, however it is likely to be found in marine protected areas throughout its range. It is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Gadella maraldi is found in the eastern Atlantic from off Portugal, Madeira, the Azores, off western Ireland and the Great Meteor Bank. It is also found throughout much of the Mediterranean Sea, including the central Tyrrhenian Sea (IREPA 2003), east Ionian Sea (Mytilineou et al. 2005), Hellenic Seas (Papaconstantiou 1988). Its southern distribution along the west coast of Africa is not clear. It is found at depths ranging from 150 to 748 metres.

population:
Gadella maraldi was taken in groundfish surveys in the North of Spain and Portugal, but not in the Celtic Sea/ Bay of Biscay or in the Gulf of Cadiz (ICES 2005). In the Mediterranean Sea, this species is not commonly caught. Mytilineou et al. (2005) mentioned that this species was collected in the northeast Ionian Sea during four experimental survey (Sept. 1999, Apr. 2000, Jul. 2000, Sept. 2000), by means of trawls of 40 mm stretched mesh size in the cod-end, with density of 0.1 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 300 to 500 m (44 hauls), 0.1 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 500 to 700 m (52 hauls) and 0.1 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 700 to 900 m (36 hauls).

habitat:
Gadella maraldi is a benthopelagic species that occurs on the upper slope, over hard bottoms (Cohen 1986, 1990). Depth range from 150 to 700 m (Cohen et al. 1990) and from 368 to 748 m in the east Ionian Sea (Mytilineou et al. 2005). It is possibly a spring spawner with pelagic larvae (Cohen 1986). The fish reach sexual maturity at about 15 cm and spawning takes place in the spring (Iwamoto in press). Maximum length recorded is 30 cm TL (Cohen et al. 1990).

threats:
Gadella maraldi is not a targeted species. When taken as bycatch of demersal trawl fisheries is it discarded (Borges et al. 2003). Species in the family Moridae are often misidentified as Mora moro.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures for this species. The southern distribution of this species along the west coast of Africa is unclear and warrants investigation. Landings of M. mora are often combined with other species of Moriidae (ICES WGDEEP 2011). This species is likely found in marine protected areas (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). This species was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

redListAssessors:
Nielsen, J., Cook, R., Florin, A., Lorance, P. & Fernandes, P.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Guttigadus latifrons is a widespread deep-water species found to depths of at least 1900 m. It appears to be relatively rare within the assessment region consisting of the northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea. However, in areas with live deep-water coral cover, this species was the 5th most abundant species observed. It is inferred that this species may be dependent on live deep-water coral habitat for part or all of its lifecycle, and is likely to benefit from the protection of these areas. There are no known threats to this species. It is listed as Least Concern.

range:
Guttigadus latifrons is present in the eastern and western Atlantic and western Indian Ocean. In the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, G. latifrons is distributed from Iceland and the British Isles south to the Mediterranean, where it is known from the Tyrrhenian Sea (Meléndez and Markle 1997). It is also recorded from the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014). It is found on the continental slope at depths of 770 to 1900 m.

population:
The abundance and behavior of fishes on and around coral reefs at Twin Mounds and Giant Mounds ( depth of 600 to 1100 metres) was studied off the Coast of Ireland. Stands of live coral provided the only habitat in which G. latifrons was observed. This species accounted for 1.87% of all observed fishes at Twin mounds, and ranked 5th in abundance (Söffker et al. 2011).

habitat:
Guttigadus latifrons is a bathydemersal species which inhabits the continental slope. This species and G. globosus appear to be allopatric sister species, and are the deepest-living members of the genus Guttigadus. This species is found at depths ranging from 770 to 1875 metres. The largest examined specimens were 105 to 121 mm SL (Meléndez and Markle 1997). The abundance and behavior of fishes on and around coral reefs at Twin Mounds and Giant Mounds (600 to 1100 metres) was studied off the Coast of Ireland in 2011. Stands of live coral provided the only habitat in which Guttigadus latifrons was observed (Söffker et al. 2011).

threats:
Guttigadus latifrons may be dependent on life deep-water coral habitat (Söffker et al. 2011). There is no known fishery for this species, although it may occasionally be caught in mixed-catch fisheries.

conservationAction:
There is no information about conservation measures in the Mediterranean Sea. However, this species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution (World Database on Protected Areas 2010).  This species was assessed as Data Deficient in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

redListAssessors:
Nedreaas, K., Florin, A., Fernandes, P., Lorance, P. & Cook, R.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Halargyreus johnsonii is circumglobally distributed, with an anti-tropical distribution in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is found at depths ranging from 450 to 3000 m over both hard and soft substrates, and has been associated with seamounts. There is little species-specific population information available. This species is taken as bycatch in mixed demersal trawl fisheries which operate within its depth distribution, however there are no indications that this is affecting the population. Halargyreus johnsonii is listed as Least Concern.

range:
Halargyreus johnsonii is circumglobally distributed, with an anti-tropical distribution in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Cohen et al. 1990).  There are spotty records from the subarctic and subantarctic to temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  In the northeastern Atlantic, this species is known only from continental slope along the west of the British Isles, France and Iberia, Iceland, and Madeira.  It is found at depths of about 450 to 3000 metres (Cohen et al. 1990, Smith et al. 2011).

population:
Using the CO1 DNA barcoding gene, Smith et al. 2011 detected high levels of sequence divergence between specimens from New Zealand/Tasmania and elsewhere. Other studies comparing the North Atlantic and Australasian individuals found no divergence among five specimens of H. johnsonii from the Southern Ocean and North Atlantic Ocean (Ward et al. 2008). Harlagyreus johnsonii was a dominant species taken semi-balloon trawls operating at 500 mtres at Rockall Trough in 1983, accounting for 22.9% of the total catch (Gordon and Bergstad 1992). Although it occurred at depths ranging from 500 to 1250 metres, it was found to be most concentrated at depths of 750 to 1000 metres at Rockall Trough (Mauchline and Gordon 1984).

habitat:
Halargyreus johnsonii is a benthopelagic species found on the continental slope at about 450 to 3000 m (Cohen et al. 1990). It feeds primarily on crustaceans, although a few fragments of chaetognaths and fish occur. Smaller individuals consume aetideid calanoid copepods, small mysids, and decapods. Larger individuals feed largely on Euchaeta norvegica. The largest observed individual during a 1983 study at Rockall Trough was 26.6 cm TL (Mauchline and Gordon 1984). This species is distributed on the upper and mid slope. Halargyreus johnsonii was relatively abundant in 750 m bathymetric zone between September and November, but was virtually absent from catches between January and April. Due to the relative absence of mature individuals sampled at Rockall Trough, it was hypothesized that that spawning stocks existed in areas other than Rockall Trough, or in the pelagic zone. This species may live to at least 7 years (Gordan and Duncan 1985).This species reaches a maximum size of 56 cm SL (Paulin 1983). It has been found in association with seamounts (Clark et al. 2010).

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats to H. johnsonii. It is taken as bycatch in deepwater demersal trawls. Landings of M. mora are often combined with other species of Moriidae (ICES WGDEEP 2011).

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for this species.

useAndTrade:
There is no use and trade information for this species.

redListAssessors:
Fernandes, P., Florin, A., Lorance, P., Nielsen, J. & Cook, R.


range:
The fish can be found between 336 and 1,200 metres deep in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.  In the European region the fish is known from Portugal (the Azores archipelago and Madeira; Carneiro et al. 2014), and from Spain (the Canaries; González 2008).

population:
There is little known about this species population.

habitat:
The largest recorded size was 35 cm standard length. This species can be found in bathypelagic waters around oceanic islands and seamounts. Reproductive activity has been witnessed during July (González et al. 2008). Species in this family eat bottom invertebrates, swimming crustaceans, small cephalopods, and small.

threats:
This fish is caught on longlines and as by-catch in deep sea crab traps. Not currently considered a threat.

useAndTrade:
This species is caught on longlines and sold fresh in fish markets. It is thought that this species will become more interesting for commercial fishermen due to its flesh quality and size. It is also caught as by-catch in deep-sea crab trap fisheries (González et al 2008).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) In the European region, the fish is known from the Azores archipelago and Madeira. It is not targeted in fisheries, is found in deep waters, and is considered Least Concern.

range:
The fish is distributed in the East Atlantic, along the Great Meteor Bank and from Western Sahara to Senegal. It is a bathydemersal fish usually inhabiting the water depths between 220-550 m (Meléndez and Markle 1997). In the European region the fish is known from Portugal; specifically, it is known from the Great Meteor Tablemount, south of the Azores archipelago, and off Madeira (Cohen 1990, Carneiro et al. 2014).

population:
In samples collected to calculate the bootstrap CPUE of various species in the water column, L. yarrellii was found to have a b-CPUE of 0.118 % of occurrence  in 1970. In 1998, its b-CPUE was found to be 0.108% and its frequency at 36 (Fock et al. 2002).

habitat:
Maximum length recorded is 18 cm SL (Cohen 1990). Adult individuals are known to eat shrimp in the Great Meteor Bank Area (Cohen 1990). They usually reside on the outer shelf and upper slope (Cohen 1990).

threats:
This species of fish is of no commercial interest. It is occasionally caught as bycatch by bottom trawlers.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place or needed.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) The distribution of Lepidion eques extends northwards from the Bay of Biscay (west of the British Isles), along the Iceland-Faroe Ridge to northern Labrador and the Grand Banks. It is found at depths ranging from 127 to 1180 m. It appears to be associated with deep-water coral reefs, but may also be found in other habitats. It is taken as bycatch throughout its range but appears to be typically discarded. There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for L. eques, however it is likely protected in parts of its range. This species is assessed as Least Concern

range:
The distribution of Lepidion eques extends northwards from the Bay of Biscay, west of the British Isles, along the Iceland-Faroe Ridge to northern Labrador and the Grand Banks (Templeman 1970, Magnusson 2001). It is found at depths ranging from 127 to 1180 m.

population:
There was little genetic divergence and there were few statistically significant morphological characters distinguishing this species and the Mediterranean congener Lepidion lepidion (Banon et al. 2013). This species is common in areas of cold water coral (Soffkler et al. 2001). Lepidion eques is rare in the western Atlantic (Cohen et al. 1990). A survey from the Rockall Trough found the greatest mean abundance at 750 m (0.8 individuals per 1,000 m2) and the greatest biomass was seen at 1,000 m (0.085 kg per 1000 m2). There were no differences in total biomass in ICES Sub-area VII (Porcupine Seabight and the adjacent abyssal plain of the NE Atlantic) between 1977 to 1989 and 2000 to 2002 despite the onset of the commercial deep-water fishery and its regulation (Godbold et al. 2013). This species was the most abundant species observed in the vicinity of deep-water coral reefs off the coast of Ireland (Söffker et al. 2011).

habitat:
Lepidion eques is a benthopelagic species found in the greatest abundance at depths of 500–1,300 m. It prefers temperate waters with a temperature range of 4.5–9.5 oC (Magnusson 2001). The main food items for this species include crustaceans, copepods, amphipods and cephalopods, and it appears to target prey species which either swim directly above the sea-bed or actively move over it (Mauchline and Gordon 1980). Spawning takes place between April and May. This species displays congregatory behaviour, but may also be seen individually (Cohen et al. 1990). Observations of coral reefs off of Ireland, found at depths of 600 to 1100 m, revealed that this species was relatively more abundant and active over coral reef habitats as compared to sedimentary bottoms (Söffker et al. 2011).

threats:
Lepidion eques can be seen in the bycatch of trawl fisheries (less than 1% of biomass) operating within its range, and is discarded. It is caught singly or in aggregations numbering more than 100 individuals (Allain et al. 2003).

conservationAction:
Landings of M. mora are often combined with other species of Moriidae (ICES WGDEEP 2011).There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for Lepidion eques. Fishing activity has been heavily regulated within the Grand Banks since the collapse of many commercially important fish stocks. Further research and monitoring is needed on the population size and harvest levels of this species to determine if the population is being over-exploited. This species is common in areas of cold water coral (Soffkler et al. 2001), which implies that is likely found in marine protected areas.

useAndTrade:
This species is taken as bycatch by a number of deep-water trawl fisheries operating within its range (Kelly et al. 1997). It does not appear to be utilized.


redListCategoryRationale:
In the eastern Atlantic, Lepidion guentheri is present in the Azores, Madeira, Portugal and west coast of Spain. It is also found in the Mediterranean. It is a bathyal species which occurs at depths of roughly 1,000 to 3,000 metres. It is taken as bycatch in some deep-water trawl fisheries, however the extent to which this impacts the population is unknown. Lepidion guentheri is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Lepidion guentheri is restricted to the eastern north Atlantic. It is found in the Azores, Madeira, Portugal and the western coast of Spain; there are only a couple records from the Canary Islands (Gonzalez et al. 2008). There is one record of this species off the coast of Ireland (Laurant pers. comm. 2013). In the Mediterranean Sea, this species occurs in the Catalan Sea (Carrasson et al. 1997, Cartes and Carrasson 2004) and the entire Spanish Mediterranean Sea (L. Gil de Sola pers. obs. 2014). It occurs at depths ranging from 750 to 2,256 metres.

population:
There is little species-specific information on population size or trends.

habitat:
This is a benthopelagic species. This species is an active predator of suprabenthic and epibenthic fauna (Carrasson et al. 1997). It has been found in association with seamounts, although it does not appear to be overly abundant in this particular habitat (Menezes et al. 2012). The largest recorded size is 81 cm standard length (Iwamoto in press).

threats:
Lepidion guentheri is taken as bycatch in some long-line fisheries, however it does not appear to be utilized and is typically discarded. There are no confirmed species-specific threats in the Mediterranean Sea. This species occurs at depths greater than the range of most fisheries in the area.

conservationAction:
Currently there is a General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean recommendation (GFCM/2005/1) forbidding trawl and dredge fishing below 1,000 m. However, this species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). Lepidion guentheri was assessed as Least Concern in the Mediterranean (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
This species is discarded in long-line fisheries operating off the Portuguese mainland and Madeira Island which target Aphanopus carbo (Bordalo-Machado et al. 2009). It is also taken in deep-sea fisheries targeting demersal species (Melo et al. 2002).This species can be found sold fresh in markets in Madeira (Iwamoto in press).

redListAssessors:
de Sola, L., Florin, A., Fernandes, P., Lorance, P. & Cook, R.


redListCategoryRationale:
Lepidion lepidion is a deep water species endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. It is relatively widespread and abundant in parts of its range. It is protected from trawling at depths below 1,000 m in the Mediterranean, which may reduce the mortality rates for the deeper dwelling portion of its population. It is of minor commercial importance and there are no known widespread threats at present. Therefore, L. lepidion is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Lepidon lepidion is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea (Cohen et al. 1990). It is found in northwest areas in the Balearic Sea, including the Catalan Sea, where it is considered to be the most abundant morid species (Carrasson et al. 1997, Cartes and Carrasson 2004, Coll et al. 2006), and the Tyrrhenian Sea. It also occurs in the Ionian Sea (D'Onghia et al. 2004) and the southern Adriatic Sea (Ungaro et al. 2001).

population:
Cartes and Carrasson (2004) mentioned that 323 specimens were collected in a series of bottom trawl cruises performed in June, July and October 1987-1989, between 984 and 2,251 m in the Catalano-Balearic basin (Catalan Sea, western Mediterranean Sea). According to Carrasson et al. (1997), 617 specimens were collected from the continental slope of the Catalan Sea during a cruise using a semi balloon otter trawl, headline length 13.7 m on a single warp, in depths from 970 and 2,256 m. At this time, no study has been conducted on the effective population size of this species, but they are found in great abundance on the Catalan Sea's middle and lower slopes (Stefanescu at al. 1993).

habitat:
Lepidion lepidion is a bathypelagic species, mostly abundant in waters deeper than 750 m on soft bottoms. Its diet includes a broad range of benthic and pelagic prey, the planktonic prey being most abundant at 100-1,400 m and almost entirely absent at 1,800-2,200 m, while suprabenthos prey increases with depth (Carrasson et al. 1997). The species exhibits a direct correlation between depth and size (Stefanescu et al. 1992) and, like other bathypelagic species of the Mediterranean, it displays rapid growth (Morales-Nin 1990).

threats:
Lepidion lepidion is of minor commercial importance, caught mainly by trawls (Cartes and Carrasson 2004, Stefanescu at al. 1993). It rarely occurs in markets. There are no major threats known.

conservationAction:
Currently there is a GFCM recommendation (GFCM/2005/1) forbidding trawl and dredge fishing below 1,000 m. This species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). Research is needed into the effects of small-scale harvesting on the species. Lepidion lepidion was previously assessed as Least Concern, globally and in the Mediterranean (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
This species is harvested for food, but is not an important food source.

redListAssessors:
Knudsen, S., Carpenter, K.E., de Morais, L., Harold, A. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Lepidion schmidti is a widely-distributed species, which within Europe is restricted to the Azores, and Ireland. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
This species is widely distributed, in the north Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Within Europe, it is known from the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014) and near Ireland.

habitat:
This is a marine, bathydemersal species, with a depth range of 375-1520 m (Russian Academy of Sciences 2000).

useAndTrade:
There is a lack of information regarding use and trade of this species.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Mora moro is globally distributed, benthopelagic species which is found at depths ranging from 450 to 2500 metres. This species is widespread in the Atlantic basin. Within the northeast Atlantic, M. moro has historically been taken as bycatch in both long-line and trawl fisheries, and it appears that there is growing interest in its harvest. There is no information on stock identity, and there are no assessments. This species is relatively widespread, with part of its depth range occurring in deeper areas outside the range of fisheries in the region. However, more information is needed on the biology of this species, in addition to more information on the impact of fisheries on this species. It is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Mora moro is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. In the northeastern Atlantic, M. moro is present from Iceland and Faeroes to Madeira and the Canary Islands (Cohen 1986). It is also found throughout the Mediterranean Sea: the Catalan Sea (Carrasson et al. 1997, Cartes and Carrasson 2004), Gulf of Lion (Solé et al. 2001), Ligurian Sea (Relini et al. 1986), and the Hellenic Seas (Papaconstantinou 1988), including the Cretan Sea (Kallianiotis et al. 2000) and eastern Ionian Sea (Mytilineou et al. 2005). It is also known from the Walvis and Vavilov ridges (Trunov 1991). It is found at depth ranging from 450 to 2500 metres. Iceland and Faeroes to Cape Bojador, West Africa, and including Azores, Madeira, and western Mediterranean. Also known from the Walvis and Vavilov ridges (Trunov 1991). Reported from Mauritania (Mohamed 2005). Indian Ocean: in the region south of Madagascar. Pacific Ocean: temperate Australia, New Zealand, and between Valparaiso, Chile and the Juan Fernandez Islands (Cohen et al. 1990).

population:
The Common Mora is reported from the following FAO fishing regions: Northeast Atlantic (10 to 20%), Southwest Pacific (80% +). Landings began to be reported to FAO relatively recently, in 2001. The overall trend in landings is driven by landings originating in the SW Pacific fishing zone, primarily from New Zealand. Landings are reported by France, Iceland, and Portugal. It is not considered a rare species, but it is not particularly common. Recently reported landings in the Northeast Atlantic are around 220 metric tonnes per year. In the Northeast Atlantic Mora moro is taken as bycatch in mixed species demersal trawl fisheries in International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Subareas VI, VII, and XII, and to a lesser extent in II, IV, and V. It is also taken in targeted and mixed-species longline fisheries in Subareas VII, IX, and X. Reported landings of M. mora increase with some fluctuations to their highest values in the early 2000s. Landings decreased between 2002 and 2005, in both the trawl and longline fisheries. Data from 2006 indicate that this trend is not continuing, as landings approximate the levels seen in 2002. Landings of this species may be reported with those of the Greater Forkbeard (Phycis blennoides) in some landing statistics. The majority of individuals landed in longline fisheries of Faroes Island, June-August 2008 are between 47 and 62 cm (ICES WGDEEP Report 2009). This species was very common in longline surveys of seamounts off the Azores, and became increasingly at depths greater than 675 metres (Menezes and Giacomello 2013). Collections of fish at various levels in the water column were taken in order to determine species diversity and relative abundance in the East Atlantic near the Canary Islands. In the zone between 900 and 1100 m, M. moro were captured in large numbers (Uiblein et al. 1996). Mora moro was found in very high numbers between the depths of 700 and 900 m (Menezes et al. 2006).  In October 1995, an unusually high number of Mora moro with advanced gonadal maturity were collected off eastern Fuerteventura at 997 m depth. At lesser depths and during other seasons, only a few individuals of this species were caught in the same area. This discrepancy may show that there is seasonal variability in local abundances of this species that is most probably related to reproduction patterns (Uiblein et al. 1996). According to Mytilineou et al. (2005), this species was collected in the northeastern Ionian Sea during four experimental survey (Sept. 1999, Apr. 2000, Jul. 2000, Sept. 2000), by means of trawls of 40 mm stretched mesh size in the cod-end, with density of 3.5 individuals/haul in the depth range of 500 to 700 m (52 hauls), 9.3 individuals per haul in the depth range of 700 to 900 m (36 hauls) and 13.3 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 900 to 1,200 m (13 hauls). Cartes and Carrasson (2004) mentioned that 13 specimens were collected in a series of bottom trawl cruises performed in June, July and October 1987 to 1989, between 984 and 1,589 m in the Catalano-Balearic basin (Catalan Sea, west Mediterranean Sea). According to Carrasson et al. (1997), 93 specimens were collected from the continental slope of the Catalan Sea during a cruises using a semi balloon otter trawl, headline length 13.7 m on a single warp within depths varied from 970 and 1,357 m.

habitat:
This benthopelagic species is mainly recorded from the upper continental slope (May and Maxwell 1986). This species is an active predator of suprabenthic and epibenthic fauna (Carrasson et al. 1997). It feeds on fishes, crustaceans, mollusks and other invertebrates as well as food of terrestrial origin, including garbage. It is probably a winter and early spring spawner (Cohen et al. 1990). Its maximum size reached 80 cm (TL) (May and Maxwell 1986).  Depth range is 450 to 2500 m (Cohen 1986).  It is occasionally found at depths 50 m. In the Mediterranean, its optimal depth range is 1000 to 1400 metres (Stefanescu et al. 1994). There was no ontogenetic partitioning by depth found in this species, and individuals of various sizes and ages occupied were distributed over the whole of this species' depth range (Stefanescu et al. 1992). Their spawning season is most probably in the early Fall (Uiblein et al. 1996). There is no information regarding the length at first maturity.     In the Mediterranean, the maximum recorded size is 52 cm TL and the length at maturity  for females is 34 cm TL  and for males is 32 cm TL (Tsikliras and Stergiou 2014).

threats:
Mora moro is a species with minor commercial importance. The main catching method is by trawl. In the Northeastern Atlantic, M. moro is taken, both targeted and as bycatch, in deep-water fisheries operating at depths of greater than 400 m. It is caught in both trawl and long-line fisheries as bycatch. Fisheries on deep-water species, which are intrinsically vulnerable to exploitation, have developed rapidly and many have been depleted before appropriate management measures were designed or implemented. Additionally, landing statistics that are available may not reflect the scale of recent fishing activity, particularly in waters outside national exclusive economic zones (ICES 2010). There are several relatively small fisheries that trawl for M. moro. However, there is interest in increasing the commercial viability of fishing for this species in the Mediterranean, in order to increase the variety of species commercially fished in the area and lessen the chances of over fishing more highly desirable species (Uiblein et al. 1996).

conservationAction:
There are no quotas set for M. moro in European Union (EU) waters. Vessels are not required to hold a deep-water permit in order to land it. Landings of M. mora are often combined with other species of Moriidae (ICES WGDEEP 2011). Currently, there is a General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean recommendation (GFCM/2005/1) forbidding trawl and dredge fishing below 1000 m. Additionally, this species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). There are no conservation measures in place for this species in the Eastern Central Atlantic.  This species was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Mora moro is a species with minor commercial importance. In the Northeastern Atlantic, it is taken in ICES subareas VII, IX, and X (ICES WGDEEP Report 2011). There is no information on stock identity, and there are no assessments. Knowledge of the biology of this species is insufficient for assessment purposes, and it is unclear how vulnerable to exploitation M. mora is (ICES Advice 2006, book 9).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Physiculus dalwigki occurs along the Iberian Peninsula, Azores, Madeira, and along the coast of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea at depths ranging from 100 to 723 m. There is little species-specific population information for P. dalwigki. It is not targeted, however it is taken as bycatch in long-line and trawl fisheries. There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for P. dalwigki however its distribution overlaps marine protected areas. It is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Physiculus dalwigki is restricted to the eastern Atlantic Ocean, where it is found from the Strait of Gibraltar to Mauritania, including the Great Meteor Bank (Cohen et al. 1990), Madeira, and the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014). It is also found in the Mediterranean, in the Ligurian Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea and the Hellenic Seas (Papaconstantinou 1988). It is found between 100 and 738 m in the water column (Bañón et al. 2002). However, it is most commonly found between 100 and 300 m.  Physiculus dalwigki was recently reported from Galician waters to the northwest of Spain. This latitudinal elongation of this species' natural range was attributed to increasing mean water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean (Bañón et al. 2002).

population:
Bottom trawls collecting quantitative data along the Great Meteor Seamount in the Northeast Atlantic found reasonable indication that this species is relatively uncommon. Samples taken in 1970 found that for Physiculus dalwigki the b-CPUE was 0.003 and the percentage of occurrence for each haul was only 8%, indicating a relatively low population in that area (Fock et al. 2002). At depths between 500 and 700 m, relatively few fish of these fish were caught by bottom trawlers researching species density off the Azores Archipelago in the mid-Atlantic (Menezes et al. 2006).

habitat:
Physiculus dalwigki is a benthopelagic species that occurs on the continental slope (Cohen 1990). In the Mediterranean Sea it occurs between 100 and 800 m (Fischer et al. 1987). The maximum length recorded is 30 cm (Cohen et al. 1990). In the Atlantic Ocean it is more commonly found between 100 and 300 m (Iwamoto in press). Physiculus dalwigki spawns in the spring in the Mediterranean, but may have a slightly delayed onset in the more tropical waters of the Southeast Atlantic (Iwamoto FAO ECA in press). The eggs and larvae are pelagic. This species was captured in long-line surveys of seamounts, although it was relatively uncommon - only one individual was taken (Pakhorukov and Parin 2012).

threats:
Physiculus dalwigki is taken as bycatch in trawl and longline fisheries.

conservationAction:
There is no information available on specific conservation measures for this species. It is unlikely to be any conservation measures in place. However, this species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). This species was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Physiculus dalwaki is taken as bycatch in long-line and deep-water trawl fisheries (Menezes et al. 2006). However, it does not appear to be utilized

redListAssessors:
Lorance, P., Fernandes, P., Florin, A., Nielsen, J. & Cook, R.


redListCategoryRationale:
Rhynchogadus hepaticus was described from a single, small specimen. The whereabouts of the holotype is currently unknown and records of other specimens of this species are not listed in available databases. In the literature it is known from unconfirmed examination of only a few small specimens and its taxonomic status is questioned because the characters may be based on juveniles of another species. It is reported as endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, although there is speculation that it may be more widely distributed. It is reported as a deep, benthopelagic species, with nothing known of its population size, trends, ecology or threats. Therefore, R. hepaticus is assessed as Data Deficient.

range:
Rhynchogadus hepaticus is reported as endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. It has been recorded from the Gulf of Naples and the Strait of Messina (Cohen 1986), the Balearics (Massuti et al. 2004) and the Catalan shelf (Sabates 1987). Lloris et al. (1994) reported two small specimens of this “rare and taxonomically puzzling species” also from the Catalan Sea. It may have a wider range than currently known. It is found at depths ranging from 400 to 700 m.

population:
This species is rarely caught. Nothing is known about population range, size or trends. A search of the FishNet2 database revealed no specimens (FishNet2 Portal accessed July 2014).

habitat:
This is a rare, benthopelagic species (Massuti et al. 2004). Nothing is known of its ecology. Lloris et al. (1994) reported two small specimens (47 and 55 mm standard length) from depths between 427 and 652 m.

threats:
This is a species with no commercial interest. No other threats are known at present. It is likely taken as by catch in commercial deep-water trawls, however this is unconfirmed.

conservationAction:
There is no information available on specific conservation measures for this species. However, this species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). Research is needed into the population, life history and possible threats to the species. Rhynchogadus hepaticus was previously assessed as Data Deficient as little is known about its population status, trends and ecology (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

redListContributors:
Di Natale, A., Molinari, A., Oral, M. & Öztúrk, B.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Listed as Data Deficient as there is no information on the status of the stock for most European waters. The species is targeted by some fisheries but it is also being captured as by-catch and mostly discarded.

range:
In the east Atlantic, this species in present from Norway and Iceland to Cape Blanc in West Africa. In the Mediterranean Sea, it occurs in the Catalan Sea (Cartes and Carrasson 2004, Bahamon et al. 2006, Coll et al. 2006), in the Gulf of Valencia (Salomé Morte et al. 2002), Gulf of Lion (Gaertner et al. 1998), Tyrrhenian sea (Carpentieri et al. 2005, Colloca et al. 2004), Strait of Sicily (Fiorentino et al. 2003, Gristina et al. 2006), Adriatic Sea (Dremiere et al. 1999), east Ionian Sea (Madurell et al. 2004, Mytilineou et al. 2005), Levantine basin, Cretan sea (Kallianiotis et al. 2000) and the Aegean Sea (Filiz and Bilge 2004, Machias et al. 2004, Labropoulou and Papaconstantinou 2005). It is also known from the east Mediterranean Sea around northeast coast of Egypt, Israel, Lebanon and Syria (Fischer et al. 1987). It is present at depths ranging from 10 to 1,308 m.

population:
This species is commonly caught, but is not abundant. According to Gristina et al. (2006), this species was sampled during two trawl surveys (Autumn 1997 and Autumn 1998) carried out in the strait of Sicily using an otter trawl with a 28 mm cod-end mesh opening. From a whole of 62 hauls, mean density value varied from three to 120 specimens per km2. Madurell et al. (2004) mentioned that a mean density of 53 and 135 individuals per hour were collected respectively during Autumn and Winter in the framework of four experimental trawl survey cruises on a seasonal basis (April 1999, July-August 1999, November 1999 and February 2000) in the Ionian Sea at two stations between 473 and 603 m depth, using an otter trawl equipped with a cod-end bag liner of 14 mm stretched mesh size. According to Fiorentino et al. (2003), 883, 1,561, 2,554, 776, 2,399 and 1,943 specimens were collected respectively from 1994 to 1999 within the framework of the MEDITS programme (six surveys carried out once a year): sampling was carried out in June, with the exception of 1998 and 1999 when the trawl surveys lasted from late May to early June. Surveys included trawlable areas from a depth of 10 to 800 m, covering about 44,500 km2. A total of 56 hauls were conducted on the same site during each survey: the sampling gear was a bottom trawl with stretched mesh size of 20 mm in the cod-end (GOC 73) and a vertical opening between 2.0 and 2.5 m. Salomé Morte et al. (2002) mentioned that a total of 3,514 specimens were taken from diurnal commercial catches landed at the port of Valencia (Spain) between October 1991 and October 1994. Monthly samples were caught at depths ranging from 50 to 175 m depth in the Gulf of Valencia. According to Mytilineou et al. (2005), this species was collected in the northeast Ionian Sea during four experimental surveys (Sept. 1999, Apr. 2000, Jul. 2000, Sept. 2000), by means of trawls of 40 mm stretched mesh size in the cod-end. Densities were 10.6 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 300-500 m (44 hauls), 29.0 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 500-700 m (52 hauls), 7.3 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 700-900 m (36 hauls) and 0.8 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 900-1200 m (13 hauls). Carpentieri et al. (2005) mentioned that this species was sampled during four seasonal 24 hour surveys conducted in July 2001, November 2001, March 2002 and May 2002 in the shelf break off the central Tyrrhenian sea, respectively with densities of 14, 30, 12 and 142 specimens per day. In each survey eight hauls of 30 minutes each were performed every three hours throughout the 24 hour period with an otter trawl mounted into a 40 mm head rope, a 40 mm ground chain and 30-40 mm stretched mesh in the wing and cod-end respectively. According to Filiz and Bilge (2004), 12 specimens (12.3 to 15.0 cm TL) were sampled from March and July 2003 by commercial fisherman from the Sigacik trawl area (north Aegean Sea) at depth between 70 and 378 m. The current status of the stock is unknown (Anonymous 2014) and most of the captures are not being reported, as the species is mainly discarded by many fleet and areas (STECF 2014). In 2013, 1,800 tonnes were landed (by-catch) and available data on discards indicate that 1,600 tonnes discarded. Tecchio et al. (2013) estimated that P. blennoides biomass ranged from 0.05 to 0.30 tonnes per square km from trawl surveys at the Catalan Sea (NW Mediterranean). The species was found as one of the most abundant species during a series of surveys at French Mediterranean submarine canyons (Fabri et al. 2013). Its overall population trend is unknown, although there has been a significant decline in European landing volumes of Phycis blennoides over the last decade (Anonymous 2014), but the FAO data are not directly related to available TAC/Quota or fishing effort. However, over the same period there has been a significant increase in European landing volumes of the closely related species Phycis phycis, which is not subject to TAC/Quota.

habitat:
This is a benthopelagic, oceanodromous species. It is found over sand and mud bottoms (Cohen et al. 1990). Its depth range in the Mediterranean Sea is between 50 and 1,047 m. Juveniles are more coastal and found on the continental shelf while adults migrate along the slope (Cohen et al. 1990). It feeds mainly on crustaceans and fishes (Cohen et al. 1990). It is usually less than 45 cm TL (Cohen et al. 1990). Sizes at maturity are 18 cm for the males and 33 cm for the females, and its lifespan is 20 years. Its maximum size is 110 (TL), and 80 cm (TL) in the Mediterranean (Fischer et al. 1987), and it reproduces from January to May. High abundance of recruits and juveniles under length at maturity is observed at crinoids beds (Colloca et al. 2004). The species is also commonly found at Isidella elongata fields, with maximum abundance of the species at intermediate biomass of the coral and maximum fish size at relatively low biomass of the coral (Maynou and Cartes 2011). The species is related to cold water coral ecosystems at Lacaze-Duthiers canyon (Fabri et al. 2013), and also related to the gorgonian Callogorgia verticilata at Boutcart canyon. Fernandez-Arcaya et al. (2013) found, during a series of surveys in a NW Mediterranean canyon and its adjacent slope, among 300 to 1,750 metres depth, spawning females of the species concentrated in the lower part of its bathymetric distribution. In the Mediterranean, the spawning period occurs in the range from September to late November, as confirmed by Benghali et al. (2014). According to Dransfeld et al. (2013), the species shows high productivity to the west of Ireland and Britain, so its vulnerability to deep-water trawl fishery is estimated as low.

threats:
This is a commercial species. Landing data from Spain and France are between 1,000 to 10,000 tonnes. Its main catching method is trawls, trammel nets, set nets, bottom longlines and handlines.  Annual landings in tonnes in the Mediterranean Sea (1996–2005), obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization FISHSTAT Fisheries Statistical Database (2007): Total production (1950-2005) in the Mediterranean and Black Seas were: 226 (1996), 241 (1997), 346 (1998), 209 (1999), 129 (2000), 89 (2001), 406 (2002), 417 (2003), 418 (2004), 473 (2005). Total landings in NE Atlantic have been reduced in all ICES Subareas since the year 2000, from a peak of 5,831 tonnes to (preliminary) 1836 tonnes in 2013 (ICES 2014). Also, in this report it is mentioned that discards are high, including some fisheries discarding 100% of their P. blennoides captures, even some fleet and countries report more discards than landings. In the Thyrrenian Sea, captures of P. blennoides are mainly discarded by fisheries both targeting Norway lobster and red shrimp (Sartor et al. 2003). The state of the stock is unknown, although there has been an increase in stock abundance during recent years for two specific Subareas (VII and VIII) (Oceana 2014).  As a by-catch species, there is a lack of data on captures, so the species could be threatened by overfishing in those areas in which the status of stock is unknown. As juveniles and recruits are related to sensitive and vulnerable habitats, as crinoids or I. elongata beds, threats to these habitats, as bottom trawling, could be causing direct and indirect damage to the species. In the Mediterranean, the species would have suffered fishery pressure since the 1980s in its distribution over the middle slope, as mature individuals distribute at more than 1,000 metres depth, but recruits are found at fishing depths of 600-900 metres (Cartes et al. 2014)

conservationAction:
Phycis blennoides is not included in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. In the deeper parts of the species' range, there is a General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean recommendation (GFCM/2005/1) forbidding trawl and dredge fishing below 1,000 m. The Commission has proposed a 10% increase in TACs for all stocks across all sub-areas, but due to a lack of data on the status of the stock in all sub-areas, Oceana recommends only the increase of catches for those sub-areas with increasing trend in the abundance (Oceana 2014). The species is present in marine protected areas throughout its distribution, such as the Natura 2000 site El Cachucho in Spain. Research should be conducted on the population size and trends of the species. Due to the lack of data on stocks and landings from different European countries, ICES is not able to present detailed management options for the species (STECF 2014).

useAndTrade:
Total landings in NE Atlantic have been reduced in all ICES sub-areas since the year 2000, from a peak of 5,831 tonnes to (preliminary) 1,836 tonnes in 2013 (ICES 2014). According to Rogers and Gianni (2010), P. blennoides is mainly a by-catch species captured by bottom trawl and longline fisheries. As a by-catch species, captures are not always recorded and there is a lack of data (quality and quantity) on catches. The species is mainly discarded by many fleet and areas (STECF 2014). In 2013, 1,800 tonnes were landed (by-catch) and available data on discards resulted on 1,600 tonnes discarded. According to Babouri et al. (2014), an average of 29.6 tonnes of the species was landed per year at national level in Algeria, during the period 1999-2010. It is a common heavily exploited demersal TAC/Quota species in Irish offshore waters (Anonymous 2014).

redListContributors:
Blanco, J., Di Natale, A., Molinari, A., Oral, M. & Öztürk, B.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Listed as Data Deficient as there is no information on the population stocks and landings, trend and biology of the species. It is captured as both commercial and by-catch species, and there has been a decline from 2011 to 2012 for both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean captures, so it could be potentially threatened. Further research is needed to establish the status of this species throughout is range.

range:
In the northeast Atlantic, this species is present from the Bay of Biscay to Morocco, south to Cape Verde including off-lying islands (Fishbase 2014). In Portuguese waters, the species is present from coastal waters, to off-shore seamounts (i.e. Gorringe Bank (Oceana 2014, Vieira et al. 2014)) and the Azores and Madeira archipelagos (Vieira et al. 2014). Phycis phycis is present throughout the Mediterranean Sea, occurring in the Alboran Sea (Molinari et al. 2004), the Iberian coast and the Balearic islands (Macpherson et al. 2002, Coll et al. 2006, Moranta et al. 2006, FAO-GFCM 2007), Ligurian sea (Tunesi and Molinari 2005, Tunesi et al. 2006), Tyrrhenian sea (La Mesa and Vacchi 1999, Carpentieri et al. 2005), south Adriatic Sea (Bussotti et al. 2002) and Aegean Sea (Karakulak et al. 2006). Bilecenoglu et al. (2014) excluded the species of the list of Black Sea and Marmara Sea Turkish waters species, but it is present in the Aegean and Levantine Seas of Turkey. Important amounts of Phycis spp. and Phycis phycis species are reported every year in sub-area IX (ICES 2014). Its depth ranges from 13 to 614 m.

population:
According to Karakulak et al. (2006), 59 specimens (13.7 and 44.5 cm TL) were collected from a survey by gill and trammel nets (inner mesh sizes 16, 18, 20, 22, 26, 28, 30 and 32 mm bar length) in the coastal waters of Turkey from March 2004 to February 2005. Following FAO-GFCM (2007), 13,344 kg were landed by the Barcelona fishing fleet in 2005. In Portugal, 800 t are landed per year (Vieira et al. 2014), being one of the most important gadiform species in this area. In the Gulf of Tunis, 272 specimens were captured by small-scale artisanal fisheries between September 2007 and June 2010 (Romdhani et al. 2012). No specific information is available for the population size or trends of this species. Likewise, fishery statistics are not specific to this species, as it appears to be included with other Forkbeard species. The species has not been assessed by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Over the last decade, there has been a significant increase in landing volumes recorded from European waters, although FAO data are not directly related to available TAC/Quota or fishing effort. Nevertheless, over the same period, there has been a significant decline in landing volumes of the closely related species Phycis blennoides, which is subject to TAC/Quota (Anonymous 2014).

habitat:
Forkbeard is a piscivorous feeder, consuming mainly nektonic animals (Papaconstantinou and Caragitsou 1989), being decapods and fish the predominant species by weight in its diet. In the Mediterranean, the highest spawning activity was registered during November and December (Glavić et al. 2014). Its maximum size is 65 cm (TL).There is a lack of information on its biology, but the species is known to be a long lived species with slow growing rate (Vieira et al. 2014), based on data from Azorean and Mediterranean waters. At Condor Seamount, the 100% of the records of this species are related to coral areas (Porteiro et al. 2013). According to data on Fishbase (2014), the species' resilience is calculated as medium, with a minimum population doubling time of 1.4-4.4 years, and moderate vulnerability (45 out of 100).

threats:
The species is being captured both as commercial and by-catch species, with important amounts of captures being reported for some areas, but the stock is not being assessed. The species could be threatened by commercial and recreational fisheries in some areas.

conservationAction:
The species is not listed in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. It is not the target to any specific conservation measure, but its distribution overlaps with protected areas throughout its range such as the Natura 2000 site Fondali Isola di Dino-Capo Scalea (Italy) and future protected areas, such as Chella Bank in the Alboran Sea. Further information should be conducted on its population size and trends, life history and ecology, as this current lack of data does not allow to assess the stock and to establish adequate management measures (Glavić et al. 2014).

useAndTrade:
The species is fished by semi-industrial and artisanal fishermen in Spain (Fischer et al. 1987), where it is considered as a species of high commercial interest (Ictioterm database).  It is also one of the most important gadiform species exploited in Portugal (Vieira et al. 2014), caught by longline, trawl, trammel net and trap fisheries. Eight hundred tonnes are landed per year, reaching 9€/kg at markets. In the Gulf of Tunis, 272 specimens were captured by small-scale artisanal fisheries between September 2007 and June 2010 (Romdhani et al. 2012). The only recorded data available at FishStat database for the species are from Spain, France and Portugal for the Atlantic and Italy for the Mediterranean. A total of 25,490 tonnes were registered from 1999 to 2012, with the peak of captures in 2011 (6,496 tonnes), reduced to half captures (3,917 tonnes) in 2012. Eurostat database presents a very few data on the species, with only three years with data for the Atlantic Ocean captures (453 t in 2003, 386 t in 2004 and 470 t in 2005) and only five years for Mediterranean captures (one tonne registered in 2005, zero tonnes in 2006, 295 t in 2007, 245 t in 2008 and 369 t in 2009). These data are not enough to allow the assessment of trends in captures. According to ICES (2014b), 3,009 tonnes of the species landed in the Celtic Sea sub-region during the period 2009-2011, but the stock is not assessed in this sub-area. It is a by-catch species at Argelian demersal and shrimp trawl fisheries (Belhabib et al. 2013), and also at ICES Subarea VIII at some trawl fisheries targeting Nephrops or hake among other species (ICES 2005). Important amounts of the species are reported every year in Subarea IX (ICES 2014).


redListCategoryRationale:
Spinachia spinachia has a widespread distribution and no known major threats. The species is found in coastal estuaries and sea grass habitats at depths of about five meters along northern Europe. The population is thought to be stable over the past ten years. It is therefore considered to be Least Concern.

range:
Spinachia spinachia is found from the Pechora Sea in northern Russia along the coast of northern Scandinavia to the Iberian coast, including the British Isles and the entire Baltic Sea (Gross 1978, Bañon et al. 2010). They live in shallow waters of about five meters or less (Rogers et al. 1998). It is endemic to pan-Europe.

population:
Depending on the location, Spinachia spinachia populations can range from being rare in the eastern part of its range in the Baltic Sea (Polte and Buschbaum 2008, Kellnreitner et al. 2012) to abundant in the west of its range around Great Britain (Henderson and Bird 2010). The population numbers depend on the amount of aquatic vegetation within the habitat - areas with little aquatic vegetation tend to have fewer or no individuals (Polte and Buschbaum 2008). As S. spinachia is a short-lived species, its population trend is judged over ten years instead of three generations. Overall the population over the past ten years seem to be stable or even increasing in some areas (Henderson and Bird 2010).

habitat:
Spinachia spinachia lives for one year (Gross 1978), though they can live for two years if they do not breed in the first year (Kaiser and Croy 1991). Captive females were found to be about 129-156 mm SL (Standard Length) while captive males were found to be 112-130 mm SL (Kaiser and Croy 1991). Spinachia spinachia can live in a range of salinities but are unable to live in freshwater (Gross 1978). They live in shallow waters of about five meters with a lot of aquatic vegetation (Rogers et al. 1998). The species mature quickly and are able to breed by the following spring (Kaiser and Croy 1991). Males build nests out of the aquatic vegetation such as Fucus spp. and a sticky secretion, known as tangspiggin that is produced from their kidneys and attract females which lay about 100-200 eggs (Gross 1978). Females are attracted to the appearance of the male and nests, nests that are positioned in safe areas and those containing a lot of tangspiggin are more attractive to females (Ostlund-Nilsson 2001). After she has laid her eggs the female soon dies while the male takes care of the eggs and can survive for a few months after the eggs have hatched (Kaiser and Croy 1991). The eggs take about three weeks to hatch (Ostlund-Nilsson 2002).

threats:
There are no current major threats found for Spinachia spinachia.

conservationAction:
There are no direct conservation actions for Spinachia spinachia in place. Marine protected areas occur along the coasts of most of the species' range.

redListReviewers:
Vandamme, L., Heil, E., Masonjones, H., Lourenco, G., Nieto, A. & Pollom, R.


redListCategoryRationale:
Apletodon bacescui is known from the southwestern Black Sea to the central Black Sea coast of Turkey. The species is cryptic and is likely to be under-represented in surveys. There are minimal data for this species and it occupies only a small area. However the species is not considered likely to be impacted by known threats in the Black Sea and it occurs in protected areas. Therefore, Apletodon bascescui is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Apletodon bacescui is restricted to the Black Sea, where it is distributed from the southwestern Black Sea, specifically in Bulgaria and Romania (Murgoci 1940, Briggs 1986) to the central Black Sea coast of Turkey (Bat et al. 2006, 2011). This species is found from one to five metres depth (Murgoci 1940, Briggs 1986).

population:
Limited population data are available as this is a small, cryptic species. However, it has been described as very rare (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000).

habitat:
Apletodon bacescui is a non-migratory, demersal fish endemic to the Black Sea. Historically this species has only been seen of the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania (Murgoci 1940, Briggs 1986), but it has recently been described from the coasts of Sinop (Bat et al. 2006). This habitat is characterized by stones, loose pebbles, sand and shells (Popov 1931). The maximum reported size is 3.9 cm (Briggs 1986).

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place. However, this species' range is within marine protected areas. Research involving all aspects of the biology and ecology of this species is suggested.

redListAssessors:
Williams, J.T., Herler, J. & Kovacic, M.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Apletodon dentatus has a wide distribution in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Little information is available about the population status or trends of A. dentatus. There are no known widespread threats nor conservation measures in place, though the species overlaps with marine protected areas. Therefore, Apletodon dentatus is considered Least Concern.

range:
Apletodon dentatus is restricted to the eastern Atlantic Ocean, where it is known from the British Isles (west coast of Scotland, the southern coast of England and the Isles of Scilly), northern France (Briggs 1986) including Brittany, and northwestern Spain (Bañón et al. 2011). The species has been recorded recently from the Canary Islands (Fricke et al. 2010), as well as from the Azores, and its distribution extends to the Atlantic coast of Morocco (Brandl et al. 2011). In the northwest Mediterranean Sea, A. dentatus is known from France, Banyuls-sur-Mer (Fricke et al. 2010), southern Italy (Strait of Messina), and has been recorded in the Marmara Sea (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000), as well as from the Adriatic, Algeria and Cyprus (Brandl et al. 2011).  The species is found from 0 to 35 m below sea level (Fricke et al. 2010).

population:
While there are numerous recent records of the species, limited population information is available as this is a small, cryptic species. It has been described as somewhat uncommon off the coast of Spain (Ibanez et al. 1989).

habitat:
The species is thought to be associated with littoral and sublittoral zones, specifically with the seagrass Posidonia oceanica off France, large brown algae of the genus Cystoseira in Messina, and rocky areas with brown algae (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000, Brandl et al. 2011). It has also been found in algal turfs (Gelidium latifolium), sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus and Sphaerechinus granularis), and boulders and displays an ontogenetic shift through these habitats in that order (Goncalves et al. 2002). Hofrichter and Pantzer (2000) found the species in the hollow bulbs of the seaweed Saccorhiza polyschides. The pelagic larvae of A. dentatus can persist for about 14 days in the water column (Beldade et al. 2007). The largest individual measures 4 cm standard length (SL) (Briggs 1986). The fecundity, spawning periodicity, stages of maturation and early life history of this species are poorly understood.

threats:
There are no known major threats to this species in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place. However, this species' range overlaps with Marine Protected Areas in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean.Research into all aspects of the biology and ecology of this species is suggested.

redListAssessors:
Herler, J., Kovacic, M. & Williams, J.T.


redListCategoryRationale:
Apletodon incognitus is relatively widespread in the northern-central parts of the Mediterranean and the northern of Macaronesian Islands. Whilst there are no population data available, its population is considered to be stable and A. incognitus can be locally abundant. There are no known widespread threats, though local degradation of Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds may be negatively impacting the population locally. Therefore, Apletodon incognitus is assessed as Least Concern, with a suggestion to monitor the seagrass populations and conduct further research on the biology and ecology of this species.

range:
Apletodon incognitus is restricted to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, where it is known from the northwestern Mediterranean Sea and the northern Macaronesian Islands (Hofrichter and Patzner 1997). In the Mediterranean Sea, A. incognitus is known from France (Banyuls-sur-Mer: Hofrichter and Patzner 1997, and elsewhere: Francour and Seytre 2006), Spain (the Balearic Sea at Ibiza; Fischer et al. 2007, Patzner 1999), Italy (the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas at Elba), the northern Adriatic Sea (Rovinj and Premantura, Croatia) and the Mediterranean coast of Turkey (the Gulf of Antalya; Bilencenoglu and Kaya 2006). There are also records of A. incognitus in Madeira (Wirtz et al. 2008), the Azores (Bilecenoglu and Kaya 2006) and the Canary Islands (Fricke et al. 2010). Apletodon incognitus is found from 0.2 m to 25.0 m below sea level (Hofrichter and Patzner 1997).

population:
Apletodon incognitus is an occasional species, which can be locally abundant (Louisy 2001).

habitat:
Juveniles, about one to two centimetres (SL), are often observed in association with sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus, Arbacia lixula and Sphaerenchinus granularis) and in beds of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica (Patzner 1999, Hofrichter and Patzner 1997). Adults are found hidden under stones covered with red calcareous algae and empty shells of mussels near Posidonia and Cymodocea nodosa seagrass beds (Hofrichter and Patzner 1997). Among Posidonia, this species is often sympatric with clingfish Opeatogenys gracilis (Hofrichter and Patzner 1997). Little else is known concerning the ecology and biology of this species.

threats:
The only known threat to Apletodon incognitus is the possible decline of Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds. It is thought that this habitat is in decline globally (Duarte 2002), but Gonzalez-Correa et al. (2007) found that Posidonia in marine protected areas of the Mediterranean Sea were not in decline, although the areas sampled were not largely affected by human impacts. In the Mediterranean, the decline in P. oceanica seagrass beds appears to be driven by local disturbances (Gonzalez-Correa et al. 2007). The extent of this threat and the existence of other threats is unknown.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place. However, the range overlaps with marine protected areas. Apletodon incognitus was previously assessed as Data Deficient in the Mediterranean (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011). Research into all aspects of the ecology and biology of this species is suggested.

redListAssessors:
Herler, J., Williams, J.T. & Kovacic, M.

redListContributors:
Francour, P., Bilecenoglu, M., Tunesi, L. & Goren, M.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Listed as Data Deficient as there is no information on the population size, trend, habitats, ecology and threats to the species. Further research is needed to establish the status of this species throughout the Macaronesian islands of the Azores, Madeira and the Canaries.

range:
Apletodon pellegrini is present through the Eastern Central Atlantic, distributed in shallow nearshore waters off the African coast from Senegal south to Port Alfred, South Africa (Heemstra and Heemstra 2004). In European waters, A. pellegrini occurs only in the Macaronesian islands of Azores, Madeira and the Canaries (Santos et al. 1997, Brito et al. 2002, Wirtz et al. 2008). It appears at depths from zero to 10 m.

population:
There is no information on the population size and trend of this species. It is considered rare in Madeira and the Azores (Santos et al. 1997, Wirtz et al. 2008) and occasional in the Canary islands (Brito et al. 2002).

habitat:
This is a littoral species occurring mostly in the lower intertidal zone, reaching a maximum size of 5 cm (TL).

conservationAction:
The species is not listed in any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. It is not the target of any conservation action, and it is unknown whether it is found in protected areas. Further research is needed on the population size, trend, habitats, ecology and threats to the species.

redListContributors:
Smith-Vaniz, W.F., Carpenter, K.E., Strongin, K. & Polidoro, B.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Diplecogaster bimaculata is found in the Mediterranean Sea and the northeast Atlantic Ocean from Macaronesia to Scandinavia. Little information is available on its population sizes and trends, but it is not utilized and is not thought to experience any species-specific threats. Therefore, D. bimaculata is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Diplecogaster bimaculata is widely distributed eastern Atlantic Ocean, from Scandinavia to the Macaronesian Islands, including the Mediterranean Sea (Briggs 1955, Fricke 2007). In the Mediterranean Sea, D. bimaculata is present throughout coastal areas in the western parts of the basin and to the Greek and Turkish parts of the Aegean, with a record from the central Turkish coast of the Black Sea (Bat et al. 2005). It has been recorded from the Macaronesian islands of the Azores, the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Islands (Lloris et al. 1991).  Diplecogaster bimaculata has been collected to 200 m depth (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000).

population:
Diplecogaster bimaculata appears to be less common than Lepadogaster lepadogaster in the western Mediterranean and Adriatic seas (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000). The species shows signs of low abundance in areas of its distribution  according to Ramos et al. (2006), however the species is hard to find due to cryptic colouration. Populations are considered likely to be stable.

habitat:
Members of the Gobiesocidae family have a modified adhesive disc that is used to attach itself to hard substrates or plants in areas of high wave or tidal action (Briggs and McEachran in press). This species in particular has been observed inhabiting a variety of habitats, including boulder fields, coralligene, sand, seagrass beds, and occasionally under rocks or bivalve shells (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000). In Messina, males were observed spawning on man-made pieces of flat marble during June (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000),. The body colouration also appeared to reflect habitat, varying from pale and whitish to red and purple. The species is believed to feed mainly on caridean decapod larvae and juveniles and epifaunal amphipods, although stomachs have contained polychaetes, copepods and isopods (Gibson and Ezzi 1987).

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats faced by this species.

conservationAction:
No conservation measures are in place or required for this species. It is found in marine protected areas. Diplecogaster bimaculata was assessed as Least Concern in the Mediterranean in 2007 (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011) . Research into the life history and ecology, as well as biology, is suggested.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD)Listed as Data Deficient as this deep water species is only known from a few specimens in the Canary Islands. Further research is needed on the population size, trend and ecology of D. ctenocrypta.

range:
Diplecogaster ctenocrypta is known from the Canary Islands (Briggs 1990, Brito et al. 2002), and was originally described from depths of 180 m. Additional specimens were collected at 28 m in N’Gor Island, Senegal (Wirtz 2012) and at 38 m at Fuerteventura, Canary Islands (Brito et al. 2002). There are records from El Hierro and Tenerife between 10 m and 30 m of depth (Brito et al. 2002).

population:
This species is known only from a few specimens. Several individuals have been photographed and observed in the Canary islands (Brito et al. 2002). The population trend is unknown.

habitat:
Diplecogaster ctenocrypta has been recorded to be 1.7 cm SL (Briggs 1990). This species may only be found in rocky habitats (Wirtz 2012, Tito de Morais pers. comm. 2014), and has been observed cleaning Moray Eels and Groupers, between 10 and 30 m depth at El Hierro and Tenerife (Brito et al. 2002, Wirtz 2012).

conservationAction:
The species is not listed on any National Red Lists or Red Data Books. There are no specific conservation efforts in place, and it is unknown whether it is found in protected areas. Further research is needed on the distribution, population size, trends and ecology of the species.

redListContributors:
Carpenter, K.E., Smith-Vaniz, W.F., de Bruyne, G., de Morais, L., Polidoro, B., Corley, B. & Stump, E.


redListCategoryRationale:
Gouania willdenowi is known from shallow, coastal waters throughout most of the northern Mediterranean coast. There is no population information for this species, possibly because it is very difficult to observe in the field. Gouania willdenowi can be locally abundant and populations are considered likely to be stable. While G. willdenowi may be locally impacted, there are no known widespread threats to this species. Therefore, G. willdenowi is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Gouania willdenowi is restricted to the Mediterranean Sea. It is present from Syria along the north coast to Alicante, Spain, including Balearic islands, Cyprus, Lebanon and north of Israel (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000, Briggs 1979). It is a shallow water species, found to two metres depth (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000).

population:
There is little population information for this species. It has been found throughout much of the Mediterranean Sea and can be locally abundant (e.g. up to 24 individuals/m2 in Messina) (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000). It is considered likely to have a stable population trend.

habitat:
The species inhabits shallow waters (Briggs 1979). It can live out of water and lives exclusively on sand and intertidal pebbles (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000). Virtually nothing is known about the biology and ecology of this species. The largest known individual measures five centimetres total length (TL) (R.A. Patzner pers. comm. 1999).

threats:
Gouania willdenowi may be impacted locally but there are no known widespread threats.

conservationAction:
No conservation measures are in place or required for this species and it is found in marine protected areas. Gouania willdenowi was previously assessed as Data Deficient globally and in the Mediterranean (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011). Research into all aspects of the biology and ecology of this species is suggested.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Lepadogaster candolii is found in the northeastern Atlantic from the west coasts of Ireland and the British Isles to Macaronesia, including most of the Mediterranean Sea and the southern Black Sea. No population or threat data are known for this species, but it seems to be widespread although not typically abundant in faunal surveys. Therefore, L. candolii is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Lepadogaster candolii is restricted to the eastern Atlantic Ocean, where it is distributed from Ireland south along the coast of Morocco to Madeira and the Canary Islands. It is also found throughout most of the Mediterranean Sea (except Egypt and Libya) and the southern Black Sea (Briggs 1986, Keskin 2010). It is found to 20 m depth (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000).

population:
Little is known about the abundance of Lepadogaster candolii. In faunal surveys, it is not caught in large numbers, but appears to be widespread (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000, Borges et al. 2009). This species is known to be more mobile than other clingfishes and will swim between habitats (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000). Populations are considered likely to be stable.

habitat:
Lepadogaster candolii is a cryptobenthic species (Kovačić et al. 2012) typically found to 20 m depth (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000). Adults have been collected from a variety of habitats, including tidepools, pebbles, boulders, cavities, under stones, under sea urchins, and in sea grass beds, and have also been observed actively swimming between habitats, making it the most mobile of the clingfishes (Hofrichter & Patzner 2000, Fischer et al. 2007). They are bottom-feeders, and have been observed feeding on copepods and nauplii in captivity (Lebour 1919) and on copepods, amphipods, fly larvae, crustaceans, and echinoderms in sutu (Velasco et al. 2010, Maze 2007). An individual of L. candolii was observed exhibiting cleaning behavior in the mouth of a dusky grouper, suggesting that it may be an occasional, non-specialized cleaning species (Weitzmann and Mercader 2012). The average pelagic larval duration is 14.6 days (Beldade et al. 2007).

conservationAction:
No conservation measures are in place or required for this species, and it is found in marine protected areas. Research into all aspects of the biology and ecology of this species is suggested.


taxonomicNotes:
Lepadogaster lepadogaster was separated in two subspecies (Brigg 1986): L. l. lepadogaster in the Mediterranean region only, and L. l. purpurea in the western Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. In 2002, Henriques et al. investigated the relationships between L. l. lepadogaster, L. l. purpurea and L. zebrina. They noted significant differences in microhabitat preferences and their breeding seasons between the two subspecies. They concluded that L. l. purpurea is a valid species, L. purpurea (Bonnaterre, 1788), different from L. l. lepadogaster, which is now designated L. lepadogaster (Bonnaterre, 1788). Lepadogaster zebrina was found to be a synonym of L. lepadogaster.

redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Lepadogaster lepadogaster is found in the northeastern Atlantic ocean from Spain to Morocco, including much of the coastal Mediterranean. Although specific population data are not available, L. lepadogaster is the most common clingfish in the eastern Atlantic, and populations are considered likely to be stable. There are no widespread threats. Therefore, L. lepadogaster is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Lepadogaster lepadogaster is widely distributed in the eastern Atlantic from northwestern Spain (Galicia) to Morocco, including Macaronesia and the Mediterranean (Briggs 1986). It is present throughout the Mediterranean Sea, except for Egypt and Libya. The depth distribution of L. lepadogaster is typically 0.3 to 5 m (Patzner 1999).

population:
Lepadogaster lepadogaster is the most common eastern Atlantic clingfish (Briggs 1957). Populations are considered to be stable.

habitat:
Lepadogaster lepadogaster has shown a preference for habitats that provide boulders and stones (Henriques et al. 2002). It has been found to about 7 m, but is most common above 3 m depth (Patzner 1999). Members of the Gobiesocidae family have a modified adhesive disc that is used to attach itself to hard substrates or plants in areas of high wave or tidal action (Briggs and McEachran in press).

threats:
There are no known widespread threats to this species.

conservationAction:
No conservation measures are in place or required for this species, and it is found in marine protected areas. Lepadogaster lepadogaster was assessed as Least Concern in the Mediterranean in 2007 (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).  Research into all aspects of the biology and ecology of this species is suggested.

useAndTrade:
Lepadogaster lepadogaster is not utilized.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Lepadogaster purpurea is widely distributed in the eastern Atlantic and throughout the western Mediterranean basin. In the northeastern Atlantic, L. purpurea is found from Ireland to Madeira and the Canaries, including the Mediterranean Sea. Although limited, specific population information is available, the population is considered to be stable. There are no known widespread threats. Therefore, L. purpurea is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Lepadogaster purpurea is known from the eastern Atlantic and the western Mediterranean Sea. In the eastern Atlantic, L. purpurea is present from Ireland and the western coast of the British Isles to Senegal. Lepadogaster purpurea is present along the northern and southern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea from the Alboran Sea eastwards as far east as Genoa, Italy (Briggs 1990, Henriques et al. 2002). Lepadogaster purpurea is typically found to about 7 m (Tojeira et al. 2011).

population:
There is limited population information for L. purpurea. Off Ireland, this species can be very common, locally, especially in the algae mats of Himanthalia and Laminaria (Briggs 1990).

habitat:
Lepadogaster purpurea is a shallow-water fish found in rocky intertidal zones, especially on rocky, seaweed covered shores, particularly among small boulders. It is most common in the intertidal zone amongst the algae Himanthalia spp. and Laminaria spp. (Briggs 1990). It reaches a maximum length of 7.5 cm standard length (SL) (Briggs 1990). This is the only clingfish observed to have agonistic behaviors, with fights possibly erupting because of disputes over shelter sites (Goncalves et al. 1996). Adults feed on copepods, amphipods, isopods, and various gastropods and small benthic organisms (Velasco et al. 2010).  Egg masses are laid underneath stones and guarded and tended to by the male (Tojeira et al. 2011). Eggs hatch after 21 days and larvae spend much of their time in locomotory activities, including feeding, after 5 days. After about 30 days of larval development, they gradually settle to the bottom and adapt to a benthic lifestyle, including a decrease in their swimming speed (Faria & Goncalves 2010).

threats:
The species has no known widespread threats.

conservationAction:
No conservation measures are in place or required for this species, and it is found in marine protected areas. Lepadogaster purpurea was assessed as Least Concern in the Mediterranean in 2007 (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011). Further research into the spawning and maturation of this species, as well as population size and trends, is suggested.

useAndTrade:
The species is not utilized in a commercial capacity.


redListCategoryRationale:
Opeatogenys gracilis is only known from the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, from southwestern Portugal eastwards to the Levant (although absent from the eastern coast, Egypt and Libya). Previously, it was thought that O. gracilis was dependent on seagrasses; although globally declining in area, seagrasses are not currently considered to be threatened in the Mediterranean. Use of alternative habitats, including algae, has also been documented. Populations of O. gracilis are currently thought to be stable; however, monitoring is recommended to document potential habitat-related declines. In the absence of other known widespread threats, O. gracilis is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Opeatogenys gracilis is only known from the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, from southwestern Portugal eastwards to the Levant. It was thought to be a Mediterranean endemic until specimens were collected in southern Portugal (Gonçalves et al. 2005). In the Mediterranean Sea, O. gracilis is present off the coast of Malaga (Reina-Hervas and Nunez Vergara 1985), Spain (Cardona and Guerao 1992, Hofrichter and Patzner 2000), Algeria (Dieuzeide et al. 1955, Gonçalves et al. 2005), Portugal (Gonçalves et al. 2005, Beldade et al. 2007), Cyprus (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000, Gonçalves et al. 2005), France (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000, Gonçalves et al. 2005, Dufour et al. 2007), Sicily (Vizzini & Scilipoti 1999, Vizzini et al. 2001, Gonçalves et al. 2005) and Sfax, Tunisia (Bradai pers. comm. 2007). This species is associated with depths of up to 20 m (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000).

population:
Opeatogenys gracilis is locally abundant (Vizzini et al. 2001) in shallow-water seagrass beds. Although its population size is unknown, populations are considered likely to be stable.

habitat:
Opeatogenys gracilis lives on Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa seagrasses and on algae (Gonçalves et al. 2005), attaching to leaves with its ventral sucker (Hofrichter and Patzner 2000). Although generation length is not known, given its small body size, it does not likely live beyond a few years. It reaches a maximum length of three centimetres total length (R.A. Patzner pers. comm. 1999). Adults feed on phytal organisms also living on seagrass leaves (Vizzini et al. 2001). The species has a pelagic larval duration of 14.6 days, on average (Beldade et al. 2007).

threats:
A major potential threat to Opeatogenys gracilis  is habitat reduction due to the destruction of Posidonia spp. seagrass areas. Globally, it is estimated that there has been at least a 30% decline in seagrass area between 1985 and 2006 (at least three percent per year) due to removal, sedimentation and pollution, and the rates of decline appear to be increasing (Short pers. comm. 2008, Waycott et al. 2009). The impact of this decline on O. gracilis is unknown, and alternative habitats, including macroalgae, have been documented (Gonçalves et al. 2005).

conservationAction:
No conservation measures are in place for this species but it is found in marine protected areas. Opeatogenys gracilis was previously assessed as Vulnerable, globally and in the Mediterranean, based on the inferred dependence on Posidonia seagrass which has declined globally by 30% (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011, Francour et al. 2013).  Monitoring of habitat and population trends is required. Also, further research into the dynamics of population size and trends for this species is suggested.

useAndTrade:
Opeatogenys gracilis is not commercially utilized.


taxonomicNotes:
Earlier records may have been recorded as Lampris guttatus or Lampris regius (Hawn and Collette 2012). Southern Ocean records pertain to a second species L. immaculata (Parin and Kukuyev 1983). The species may consist of multiple cryptic species (Hawn and Collette 2012). The correct spelling for the family Lampridae is Lamprididae (Olney in press).

redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Lampris guttatus is a circumglobally distributed species found in subtropical-temperate pelagic waters where it occurs commonly, but not abundantly. It is an epi- and meso pelagic species which may undergo vertical migrations at depths ranging from surface waters to 500 m. It is targeted by recreational fishers in parts of its range. It is also landed as bycatch in commercial fishery operations, particularly long-line fisheries targeting large pelagics, such as tuna. There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for L. guttatus, however its distribution likely overlaps marine protected areas in parts of its range. In Europe L. guttatus is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Lampris guttatus is distributed circumglobally in subtropical and temperate (Carpenter 2002, Collette 1978) epipelagic to bathypelagic waters from 0 to 500 m depth and avoids equatorial waters (Heemstra and Heemstra 2004). In the northeastern Atlantic, L. guttatus is present from Norway and Greenland to Madeira and the Canary Islands (Dooley et al. 1985, Palmer 1986, Carneiro et al. 2014). It now occurs throughout the Mediterranean where it appears to be extending its range due to warming water temperatures (Francour et al. 2010). 

population:
Lampris guttatus is considered a relatively uncommon species with scattered occurrences (Hawn and Collette 2012), including off the Canary Islands (Dooley et al. 1985). It occurs throughout the Mediterranean, where it appears to be extending its range due to warming water temperatures (Francour et al. 2010).  Landings are not reported to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) from the assessment region. Since 1994, global catch production gradually increased to a peak of 1,107 tonnes in 2009. Global catch production decreased slightly to 1004 tonnes in 2011 (FAO 2011).

habitat:
Lampris guttatus is an epi- and mesopelagic (Mundy 2005), oceanodromous fish (Riede 2004). It is apparently solitary (Palmer 1986, Collette 2002), and mainly an inhabitant of warm water, but wanders far north in the summer months (Collette 2002) and likely spawns in the spring (Hart 1973). Lampris guttatus is a capable burst-swimming predator that feeds chiefly on small cuttlefishes, crustaceans, shellfishes, young fishes and squids (Palmer 1986, Heemstra and Heemstra 2004). It grows to a maximum size of 163 cm FL, however its common size is 120 cm SL (Collette 2002), and a maximum weight 89 kg (Hawn and Collette 2012). Vakily et al. 2002 describes the species as bathypelagic with a maximum size of 200 cm TL off West Africa. This species commonly occurs from the surface to depths of about 200 m (Collette 2002). In Hawaii, Lampris guttatus can be frequently found at depths ranging from 5 to 150 m at night and in greater depths (100 to 400 m) during the day, and is constantly moving vertically within this broad range (Polovina et al. 2008).

threats:
Lampris guttatus is taken incidentally in offshore waters, mostly as a bycatch of tuna longline fisheries (Hawn and Collette 2012). However, this does not appear to represent a major threat to the species.

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for L. guttatus. Its distribution overlaps marine protected areas in parts of its range. This species was assessed as Data Deficient in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Lampris guttatus is targeted in minor commercial fisheries and it is also a popular gamefish (Collette 2002). It is taken incidentally in offshore waters where it is caught with longlines (Carpenter 2002), and it is occasionally taken as a bycatch of tuna fisheries, including in European tuna longline fisheries within the assessment zone (Oceanic Developpement et al. 2005). It is considered an excellent foodfish (Collette 2003). The flesh is red, tender, full of oil and of delicate flavor. It is marketed fresh and frozen and it is prepared as sashimi (Collette 2002).


taxonomicNotes:
This species is also reported as Lophotus lacepedei (Quignard and Tomasini 2000).

redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Lophotus lacepede is a globally distributed epi- and mesopelagic species which is found to depths of 1000 m.. It is occasionally taken as bycatch in longline fisheries, and is generally infrequently recorded. It is rarely seen in markets, but is kept and sold if caught. There are no known species-specific threats to L. lacepede, and its distribution likely overlaps marine protected areas throughout its range. Therefor, L. lacepede is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Lophiotus lacepede is a widespread tropical and subtropical species. In the northeastern Atlantic, L. lacepede is known from Madeira and the Canary Islands (Robins and Ray 1986). It is widespread in the Mediterranean Sea (Soljan 1948, Tortonese 1970, Bauchot 1987, Papaconstantinou 1988, Quignard and Tomasini 2000, Bilecenoğlu et al. 2001, Dulčić and Soldo 2007). It is absent from the Levant (Golani et al. 2006). It is found at depths range 100 to 1000 metres.

population:
There is little species-specific population information available. This species is widespread but infrequently recorded.

habitat:
Lophotus lacepede is a mesopelagic species which occurs at depths ranging from 100 to 1000 m (Bilecenoglu et al. 2001). It is probable that juveniles prefer shallower waters. Their eggs and larvae are pelagic. They feeds on anchovies and squids (Bauchot 1987). In the Adriatic Sea, a male of 167 cm TL (10.1 kg) was caught (Dulcic and Soldo 2008), but it is thought to reach a maximum length of 200 cm TL (Heemstra 1986).

threats:
Lophotus lacepede is occasionally fished with trawls and drifting long-lines, however it is not a commercially targeted species.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for L. lacepede. Its distribution likely overlaps marine protected areas. This species was assessed as Data Deficient in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Lophotus lacepede is rarely present in Mediterranean markets. It is marketed fresh and its flesh is considered excellent (Fischer et al. 2007).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) In Europe, Radiicephalus elongatus is found in the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
In Europe, Radiicephalus elongatus is found in the Azores, Madeira (Santos et al. 1997, Carneiro et al. 2014) and the Canary Islands (Brito et al. 2002). Globally, Radiicephalus elongatus is distributed circumglobally in the mesopelagic zone in most oceans. It is found from the eastern central Atlantic to the western, central, and eastern North Pacific oceans (Mundy 2005). Vakily et al. 2002 (a study by FishBase on West African fishes) reports R. elongatus as distributed off of Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

population:
Radiicephalus elongatus is a very rarely occurring species. In the eastern Atlantic, it is known only from a few immature specimens caught in research nets (Olney in press).

habitat:
Radiicephalus elongatus is a deep-sea species that occurs in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones. The length is usually under 80 cm, between 60-75 cm. Data are limited on the reproduction and habits of R. elongatus. It is known to possess a gland that discharges an alarm response black substance (Olney in press). Vakily et al. 2002 describes R. elongatus as bathypelagic with a maximum size of 76cm TL off of West Africa.

threats:
There are no known major threats to Radiicephalus elongatus.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Radiicephalus elongatus.

useAndTrade:
Radiicephalus elongatus is not utilized (Olney in press).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Regalecus glesne is a widespread, solitary, mesopelagic species which is circumglobally distributed which is infrequently recorded throughout its range. However, there are more sightings in the eastern Atlantic than in the Western Atlantic. There are no major species-specific threats within the assessment region. Therefore, R. glesne is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Regalecus glesne is cosmopolitan in all tropical and subtropical seas. In the Atlantic Ocean, it is widely distributed,from Scandinavia and southern Iceland to the Canary Islands. It is found throughout most of the Mediterranean Sea (Fischer et al. 1987), except the Levant (Golani et al. 2006), Marmara Sea (Bilecenoglu et al. 2002), and Israel. In the eastern Pacific, it is present from Topanga Beach in south California, USA to Chile (Eschmeyer et al. 1983). It is found at depths ranging from 20 to 1,000 metres.

population:
Regalecus glesne is a widespread but infrequently reported mesopelagic species. From 1759 to 1991, a total of 31 occurrences have been recorded from Norway. Many were strandings. From 1979 to 2009 the British Isles have had 44 occurrences, 29 of which were standings. Pairing at a frequency approaching 100% occurred in strandings of large Regalecus in the waters of Asturias, Spain, and the Netherlands during the period 2002 to 2009. Pairs occur rarely in the Mediterranean. There are fewer records of this species in the Western Atlantic (Roberts 2012).

habitat:
Regalecus glesne is an oceanic, pelagic, solitary species. It can live at great depths (Eschmeyer et al. 1983), but is occasionally cast up on beaches (May and Maxwell 1986). It feeds on euphausiid crustaceans, small fishes and squid (Palmer 1986) and is thought to suspend itself vertically so that it can spot the silhouette of its prey against the light from above (Moyle and Cech 2004). Spawning occurs between July and December and larvae are encountered near the surface (Bauchot 1995). It is present in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest bony fish (Foot 2000). Mating system and parental care are unknown. It does not reproduce in the Northern Atlantic as reproduction occurs in equatorial waters (Roberts 2012).

threats:
Regalecus glesne is a species with minor commercial importance. Its main catching method is trawls but can also caught with encircling nets (Bauchot 1995).

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for R. glesne. However, this species may be present in marine protected areas found within its distribution (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). Further research is needed into its life history characteristics and possible effects of fishing on population sizes. Regalecus glesne was regionally assessed as Data Deficient in the Mediterranean (Abdul Malak et al. 2011).

useAndTrade:
Regalecus glesne is a species with minor commercial importance. The flesh is generally unpalatable, but it is occasionally caught with trawls and encircling nets and sold (Bauchot 1995).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) In Europe, Stylephorus chordatus occurs in the Azores and the Canary Islands. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
In Europe, Stylephorus chordatus occurs in the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014) and the Canary Islands (Bordes Caballero et al. 2009). Globally, Stylephorus chordatus is distributed circumglobally in tropical and temperate regions from 300-800 m depth (Olney in prep).

population:
Stylephorus chordatus is a rarely occurring species (Olney in prep). However, museum collections indicate that this species is common throughout its range and can be locally abundant (FishNet2 Portal).

habitat:
Stylephorus chordatus is a deepsea fish with a maximum size of 32 cm (measurement excludes caudal filament) that inhabits the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones. It can be found between 300-600 m at night and migrates to deeper waters between 625-800 m during the day (Mundy 2005). It feeds on small crustaceans. Data on the reproduction and habits of this species are limited (Olney in prep).

threats:
There are no known major threats to Stylephorus chordatus.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Stylephorus chordatus.

useAndTrade:
Stylephorus chordatus is not utilized (Olney in prep).


taxonomicNotes:
The Trachipteridae family needs revision (Olney in press).

redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: LC Trachipterus arcticus is distributed in the mid Atlantic ridge east, and can be found from the North Sea to South Africa. It is a mostly rare, deep-dwelling species which occurs at depths ranging from 300 to 600 m. This species frequently occurs as bycatch in longline fisheries, but it is not purposefully utilized and has no major threats. Therefore, T. arcticus is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Trachipterus arcticus is widely distributed in temperate regions of the mesopelagic zone of the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the North Sea to South Africa (Olney in press) including the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Fock and Ehrich 2010), Norway, Iceland and Madeira (Figueiredo et al. 2007). This species can be found a depths ranging from roughly 300 to 600 m (Casamajor and Morandeau 2013). In the warm temperate western Atlantic it is distributed from New York south to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.

population:
Trachipterus arcticus is considered rare and when caught is normally solitary, however, occasionally they are caught in small groups (Casamajor and Morandeau 2013). In a trawl survey off of Norway, T. arcticus was present in 17% of the trawls in small numbers (O'Donnell et al. 2009). Off of Ireland this species is rare; however, it appears more frequently in offshore waters outside the 200 m line (Quigley and Flannery 2005).

habitat:
Trachipterus arcticus is a mesopelagic fish with a maximum size of approximately 300 cm TL (Muus and Nielson 1999). It feeds on pelagic crustaceans, small fishes, and squids (Palmer 1986). Data on the reproduction and habits of this species are limited (Olney in press).

threats:
Trachipterus arcticus is taken as bycatch in several fisheries.

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for this species, although it may occur within marine protected areas throughout its range.

useAndTrade:
Trachipterus arcticus is not utilized (Olney in press). During an observer trip on a Japanese freezer longliner in the international waters of the North East Atlantic, this species was one of the most frequently discarded fishes (Boyd 2008).

redListAssessors:
Collette, B., Smith-Vaniz, W.F., Fernandes, P., Heessen, H. & Herrera, J.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: LC Trachipterus trachypterus is a circumglobally distributed species in the epi-mesopelagic zones. It is a rare species that is caught as bycatch in longline and trawl fisheries, but is not utilized and there are no major threats. It is widespread and occurs at great depths. It is uncommon and there are no species-specific threats. There are no indications of population decline and there is no population information available. Trachipterus trachypterus is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Trachipterus trachypterus is circumglobally distributed in tropical and subtropical zones, including the central and southeastern Pacific (Cortes et al. 1995), Japan (Balanov et al. 2005), New Zealand, the eastern Atlantic, and off Argentina in the southwestern Atlantic (Trunov and Kukuev 2005). In the eastern Atlantic, it is known from southern Ireland to Namibia, including Saint Helena (Edwards 1993), Portugal (Farias et al. 2010), the Mediterranean Sea (Golani 1995, Bilecenoglu et al. 2002, Bormeand and Voltolina 2006). It is generally found between 200 and 1000 m depth (Borme and Voltolina 2006), but was collected once at 1,130-1,355 m depth off Senegal (Maurin and Quero 1982).

population:
Trachipterus trachypterus is a rarely occurring but widespread species (Olney in press). In a trawl survey conducted off the northwestern African coast between the years 1962 to 1973, this species was captured only once and therefore can be assumed to rarely occur in this region (Maurin and Quero 1982).

habitat:
This is an offshore fish with a maximum size of approximately 1.5 m TL which inhabits the epipelagic and mesopelagic zone (Palmer 1986). It feeds on pelagic crustaceans, small fishes, and squids (Palmer 1986). Data on the reproduction and habits of this species are limited (Olney in press, Bianchi et al. 1999). Vakily et al. (2002) describe this species as bathypelagic with a maximum size of 300 cm TL off of West Africa.

threats:
There are no known major threats to this species, however it is occasionally present as bycatch (Bremner et al. 2009)

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures for this species, although it may exist in marine protected areas throughout its range. Trachipterus trachypterus was assessed as Data Deficient in the Regional Mediterranean Red List Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011).

useAndTrade:
This species is not utilized by humans (Olney in press). This species is occasionally caught as bycatch in trawl fisheries (Bianchi et al. 1999) as well as longline fisheries (Edwards 1993, Farias et al. 2010).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Zu cristatus is a circumglobally distributed but rarely captured species in the epi-mesopelagic zone. It is a typically deep-dwelling species, although juveniles have been captured at the surface, and is an important prey item for some large pelagic predators. It sometimes occurs as bycatch in longline fisheries, but is not utilized and there are no major threats. In Europe this species it is listed as Least Concern. It is widespread, uncommon, and there is no population information available. There are no species-specific threats, although it is taken as bycatch in trawl and long-line fisheries. Therefore, Zu cristatus is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Zu cristatus is distributed circumglobally in the epi- to mesopelagic zone (Fischer et al. 1987). In tropical to warm temperate waters of the western Atlantic, specimens have been collected from Norfolk Canyon (36°50'N, 73°40'W), south of La Have Basin (40°57'N, 63°35'W), near Alvin Canyon (39°47'N, 70°32'W), and near Bear Seamount south to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and Cuba (Moore et al. 2003). In the Pacific, this species has been recorded from 0 to 950 m depth off of New Caledonia (Fricke et al. 2011) and off of Chile (Sielfeld et al. 2010). Near Hawaii, this species has been recorded off of the main Hawaiian Islands and the Hancock Seamounts. It is also known from the Mediterranean Sea (Dulčić 2002, Bianco et al. 2006, Bradai and El Ouaer 2012). It is considered rare off of Japan, but has occurred from the mouth of Tokyo Bay south to Osaka Bay, the Ogasawara Islands, and Akita Prefecture south to Yamaguchi Prefecture (Nakabo 2002).

population:
Zu cristatus is a rarely occurring but widespread species (Bianco et al. 2006). It is found throughout the Mediterranean Sea but is not often caught (Bradai and El Ouaer 2012).

habitat:
Zu cristatus is an offshore fish with a maximum size of approximately 120 cm SL (Heemstra and Kannemeyer 1986) that inhabits the epipelagic and mesopelagic zone (Fischer et al. 1987). It feeds on pelagic crustaceans, small fishes, and squids (Palmer 1986). Their eggs are free-floating, large, and red (Charter and Moser 1996). Juveniles swim at the surface while trailing elongate dorsal and pelvic fin rays that give them the appearance of a jellyfish (Bianchi et al. 1999). Data on the reproduction and habits of this species are limited (Olney in press, Bianchi et al. 1999). Eggs of this species in ichthyoplankton collections in the Adriatic Sea had a diameter of 1.85 to 2.10 mm (Dulčić 2002). Spawning appears to take place inshore, but this has yet to be confirmed (Olney and Naplin 1980, Dulčić 2002). This species is reportedly a prey item of sailfish, another circumglobal tropical and subtropical species, in the southern Gulf of California, Mexico (Rosas-Alayola et al. 2002). This trophic relationship could exist in other parts of the world where these species co-occur.

threats:
There are no known major threats to this species. It is caught very rarely as bycatch (Bianchi et al. 1999).

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures for this species. More research is needed into its life history and population size. Zu cristatus was assessed as Data Deficient in the regional Mediterranean Red List Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011).

useAndTrade:
Zu cristatus is not utilized (Olney in press). It is uncommonly caught as bycatch in trawl fisheries (Bianchi et al. 1999) and in the swordfish longline fishery in southern Italy (Cambie et al. 2013).


taxonomicNotes:
Based on a recent taxonomic study of the Antennariidae (Arnold and Pietsch 2012), both Antennarius and Antennatus are valid genera, but Antennarius nummifer is now valid as Antennatus nummifer. Specifically, it is stated that: "Antennatus was recovered nested within the Antennarius nummifer group, requiring reallocation of all members of the later, resulting in a much expanded Antennatus."

redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) This is a widely-distributed species, which within Europe is restricted to the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
This fish occurs widely in the Indo-West Pacific, and eastern and central Atlantic. Within Europe, its distribution is limited to the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands (Cuvier 1817, Pietsch and Grobecker 1987, Dooley et al. 1985, Carneiro et al. 2014, Santos et al. 1997). This species is found to depths of 293 m.

population:
Its population size and trend within Europe are unknown.

habitat:
The fish is a benthic, marine, reef-associated species that occurs in subtropical waters to a depth of 293 m (Pietsch and Grobecker 1987, Mundy 2005, Ocean Biogeographic Information System 2006), usually occurs at depths near 19 to 20 m (Allen and Erdmann 2012). It inhabits lagoon and seaward reefs in the intertidal zone (Myers 1999). This species has an oviparous life cycle and produces egg masses in ribbon-like sheaths of gelatinous mucus, called an 'egg raft' or 'veil'. Maximum total length for this species is 13 cm or 130 mm male/unsexed (Pietsch and Grobecker 1987). This species is strictly a piscivore (Halpern and Floeter 2008).

threats:
Of no commercial interest to the fisheries industry, but is utilized in the aquarium trade (Pietsch and Grobecker 1987).

conservationAction:
There are no known, species-specific conservation measures in place. There are several marine protected areas within its distribution in Europe.

useAndTrade:
The fish is of no commercial interest to the fisheries industry, but is utilized in the aquarium trade (Pietsch and Grobecker 1987).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA)   This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population. It is a demersal, shallow-water species with no major threats. In the European region, the fish is only recorded from the Azores (Santos et al. 1997, Carneiro et al. 2014).

range:
The fish is distributed in shallow waters of the tropical eastern Atlantic (Pietsch in prep) where it has been found from Morocco south to Cape Morro, Angola from 45-115 m depth (average 64 m) (Pietsch and Grobecker 1987). Vakily et al. 2002 reports the fish (as Antennarius senegalensis) as distributed off the Cape Verde Islands, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.In the European region, the fish is only recorded from the Azores (Santos et al. 1997, Carneiro et al. 2014).

population:
There is limited population data for the species.

habitat:
A benthic fish with a maximum size of 28.5 cm SL that sits on the bottom in shallow water habitats where it lies-in-wait using a lure to attract small prey fish near its large mouth. Eggs are laid in a large, buoyant, gelatinous mass (Pietsch in prep). Vakily et al. (2002) describes the fish as demersal with a maximum size of 29 cm SL off of West Africa. Habitat types: rocky reef, subtidal sandy, sandy-mud.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures in place. Its distribution overlaps with marine protected areas in parts of its range (World Database on Protected Areas 2010).

useAndTrade:
The fish has limited value in the aquarium trade. It is not otherwise utilized (Pietsch in prep). Possibly a component of small-scale fisheries.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Histrio histrio is only known from the Azores in northeastern Atlantic (including the Mediterranean and Black Seas) region. There are no known, ongoing threats to this species. Spawning of H. histrio seems to occur regularly and frequently for periods of more than two weeks. Although this species is taken in subsistence fisheries and is also valuable on the aquarium market, no population declines have been observed as a result. Its range overlaps with several marine protected areas, and there seems to be no other major threats to Histrio histrio. It is, therefore, assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Histrio histrio inhabits the waters of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans. In the northeastern Atlantic, H. histrio is known only from the Azores (Pietsch and Grobecker 1987). The single record from Varda¸ northern Norway, is based on a straggler taken northward by the North Atlantic and Norwegian currents (Pietsch and Grobecker 1987). This species is associated with depths of up to 50 m.

population:
Histrio histrio is an oceanodromous fish that is common throughout its geographical range (Riede 2004).  Histrio histrio is well represented in museum collections. A total of 1557 records are found with a maximum count of 170 individuals in a single lot (Accessed through Fishnet2 Portal 2013 May).  Histrio histrio is experiencing a probable population decline in the southwestern Indian Ocean off of La Reunion Island due to habitat loss and pollution (Fricke et al. 2009).

habitat:
Histrio histrio is an epipelagic fish (Mundy 2005), found near the surface, usually associated with floating objects (Claro 1994). It is often associated with floating Sargassum seaweed and is well camouflaged (Pietsch 2002). The maximum size for this species is 14.1 cm standard length (SL) (Pietsch 2002). Histrio histrio uses its fins to cling and crawl. It uses a lure to bait prey (Kells and Carpenter 2011).    It is solitary (Claro 1994), yet a voracious predator (Bohlke and Chaplin 1993), often feeding on fishes and shrimp that seek the refuge of the floating weeds (Kuiter and Tonozuka 1991).  Adults are almost exclusively found a few meters from the surface of the ocean, but young and juvenile individuals are found as deep as 500 m or more (Adams 1960). Juveniles feed on amphipods, euphausids, shrimp and other decapods, and fish eggs (Adams 1960).|     Spawning of H. histrio seems to occur regularly and frequently for periods of more than two weeks (Adams 1960).  The early life history, stages of maturation and ecology of this species are poorly understood.

threats:
No major threats to Histrio histrio are currently present and there are no indications of any at global or regional levels. However, H. histrio lives primarily among floating rafts of Sargassum macroalgae. Biomass of this algae has been declining steadily since the records were first kept in the 1930's (Stoner 1983). The IUCN has yet but evaluate the status of Sargassum algae.  Histrio histrio is described by Fricke et al. (2009) as being sensitive to human activities and is experiencing a probable population decline in the southwestern Indian Ocean off of La Reunion Island due to habitat loss and pollution.

conservationAction:
There are not any species-specific conservation efforts in place for Histrio histrio; however, the range for this species overlaps with marine protected areas (IUCN and UNEP 2010). Research into the population trends and size, ecology and early life history, as well as potential threats is needed.

useAndTrade:
This species is taken in subsistence fisheries (Pietsch and Grobecker 1987), and is also has a relatively limited valuable on the aquarium market (Pietsch in press) Histrio histrio has limited value in the aquarium trade. It is not otherwise utilized (Pietsch in press). This species may be caught in trawls off of Namibia (Bianchi et al. 1999).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Caulophryne jordani is a widespread species, which within Europe is known only from Iceland, the Azores, and possibly Madeira. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
Caulophryne jordani is a worldwide species found primarily in Eastern Atlantic, Indo-Pacific and Southern Oceans (Pietsch in press). Within Europe, it is known Iceland (Jónsson and Pálsson 1999) and the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014). It may also be found in the waters of Madeira - it was collected southwest of Madeira, but outside the EEZ and outside the proposed extension of the Portuguese continental shelf (Carneiro et al. 2014, Bertelsen in Whitehead et al. 1986). It was collected from 600 to 1100 m in Icelandic waters (Jónsson and Pálsson 1999).

population:
There are no species specific population data available.

habitat:
Caulophrynidae spp. are meso- and bathypelagic anglerfishes. Males are smaller and parasitic on the females (Pietsch in press). The maximum recorded size of C. jordani is 21.5 cm (Jónsson and Pálsson 1999).

threats:
This is a deep sea species that has no known widespread threats. It is of no economic interest (Pietsch in press).

useAndTrade:
Species of the Caulophrynidae family are of no economic interest (Pietsch in press).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Caulophryne polynema is a widespread species, which within Europe is known only from Madeira and the Azores. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
Caulophyrne polynema is distributed in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones of the eastern Atlantic and northeastern Pacific (FAO ECA guide in prep TW Pietsch). It is known from widely scattered localities. Within Europe, it is known from the Azores and Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014, Santos et al. 1997). The holotype was captured off of Madeira by long line in deep water (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Caulophyrne polynema is a solitary species that does not occur abundantly (FAO ECA guide in prep TW Pietsch). There are at least 14 known specimens of this species (Pietsch 2009).

habitat:
Caulophyrne polynema is a deepsea fish that inhabits the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones. It exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism. Females have a maximum size of 14.2 cm SL, while males are 1.6 cm SL. Females attract prey with an elongate first dorsal spine that has been modified as a lure. Males have highly developed sensory organs that allow them to find females at which point they will attach themselves to the body as a parasite that eventually becomes incorporated into the female's tissues and blood vessels (FAO ECA guide in prep TW Pietsch). Vakily et al. 2002 describes C. polynema as bathypelagic with a maximum size of 2 cm SL off of West Africa.

threats:
There are no known major threats to Caulophyrne polynema.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Caulophyrne polynema.

useAndTrade:
Caulophyrne polynema is not utilized (FAO ECA guide in prep TW Pietsch).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Ceratias holboelli is broadly distributed in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zone. In the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, it ranges from Iceland and the Strait of Denmark to Madeira and the Canary Islands. Ceratias holboelli is a solitary species that does not occur abundantly. Although there are relatively few specimens known (less than about 200), there are no known widespread threats. Therefore, Ceratias holboelli is listed as Least Concern.

range:
Ceratias holboelli is broadly distributed in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zone (Pietsch in press), though it appears to be absent from the Southern Ocean. In the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, C. holboelli ranges from Iceland (about 68o N) and the Strait of Denmark, south to Madeira and the Canary Islands (Pietsch 2009). The depth range can be between 150 and 3,400; however, it is most commonly captured between 400 and 2,000 m (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Ceratias holboelli is a solitary species that does not occur abundantly (Pietsch in press). There are 161 female specimens and 19 male specimens currently known (Pietsch 2009).

habitat:
Ceratias holboelli is a deep-sea fish that inhabits the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones. It exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism. Females have a maximum size of 77 cm standard length (SL), while males are 14.5 cm SL. Females attract prey with an elongate first dorsal spine that has been modified as a lure. Males have highly developed sensory organs that allow them to find females at which point they will attach themselves to the body as a parasite that eventually becomes incorporated into the female's tissues and blood vessels (Pietsch in prep). Females do not reach sexual maturity until they are stimulated by the attachment of a male (Pietsch 2009). This species spawns in gelatinous rafts and float up to upper water, at 0 - 200 m (Pietsch 2009). Little else is known about the diet, early life history or other biological and ecological aspects of this species.

threats:
There are no known major threats to Ceratias holboelli.

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures for Ceratias holboelli. Research into all aspects of the ecology and biology of this species is suggested.

useAndTrade:
Ceratias holboelli is not utilized (Pietsch in prep). This species may sometimes be caught in trawls off of Namibia as bycatch (Bianchi et al. 1999).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) In the eastern Atlantic and surrounding waters, Cryptopsaras couesii ranges from Iceland and southern Greenland to the African coast, including the Central Atlantic Water Mass as far south as the tip of South Africa (40 degrees South). Cryptopsaras couesii is a solitary species that does not occur abundantly. There are 983 female specimens and 74 parasitic and 100 free-living male specimens currently known. This species is a deep-sea fish that inhabits the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones. Females have a maximum size of 35.8 cm SL, while males are 7.3 cm SL. Larvae range in size from 2.5 to 15 mm TL. It exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism. There are no known commercial uses nor major threats to C. couesii; however, this species is occasionally taken as by catch. No species-specific conservation measures are in place. Due to its wide distribution and apparent lack of threats towards it, it is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Cryptopsaras couesii is distributed circumglobally in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones (Pietsch in press). In the northeastern Atlantic and surrounding waters, C. couesii is found from Iceland, southern Greenland and the western coast of Scandinavia, southward to Portugal, and the central Atlantic islands, including the Canary Islands, the Azores, and Madeira (Pietsch 1986).  Cryptopsaras couesii is associated with depths of between 75 and 4,000 m; however, it is most often found at depths between 500 and 1,250 m (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Cryptopsaras couesii is a solitary species that does not occur abundantly (Pietsch in press).  There are 983 female specimens and 74 parasitic and 100 free-living male specimens currently known (Pietsch 2009). The population abundance and trends for C. couesii are very poorly understood.

habitat:
Cryptopsaras couesii is a deep-sea fish that inhabits the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones. It exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism. Females have a maximum size of 35.8 cm Standard Length (SL), while the maximum length of a male is 7.3 cm (SL). The maximum length of a free living male is 1.03 cm (Bertelsen 1990).  Females attract prey with an elongate first dorsal spine that has been modified as a lure. Males have highly developed sensory organs that allow them to find females at which point they will attach themselves to the body as a parasite that eventually becomes incorporated into the female's tissues and blood vessels (Pietsch in press). Larvae range in size from 2.5 to 15 mm Total Length (TL) (Pietsch 2009). Females of the Ceratiidae family do not reach sexual maturity until stimulated by the attachment of a male. The genus Cryptopsaras is distinguished by a tiny illicium. Also, larvae, males, and juvenile females have subdermal pigment on their gill covers, dorsal surface of the trunk, and caudal peduncle (Pietsch 2009). The fecundity, spawning periodicity, stages of maturation and early life history traits need further research.

threats:
There are no known major threats to Cryptopsaras couesii; however, this species is occasionally taken as by catch (Bianchi et al. 1999).

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Cryptopsaras couesii. However, its cosmopolitan distribution suggests that it most likely does reside within marine protected areas around the world. Research into all aspects of the ecology and biology of this species is suggested.

useAndTrade:
Cryptopsaras couesii is not utilized (Pietsch in press). This species may be occasionally caught in trawls as bycatch, though not often (Bianchi et al. 1999).


taxonomicNotes:
This species may be a misidentification of C. suttkus.

redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Chaunax pictus is found in the eastern Atlantic form southwestern France, southern Spain and Portugal (Bay of Biscay), Northwest Iberian Peninsula, Azores, Madeira, and western Sahara to Senegal. Chaunax pictus has a maximum size of 40 cm, and has been described as bathydemersal off of West Africa. Chaunax pictus is a predator species that inhabits the transitional deep-sea coral reef habitat off of Angola.There is limited population data for C. pictus, but in the northeastern Atlantic and adjacent regional waters, C. pictus seems to be relatively uncommon. There are no commercial uses or threats to C. pictus. But, this species is commonly discarded as bycatch in the crustacean trawl fishery off southern Portugal and occurs in the same fishery off South Africa, but no population declines have been reported due to bycatch incidences. Therefore, this species is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Chaunax pictus is widely distributed in the North Atlantic and South Pacific oceans. In the northeastern Atlantic, C. pictus is known from offshore of the British Isles to Madeira and the Canary Islands (Diaz et al. 1997), including the Azores (Azevedo and Heemstra 1995). In the Mediterranean Sea, C. pictus has been identified from two locations: the Tyrrhenian Sea and Gulf of Lion (Ragonese and Guisto 1997, Muammer 2010). It is associated with depths of between 200 and 1,000 m (Duhamel 1997).

population:
There are limited population data for Chaunax pictus. There are only 284 museum collections containing C. pictus. A maximum of 37 individuals may be found in a single lot (Accessed through Fishnet 2 Portal 2013 June).  Trawl data from an experiment carried out at the Great Meteor Seamount show that C. pictus is relatively uncommon (Fock et al. 2002), having a CPUE of 0.064. One individual of this species of 18.3 cm (TL) (170 g) was collected on deep-sea red shrimp grounds near the Sentinelle Bank (central Mediterranean Sea) (Ragonese and Giusto 1997).

habitat:
Chaunax pictus has a maximum size of 40 cm total length (TL) (more commonly from 15 to 18 cm) (Smith 1986). Chaunacids are benthic anglerfishes that occur over hard to soft substrates on the continental slope at depths ranging from 275 to 625 m (Caruso in press). Vakily et al. (2002) describes C. pictus as bathydemersal with a maximum size of 40 cm TL off of West Africa. Chaunax pictus is a predator species that inhabits the transitional deep-sea coral reef habitat off of Angola (Le Guilloux et al. 2009). In a study in the Arabian Sea, Chaunax pictus exclusively fed on shrimps (Karuppasamy et al. 2008). Virtually no information is available concerning the stages of maturation, fecundity, spawning periodicity or early life history traits is available for C. pictus.

threats:
Chaunax pictus is found over hard coral and substrate, which can be a vulnerable habitat to trawl damage. There was no observation of trawl damage in a study on deep-sea coral habitat off Angola where Chaunax pictus was observed; however, further research should be conducted before allowing a deep-sea trawl fishery to begin (Le Guilloux et al. 2009). There are no known major threats. Chaunax pictus may be caught in trawls off of Namibia (Bianchi et al. 1999). This species is commonly discarded as bycatch in the crustacean trawl fishery off of South Africa (Fennessy and Groeneveld 1997) and occurs in the same fishery off of southern Portugal (Monteiro et al. 2001). Bycatch individuals are routinely discarded, as there is not a great commercial interest in Chaunax pictus.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Chaunax pictus; marine protected areas are located in many areas of its distribution. Research into all aspects of this species' ecology and biology is suggested.  This species was assessed as Least Concern in the 2007 Mediterranean Assessment (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Chaunax pictus may be caught in trawls off of Namibia (Bianchi et al. 1999). This species is commonly discarded as bycatch in the crustacean trawl fishery off of South Africa (Fennessy and Groeneveld 1997) and occurs in the same fishery off of southern Portugal (Monteiro et al. 2001). Bycatch individuals are routinely discarded, as there is not a great commercial interest in Chaunax pictus.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment (LC): Chaunax suttkusi is found in the eastern Atlantic, from Ireland south to Angola, including the Azores and in the western Atlantic from South Carolina south to the Rio Grande Plateau. This species also occurs in the Mediterranean Sea. It is considered common and widespread on continental slopes of the tropical and warm temperate Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean Sea. It is suspected that the range of this species is extending northward due to effects of sea temperature change.  Chaunax suttkusi has a maximum size of 30 cm (commonly 15 to 18 cm). Chaunacids are benthic Anglerfishes that occur over hard to soft substrates on the continental slope. In a study off the southeastern United States, C. suttkusi was found on soft bottoms. There are no known uses or threats to C. suttkusi and no species-specific conservation measures are currently in place. It is therefore listed as Least Concern.

range:
Chaunax suttkusi is restricted to the Atlantic Ocean, where it is distributed along both coasts. In the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, C. suttkusi is known from Ireland south to Madeira and the Canary Islands, including the Azores (Caruso in press), and down to Angola (Caruso 1989). Recently, single individuals have been caught in Icelandic waters; it is suspected that the range of C. suttkusi is extending northward due to effects of sea temperature change (Valdimarsson et al. 2012). Chaunax suttkusi can be found at depths ranging from 220 to 1,060 m (Caruso 1989). 

population:
There are limited data concerning the population structure and dynamics of this species. Chaunax suttkusi is considered common and widespread on the continental slopes of the tropical and warm temperate Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean Sea (Caruso et al. 2007).  In a deep sea trawl survey off of Caribbean Colombia, Chaunax suttkusi was observed frequently (in 68% of tows) (Paramo et al. 2012).

habitat:
Chaunax suttkusi has a maximum size of 30 cm standard length (SL) (commonly 15 to 18 cm). Chaunacids are benthic anglerfishes that occur over hard to soft substrates on the continental slope (Caruso in press). Chaunax suttkusi was found on soft bottoms in a study off the southeastern United States (Caruso et al. 2007). This species can be found at depths ranging from 220 to 1,060 m (Caruso 1989). Very little information is known about the diet and reproductive/spawning processes, fecundity, ecology or early life history traits for this species.

threats:
There are no known major threats to Chaunax suttkusi.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures in place for Chaunax suttkusi. There are several marine protected areas encompassed within its range. Research into the taxonomy, population size and trends, and the early life history of this species is suggested.

useAndTrade:
Chaunax suttkusi is not utilized in a commercial capacity.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment:  Bufoceratias wedli is distributed in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones of the tropical and subtropical northern Atlantic. In the eastern Atlantic it ranges from Portugal south to Namibia (24 degrees South). Bufoceratias wedli is a solitary species that does not occur abundantly and can be found at depths ranging from 400 to 2,300 m. Metamorphosed female specimens range in size from 19-196 mm.  Larger individuals are believed to be, at least partly, associated with the bottom of continental shelves and slopes. It is not commercially utilized. No species-specific conservation measures are currently in place, but there are marine protected areas throughout its range. There are no other known threats towards this species. Because there is limited population and ecological information for this species, B. wedli is assessed as Data Deficient.

range:
Bufoceratias wedli is distributed in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones of the tropical and subtropical northern Atlantic Ocean (Pietsch in press, Bianchi et al. 1999). In the western Atlantic, B. wedli is known from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, southward off Suriname and southern Brazil. In the eastern Atlantic, it ranges from Portugal south to Namibia, around 24o S (Pietsch 2009). It occurred in a trawl survey in the southern mid-Atlantic and Walvis Ridges, specifically at 4°40′S, 12°16′W (Kobyliansky et al. 2010).  Bufoceratias wedli is known to occupy depths of between 300 and 1,750 m (Anderson and Leslie 2001).

population:
Population information for B. wedli is very limited due to the extreme depth that this species prefers. Bufoceratias wedli is a solitary species that does not occur abundantly (Pietsch in press). It is known from at least 82 female specimens (Pietsch 2009). There are four collections off Mauritania: two collections of one specimen each at 17.716, -16.7 held at LACM, two collections of one specimen each at 16.73, -16.876 held at CAS (Accessed through the Fishnet2 Portal February 2014).

habitat:
Bufoceratias wedli is a deep-sea fish that inhabits the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones and seems to be associated with the bottom substrate (Pietsch et al. 2004). Females have a maximum size of 19.6 cm SL, and males have not yet been recorded (Pietsch 2009).  Females attract prey with an elongate first dorsal spine that has been modified as a lure (Pietsch et al. 2004).   There are limited data concerning the diet, fecundity or early life history traits of this species.  The family Diceratiidae is unique in that the females have a second light bearing dorsal-fins spine directly behind the insertion point of the illicium. A single metamophosed male has been found, without the ability to identify its genus. The specimen is 14 mm with no evidence of sexual parsitism in the family. Metamorphosed female specimens range in size from 19-196 mm. Females of the genus Bufoceratias possess extremely large illicia, approximately 225% of the fish's standard length. Larger individuals are believed to be, at least partly, associated with the bottom of continental shelves and slopes (Pietsch 2009). Diceratids exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism in which males are dwarfs compared to females. Males have highly developed sensory organs that allow them to find females at which point they will attach themselves to the body as a parasite that eventually becomes incorporated into the female's tissues and blood vessels (Pietsch in press).

threats:
There are no known major threats to Bufoceratias wedli.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Bufoceratias wedli. There are numerous marine protected areas throughout its range. Research into the population dynamics and trends, as well as into ecology and early life history is recommended for this species.

useAndTrade:
Bufoceratias wedli is not utilized (Pietsch in press). This species may sometimes be caught in trawls off of Namibia (Bianchi et al. 1999).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) There is limited distribution information for this fish. In European waters, it is known from the northeastern Atlantic ocean off the coast of Iceland and from Portugal (Madeira). It is a meso-bathypelagic species, residing between 1,000 m and 1,360 m. Whilst little is known of its population or ecology, the fish is not utilised in fisheries and there are no known major threats. Therefore the fish is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Gigantactis ios is a meso-bathypelagic anglerfish (Pietsch in press). Distribution information is limited; however there are records from northwestern Atlantic ocean off New England (Hartel et al. 2008) and northeastern Atlantic ocean off Iceland (Jónsson and Pálsson 1999) and Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014).

population:
Little to no population information is available for Gigantactis ios due to its rarity.

habitat:
The Gigantactinidae is known for their extreme sexual dimorphism. Males of the Gigantactinidae family are characterized by their small size. They are considered a dwarf male family with a maximum size of 2.2 cm, while the women are significantly larger than the men with the ability to reach 43.5 cm in size (Pietsch in press). In the Gigantactinidae family males are known to attach to the females by using pincer-like denticles. In this particular family males do not permanently attach and are only attached for a small period of time (Pietsch 2005). Residing at depths of between 1,000 m and 1,360 m (Pietsch in press).

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation efforts in place or required. further information on the species distribution and population trends is required.


range:
Gigantactis vanhoeffeni is a meso-bathypelagic anglerfish (Pietsch in press). Distributed circumglobally in temperate and tropical seas, recorded off Cape Verde, a single record off southern Greenland (Anderson and Leslie 2001), and from the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014).

population:
No population information available, but assumed to be stable.

habitat:
The Gigantactinidae is known for their extreme sexual dimorphism. Males of the Gigantactinidae family are characterized by their small size. They are considered a dwarf male family with a maximum size of 2.2 cm, while the women are significantly larger than the men with the ability to reach 43.5 cm in size (Pietsch in press). In the Gigantactinidae family males are known to attach to the females by using pincer-like denticles. In this particular family males do not permanently attach and are only attached for a small period of time (Pietsch 2005). Gigantactis vanhoeffeni resides at depths of between 300 m and 5,300 m.

conservationAction:
No species-specific conservation efforts in place or required for this fish.


range:
Footballfish are found in meso- and bathypelagic waters in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Oceans (Pietsch in prep), extending as far north as Iceland. Found between the depths of 170 and 1,100 meters (Anderson and Leslie 2001). In the European region, the fish has been recorded from off the Azores and off Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014), from off the northwestern coast of Ireland (54°47'N - 10 0 35'W, 878-1,012 m; Quero et al. 2000), to Iceland (Jónsson and Pálsson 1999).

habitat:
The largest female specimen that was found was 46.5 cm standard length and the males are often 3.9 cm (Pietsch in prep). Female football fish passively attract prey by using a luring device from its modified first dorsal-fin spine (Pietsch in prep). The males actively seek a mate by using their highly developed sense organs. Once they have found a mate, they attach themselves to the female but are not parasitic (Pietsch in prep).

threats:
There are no species-specific threats, however they can get caught in midwater trawls.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation efforts.

useAndTrade:
Himantolophus albinares is of no economical interest.


range:
Himantolophus brevirostris is a meso- and bathypelagic species with a worldwide distribution (Pietsch in press). This species has been found in the tropical and the eastern North Atlantic, as well as a few in the western Indian Ocean, South Pacific Ocean, and Indonesian waters (Hartel et al 2008). In the European region the fish is known from the Azores archipelago (Carneiro et al. 2014).

population:
Only males have ever been found (Pietsch in prep.).

habitat:
Females passively attract prey by using a luring device located on their first dorsal-fin spine (Pietsch in prep.). Males actively seek a mate by using their highly developed sensory organs; once a mate is found, the male attaches themselves to it but they do not become parasitic (Pietsch in prep.).

conservationAction:
There are no species specific-conservation efforts in place or required.


redListCategoryRationale:
Himantolophus compressus is known from a single specimen that was taken off the coast of southern Portugal. Very little is known about H. compressus due to lack of collected specimens. The holotype had a length of 130 mm. As virtually nothing is known about the population or ecology of this species, Himantolophus compressus is assessed as Data Deficient. 

range:
Himantolophus compressus is restricted to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, where it is only known from the holotype collected off the coast of Portugal. The holotype has subsequently been destroyed in a fire at the Museu Bocage, Lisbon . Members of the H. cornifer-group have been caught over a wide depth range, from 170 to 2,150 m depth (Steward and Pietsch 2010). 

population:
Himantolophus compressus is known only from the holotype, which was destroyed in a fire (Quigley and Flannery 1997). There is very limited population information for this species.

habitat:
Very little is known about Himantolophus compressus due to lack of collected specimens. This species is characterized by its long illicium, 75% of the standard length. The holotype had a length of 130 mm (Pietsch 2009).  Depth ranges of this family vary according to developmental stage. Larvae are epipelagic, living at depths less than 50 m. At metamorphosis, young adults descend to depths of more than 800 m. Once metamorphosis is completed, males will remain at mesopelagic and bathypelagic depths of over 1,000 m while females will return to lesser depths of 200 to 800 m (Pietsch 2009). 

threats:
There are no known threats to Himantolophus compressus.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for Himantolophus compressus. There are numerous marine protected areas (MPAs) within the distribution of H. compressus, but it is not known if the MPAs are able to accommodate the depth preference of this species (Davies et al. 2007). Further research is needed in the areas of ecology, early life history, population size and trends, as well as potential threats to this species.

useAndTrade:
Himantolophus compressus is not commercially utilized.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Himantolophus groenlandicus is widely distributed in the Atlantic and possibly Indian Oceans where it occurs in the meso-bathypelagic zones. In the Atlantic it ranges from West Greenland and Iceland to Norway, and southward down the coast of west Africa, including Ireland the Azores and off the Iberian peninsula. It is a deep-dwelling species that is usually solitary and does not occur in abundance. This species is known from ~140 individuals. Specimens were caught in nets fishing between 200 to 800 m with possibly shallower catches. It may sometimes be taken as bycatch in trawl fisheries but it is not thought to occur often enough to significantly impact the population. It is not utilized and has no major threats. It is not clear if this species has established a breeding population in European and regionally adjacent waters. It is assessed as Data Deficient, as it is not clear if it occurs in Europe.

range:
Himantolophus groenlandicus is widely distributed in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones of the Atlantic and possibly eastern Indian Oceans (Pietsch in press). In the Atlantic, it ranges from western Greenland and Iceland to Norway at 70oN, 17oE, and south to the Gulf of Mexico in the west and to Cape Town, South Africa in the east. In the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, H. groenlandicus is known from Iceland and Norway south to Madeira and the Canary Islands (Pietsch 1986, Carneiro et al. 2014), including Ireland (Quigley and Flannery 1997). Specimens were caught in nets fishing between 200 and 800 m with possibly shallower catches (Pietsch 2009). Depth ranges of this family vary according to developmental stage. Larvae are epipelagic, living at depths less than 50 m. At metamorphosis, young adults decent to depths of more than 800 m. Once metamorphosis is completed, males will remain at mesopelagic and bathypelagic depths of over 1,000 m while females will return to lesser depths of 200 to 800 m (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Himantolophus groenlandicus is known from at least 143 female specimens (Pietsch 2009). Members of the Himantolophidae family are typically solitary and do not occur in abundance (Pietsch in press). There are a total of 257 museum collections containing H. groenlandicus, with a maximum count of 10 individuals in a single lot (Accessed through Fishnet 2 Portal 2013 June). There are no specific population data for this species in the northeastern Atlantic and adjacent regional waters.

habitat:
Himantolophus groenlandicus is a deep-sea fish that inhabits the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones. Females have a maximum size of 46.5 cm standard length (SL) and dwarf males of 4 cm (SL) apparently do not become parasitically attached to females (Pietsch 1986).  Females attract prey with an elongate first dorsal spine that has been modified as a lure. It consumes benthic organisms, such as crustaceans, arthropods and other benthic fishes (Pietsch in press). Males have highly developed sensory organs that allow them to find females at which point they will temporarily attach themselves to the body (Pietsch in press). Living males have been captured with fully developed testes filling most of their body cavity. A fully mature female has yet to be found (Pietsch 2009).  Little is understood about the spawning periodicity, stages of maturation or early life history traits for this species.

threats:
There are no known major threats to Himantolophus groenlandicus. It is sometimes taken as bycatch in trawl fishing nets (Bianchi et al. 1999), but it is not thought to have had a measurable, adverse effect on the population of this species.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Himantolophus groenlandicus. Its range overlaps with numerous marine protected areas. Further research into the population size and trends, ecology and early life history, as well as potential threats to this species is needed.

useAndTrade:
Himantolophus groenlandicus is not utilized (Pietsch in press). This species may be incidentally taken as bycatch in trawls off of Namibia (Bianchi et al. 1999).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) In European waters, the fish is only known from Madeiran (current southernmost record), Spanish, and Icelandic waters (current northernmost record), which suggests that this species has a continuous distribution. The fish is not targeted, is generally a deep-water fish, and is therefore considered Least Concern.

range:
In European waters, this species is only known from the waters of Iceland (Jonsson 1992), Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014), and from off the coast of Asturias, northern Spain, from the central Cantabrian Sea (Arronte and Pietsch 2007). Outside the European region, the fish is known throughout much of the North Atlantic (Arronte and Pietsch 2007), including from the Flemish Gap bank, east of Newfoundland in the northwestern Atlantic (Rodríguez-Marín and De Cárdenas 1996).

habitat:
This is a marine, bathypelagic species, with a depth range of 200-800 m, occasionally to below 1,000 m (Pietsch 2009, Arronte and Pietsch 2007).

threats:
There is a lack of information regarding threats to this species. Found in fisheries by-catch but not targeted.

conservationAction:
There is a lack of information regarding conservation actions for this species and further research is required.

useAndTrade:
Most records are as by-catch from commercial fisheries vessels Arronte and Pietsch 2007), however it is not a targeted species.


range:
This species is found in tropical and subtropical parts of all ocean, In the European region, four specimens are known from off Madeira (Bertelsen 1990), from the Azores archipelago (Carneiro et al. 2014) and a single record west of Gran Canaria (Bordes Caballero et al. 2009).

population:
The species is known from few records in the European region.

habitat:
This is a small, mesopelagic deep-sea angler fish (Paxton et al. 1989). Males are dwarfed, and will become parasitic on females (Bertelsen 1990). An 8 cm female was found with three parasitic males of 18 mm length, attached to her ventral side. Adult parasitic males are colorless with reduced teeth, jaws, and eyes. This species has been found to depths of 2,250 m.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place or required.

useAndTrade:
There is no use and trade information available for this species and it is unlikely to be utilized.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Linophryne arcturi is a widely-distributed species, which within Europe is restricted to Madeira. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
This species is known from the eastern Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Within Europe it is only known from Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014).

habitat:
This is a marine bathypelagic species, with a depth range of 650-1,900 m (Pietsch 2009).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) This species is distributed in the northern Atlantic, where it is known from a relatively small number of specimens from Bermuda to Madeira. Within the European region, it is known from Madeira and the Azores, however it is considered Least Concern as it is a deep-water species with no known threats.

range:
This species is distributed in the northern Atlantic, where it is known from a relatively small number of specimens from Bermuda to Madeira, between 32o and 45o N (Pietsch 2009). Within the European region, it is only known from Madeira and the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014).

habitat:
This is a marine, bathypelagic; non-migratory species, with a depth range of 600-2,000 m (Pietsch 2009).

useAndTrade:
There is a lack of information regarding use or trade of this species. It is not targeted in fisheries.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) Linophryne lucifer has been assessed as Least Concern. A North Atlantic species, in the European region the fish is known from Portugal (Madeira) and Iceland. This species is described as relatively common in areas of its range and and is unlikely to be threatened by any major human-induced or climatic threats at present, because of its deep-water nature. Further research should be conducted on the distribution of this species to determine if it is more widespread than currently known.

range:
Linophryne lucifer is a North Atlantic species. In the European region, the fish is known from Portugal (Madeira; Carneiro et al. 2014) and Iceland (Jónsson 1992).

population:
Linophryne lucifer has been described as "relatively common" in Icelandic and adjacent waters (Jónsson and Pálsson 1999).

habitat:
Linophryne lucifer is a deep water angler fish showing extreme morphological differences between males and females. The smaller males are obligatory sexual parasites and cannot survive long-term without latching on to a female. The female body is short, with a large head and wide mouth with long, slender asymmetrically arranged front teeth. An illicium and luminescent esca serve as a 'rod' and 'bait' to lure prey.  The reproductive organs of both sexes cannot mature without a parasitic association with a member of the opposite sex, though it should be noted that the female can have more than one male attached. Members of the genus Linophryne are benthopelagic and are taken in midwater and bottom trawls (Bertelsen 1982, Swinney 1995).  Bertelsen (1982) relates their benthopelagic nature to a greater abundance of food in this zone, compared to the mesopelagic. Records of Ceratioid fish are confined to the waters off the south and west of Iceland. Few specimens have been collected in the northern fishing grounds, indicating that the distribution of Ceratioid fish maybe limited to the warmer Atlantic waters (Jónsson and Pálsson 1999). In this study, specimens were taken at depths of 500-1,000 m. A single specimen was collected by Soviet research vessels at 1,220-1,275 m on the west Australian Ridge.

threats:
Specimens of Linophryne lucifer are taken as by-catch during commercial fishery trawling (Ejsymont 1970). However, it is unlikely that this poses a significant threat to the population, as it is also found to occur outside of commercial fishery zones.

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for Linophryne lucifer. Further research is needed to confirm the distribution of this species.


redListCategoryRationale:
This fish is only known from the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Madeira. This species has been reported at depths of to 880 m. It appears to be rare and is known from only three specimens. Whilst it is assumed that the fish is not impacted by fishery activities and there are no known species-specific threats, the fish is known from such a small number of records that its true distribution can not be defined, and it is considered Data Deficient. Further research is required for this species.

range:
This fish is only known from the eastern Atlantic off the coast of Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014). This species has been reported at depths of zero to 880 m (Pietsch 2009).

population:
There is little species-species population information available for L. maderensis. This species is rare in museum collections and is apparently known from three specimens, with males being unknown (Bertelsen 1986).

habitat:
This species occurs at depths of up to 880 m.

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats to the fish.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place or required for this fish, although further information on its distribution is needed.

useAndTrade:
There is no use and trade information available for the fish, however it is unlikely to be utilised.

redListReviewers:
Smith, S., Polidoro, B., Ralph, G., Allen, D.J. & Nieto, A.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD) This fish is known from three records globally, two of which are from the European region (off Madeira and off the Azores) in the Eastern Atlantic. It is known from depths of 1,055 to 1,295 m. Whilst it is assumed that the fish is not impacted by fishery activities and there are no known species-specific threats, the fish is known from such a small number of records that its true distribution can not be defined, and it is considered Data Deficient. Further research is required for this species.

range:
This fish is known from very few records. In the eastern Atlantic it is known from two records off Madeira (Portugal; 33°26'N, 16°59'W) and from off the Azores (Pietsch 2009). Pietsch (2009) reports a single specimen from the East China Sea. Known from depths of 1,055 to 1,295 m (Pietsch 2009).

population:
No information available. Apparently known from only three specimens globally.

threats:
There is no species-specific threat information available, however as a deep-water species, it is assumed to not be threatened.

conservationAction:
Further information on the species' distribution is needed.

useAndTrade:
There is no use and trade information although it is unlikely utilized.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD) This fish is known from a very small number of specimens globally, two of which are from the European region (off Madeira and off the Canaries) in the eastern Atlantic. It has been collected at depths ranging from 210 to at least 1,500 m. Whilst it is assumed that the fish is not impacted by fishery activities and there are no known species-specific threats, the fish is known from such a small number of records that its true distribution can not be defined, and it is considered Data Deficient. Further research is required for this species.

range:
The fish is known from a very small number of specimens in the eastern Atlantic (Madeira, Portugal; Carneiro et al. 2014 and off the Canaries; Bordes Caballero et al. 2009), from a record off the northeast coast of South America, a record off California, and has also been recorded from off Hawaii. This species has been collected from depths 210 to 1,500 m, although one specimen was collected using a pelagic net with 4,000 m of cable (Pietsch 2009).

population:
There is little species-specific population information available. Known from a very small number of specimens.

habitat:
A deepwater species collected at depths ranging from 210 to at least 1,500 m.

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place. Further information in the species distribution is needed.

useAndTrade:
There is no use and trade information available, but not known to be taken in fisheries.


redListCategoryRationale:
This fish is known from the Eastern Central Atlantic, from a very small number of records off Madeira and the Canary Islands, where it was collected at depths of between 1,000 to 1,250 m. Whilst it is assumed that the fish is not impacted by fishery activities and there are no known species-specific threats, the fish is known from such a small number of records that its true distribution can not be defined, and it is considered Data Deficient. Further research is required for this species.

range:
This fish is apparently only known from off Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014) and from the seas around the Canary Islands (30°04'N, 23°00'W) at a depth of between 1,000 to 1,250 m (Pietsch 2009).

population:
This fish is known from a very small number of specimens (Pietsch 2009).

habitat:
This is a deepwater species with very little population information.

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place or needed, although further distribution data are required.

useAndTrade:
There is no use and trade information available although it is likely not utilized.

redListReviewers:
Smith, S., Polidoro, B., Allen, D.J., Nieto, A. & Ralph, G.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) In Europe, Photocorynus spinicepsis found in Madeira. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
In Europe, Photocorynus spinicepsis found in Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014). It is circumglobally distributed in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. In the Atlantic it is known from both sides between 32 degrees north and 13 degrees south. In the Pacific it is known from Japan (35 degrees north), Hawaii, and the Gulf of Panama off of Peru.  It has been captured in nets fishing between 990-1,420m depth (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Photocorynus spiniceps is known from at least 31 female specimens, three free-living males, and four parasitic males (Pietsch 2009).

habitat:
Females of Photocorynus spiniceps have a maximum size of 6.9cm SL and males are 8.6cm SL (Pietsch 2009). Linophrynids are deepsea anglerfishes that inhabit the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones. They exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism. Females attract prey with an elongate first dorsal spine that has been modified as a lure. Males have highly developed sensory organs that allow them to find females at which point they will attach themselves to the body as a parasite that eventually becomes incorporated into the female's tissues and blood vessels (Pietsch in prep.). The ovaries of a 5 cm SL specimen contain ripening eggs 0.4-0.5 mm in diameter (Pietsch 2009).

threats:
There are no known major threats to Photocorynus spiniceps.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Photocorynus spiniceps.

useAndTrade:
Photocorynus spiniceps is not utilized. Linophrynids are not utilized (Pietsch in prep.).


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Lophius budegassa is widely distributed in the eastern Atlantic. In the northeastern Atlantic, L. budegassa is known from the British Isles to the Iberian Peninsula, including the Mediterranean. It is a demersal species that can occur from the shore to the continental slope, to 1000 m. It is a commercial species which began to be explicitly targeted in the 1980s. Lophius budegassa is long-lived, late-maturing, and slow-growing, which may make it more susceptible to overfishing. There are no comprehensive estimates of biomass of L. budegassa in the European Regional Assessment Zone. Although L. budegassa is considered overexploited in the Mediterranean and biomass estimates from the southern Southern Shelf stock are below Bmsy, available data from the northern shelf do not show any trends of decline. Therefore, L. budegassa is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Lophius budegassa is restricted to the eastern Atlantic Ocean (Caruso in press). In the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, L. budegassa is known from the British Isles to the Iberian Peninsula, including the Mediterranean Basin (Caruso 1983, Crozier 1985, Caruso in press, Papaconstantinou 1988, Maravelias and Papaconstantinou 2003). It is typically found to 1,000 m depth (Caruso in press). 

population:
In the northeastern Atlantic, L. budegassa is managed in three units, Northern Shelf stock (Divisions IIIa, IVa–c, and VIa,b), northern Southern Shelf stock (Divisions VIIb–k and VIIIa,b,d), and southern Southern Shelf stock (Divisions VIIIc and IXa). It is particularly difficult to manage these stocks due to the lack of ageing data, and further study on growth is needed. There are also indications that there is a need for a better understanding of the location of spawning grounds and related behavior. There is no clear indication of decline of the Northern Shelf stock over the past 20 years based on estimates of SSB from a length-based stock assessment (from 1993-2002) and scientific survey data (from 2005-2012) for combined L. piscatorius and L. budegassa (ICES 2013). There are no estimates of biomass for the northern Southern Shelf stock, but time trends in surveys from 1997 to 2012 show a slight increase in survey catch rates in the Bay of Biscay, and a 2-fold increase in survey catch rates in the Celtic Sea (ICES Advice 2013). The relative biomass (B/Bmsy) of the southern Southern Shelf stock decreased from 0.9 to 0.5 between 1980 and 2000, but has since risen again to 0.7 in 2012; fishing mortality is currently at Fmsy (ICES Advice 2013). The trigger for management action is about 0.5 for B/Bmsy. Lophius budegassa is more dominant than L. piscatorius in the Mediterranean Sea.  It is assessed in two units (Gulf of Lyons and the Malta Island-South of Sicily) in the Mediterranean, both of which consider this species to be overexploited (GFCM 2013). In the Gulf of Lyons, this species is considered to be unsustainably exploited, and catch reductions are recommended. In the Malta Island-South of Sicily, survey estimates do not show a trend (STECF 2013).

habitat:
Lophius budegassa is a benthic fish with a maximum size of 100 cm (more common to 50 cm) that occurs from the shoreline to the continental slope (Vakily et al. 2002, Caruso in press). In the Mediterranean, the maximum recorded size is 95 cm total length (TL) and the length at maturity is 66.2 cm TL (Tsikliras and Stergiou 2014). Lophius budegassa and L. piscatorius are long-lived species with slow growth and late maturation; maximum age for females is 25 years and for males is 21 years (Duarte et al. 2001, Landa et al. 2001, Farina et al. 2008). The spawning season is typically between October and March, but may vary annually or by latitude (Azevedo 1996, Duarte et al. 2001). Size at 50% maturity is around 53—66 cm for females and 37—37 cm for males (Azevedo 1996, Duarte et al. 2001, Ungaro et al. 2002); growth curves may vary by sex (Garcia-Rodriguez et al. 2005). They exhibit seasonal onshore–offshore movements in response to thermal conditions, prey availability, or for spawning (Landa et al. 2001). The larvae of this species are pelagic. Juveniles ranged from 79—204 days old, indicating that the pelagic phase is relatively short and that settlement occurs within the first 3 months of life (La Mesa and De Rossi 2008).  Off the northern coast Spain, L. budegassa frequently fed on Blue Whiting (Micromesistius poutassou), Greater Forkbeard (Phycis blennoides) and the European Hake (Merluccius merluccius), while juveniles fed mainly on small benthic fish; however, diet composition varied depending on season and depth (Preciado et al. 2006).

threats:
Lophius budgessa and L. piscatorus have occurred as bycatch in North Atlantic fisheries for at least the past century. In the 1980s this species began to be targeted by bottom trawl and gill net fisheries. Lophius budegassa and Lophius piscatorius catch statisticsare lumped together in the fishery off of Portugal and Spain where total allowable catch limits were set at very high levels from 1987 to 1999 (10,000 to 13,000 tonnes), and did not restrict the fishery. Since 2005, the TAC has been set at 2,000 tonnes, which goes against ICES recommendations for a full moratorium (Azevedo et al. 2008). In the eastern Mediterranean, L. budegassa may be experiencing growth overfishing, as the stock was mostly composed of 3-4 year old juveniles and spawners were scarce (Carlucci et al. 2009). In a study of the gill net fishery off the northern coast of Spain it was estimated that 18.1 tonnes of Lophius spp. are captured annually by abandoned nets (ghost fishing) which represents 1.46% of the total commercial landings of this fishery (Sancho et al. 2003). There are some concerns and need for further research into polychlorinated biphenyl and organochlorine pesticide residue concentrations in L. budegassa due to the fact it is closely associated with potentially contaminated sediments as well as its role as a piscivorous predator (Storelli et al. 2004, Yilmaz et al. 2010).

conservationAction:
Trawl fisheries that targeted Lophius budegassa in the Gulf of Castellammare off Sicily have been banned since 1990, resulting in a subsequent eight-fold increase in biomass. Other nearby areas such as the Gulf of Termini Imerese remain heavily fished (Badalamenti et al. 2008). Lophius budegassa was assessed as Least Concern in the Mediterranean in 2007 (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Lophius budegassa is targeted by bottom trawl fisheries is considered a highly desirable food fish in the market. Species-specific catch statistics are not available.L. budegassa and Lophius piscatorius are among the most valuable fish targeted in western and southern European waters. They have occurred as bycatch in North Atlantic fisheries for at least the past century until they began to be specifically targeted there and in Iberian waters in the 1980s (Hislop et al. 2001). ICES considers there to be a northern and southern stock, however, there is some doubt whether this is true (Blanco et al. 2008). L. budegassa and L. piscatorius are targeted in bottom trawl fisheries and gill net fisheries off Portugal and Spain where the landings peaked between 1980 and 1986/1987 and have generally decreased thereafter (Azevedo et al. 2008). After 2000, the number of juveniles of L. budegassa and L. piscatorius caught in the Spanish Northeast Atlantic trawl fisheries increased in most areas (Diaz et al. 2008). The North Atlantic trawl fishery for L. piscatorius and L. budegassa (composes a lesser percentage of the catch than L. piscatorius) in ICES Subarea VI (West of Scotland and Rockall) and Division IVa (the North Sea) expanded rapidly in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with landings peaking at almost 35,000 tonnes in 1996 and significant subsequent decline thereafter. Total allowable catch limits were set in 1999, however, misreporting by fishermen was suspected and probable. Stock assessment attempts lacked many valuable pieces of data (Dobby et al. 2008). There have also been declines of Lophius spp. catch in the ICES Divisions Vllb,c and j,k in Irish waters since the mid-1980s (Fahy and Gleeson 1992). In ICES Divisions VIIb-k and VIIIa,b,d the 2011 and 2012 TACs were 40,950 tonnes and 38,900 tonnes respectively, while the 2010 TAC for both species combined was 41,400 tonnes and estimated landings 28,880 tonnes. Spain and France together contributed about 80% of total stock landings. Since 2007 the assessment has been based on commercial LPUEs and data from four surveys that gather data on biomass, abundance indices and length distributions. For L. budegassa, survey data indicate that biomass and abundance have been continuously increasing from the mid to late 2000s due to strong recruitments during 2004-2008. Recruitment was low in 2009, but improved in 2010.In ICES Divisions VIIIc and IXa landings of both species combined were 2,331 tonnes in 2010, which was 58% above the set TAC of 1,496 tonnes. The TAC in 2011 and 2012 was 1,571 tonnes and 3,300 tonnes respectively. The two species are assessed separately (but managed together) using a surplus-production model (software ASPIC), tuned with commercial LPUE series for L. budegassa and a length based SS3 implementation for L. piscatorius. Fishing mortality of L. budegassa was around FMSY in the early 1980s, subsequently increasing to much higher levels. F has been decreasing strongly since year 2000 and has been below FMSY since 2009. Biomass was close to BMSY until the mid-late 1980s, then decreasing strongly during the period of higher fishing mortality. In parallel with the reduction in F in recent years, biomass shows a marked upwards trend since 2008, being below but close to BMSY in 2011. It is particularly difficult to manage these stocks due to the lack of ageing data and further study on growth is needed (ICES Report 2012). Farina et al. (2008) also indicates there is a need for a better understanding of the location of spawning grounds and related behavior.This species occurs as bycatch in the trawl fishery on the Mersin-Anamur fishing ground off Turkey (Atar and Malal 2010). 

redListAssessors:
Fernandes, P., Cook, R., Florin, A., Lorance, P., Nielsen, J. & Dickey-Collas, M.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Lophius piscatorious is restricted to the eastern Atlantic, where its range may extend from Greenland to Namibia, though there remains uncertainty as to its southern limit. In the northeastern Atlantic, L. piscatorius is found from Greenland to the Straits of Gibraltar, including the Mediterranean Sea, though very little information exists for L. piscatorius in the Mediterranean. It is a demersal species that can occur from the shore to the continental slope, to 500 m. Lophius piscatorius is long-lived, late-maturing, and slow-growing, which may make it more susceptible to overfishing. Lophius piscatorius is managed in three units in the northeastern Atlantic, where it is heavily targeted by bottom trawl fisheries and considered a very valuable food fish. There is no indication of decline based on various estimates of biomass, SSB or scientific surveys across the three stocks. Therefore, L. piscatorius is listed as Least Concern. However, catches along the Norwegian coast are increasing to as much as 5,000 tonnes in recent years, and may be in need of appropriate management.

range:
Lophius piscatorius is restricted to the eastern Atlantic Ocean, where it is distributed from Greenland and Norway south to Mauritania. In the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, L. piscatorius is found from the southwest Barents Sea to the Straits of Gibraltar, including the Mediterranean and Black seas (Caruso 1986, Papaconstantinou 1988). This species is reportedly expanding its range northward due to increasing water temperatures, where it is now known from as far north as Greenland as well as Iceland and northwest Europe (Møller et al. 2010). Lophius piscatorius has been collected from shallow, inshore waters to 500 m (Caruso 1986).

population:
In the northeastern Atlantic, L. piscatorius  is managed in three units, Northern Shelf stock (Divisions IIIa, IVa–c, and VIa,b), northern Southern Shelf Stock (Divisions VIIb–k and VIIIa,b,d), and southern Southern Shelf stock (Divisions VIIIc and IXa). It is particularly difficult to manage these stocks due to the lack of ageing data and further study on growth is needed. There are also indications that there is a need for a better understanding of the location of spawning grounds and related behavior. There is no clear indication of decline of the Northern Shelf stock over the past 20 years based on estimates of  spawning stock biomass (SSB) from a length-based stock assessment (from 1993—2002) and scientific survey data (from 2005—2012) for combined Lophius piscatorius and Lophius budegassa (ICES 2013a). There are no estimates of biomass for the northern Southern Shelf stock, but time trends in surveys from 1997 to 2012 show a three-fold increase in survey catch rates in the Bay of Biscay and a two-fold increase in the Celtic Sea (ICES Advice 2013). The SSB for the southern Southern shelf stock decreased from 10,000 tonnes in the early 1980's to 2000 tonnes in 1992,  but has since been increasing and was 7,000 tonnes in 2012 (ICES Advice 2013). This species can also be found north of these three stocks, off the coast of Iceland, where catches of approximately 3,000 tonnes were being reported. However, observations of poor recruitment have led to recommendations to reduce catches 1,500 tonnes per year. Catches along the Norwegian coast are increasing to as much as 5000 tonnes in recent year, but has decreased in the last year (2012), and together with decreasing CPUE may indicate a need for appropriate management (ICES 2013b). Lophius piscatorius was described as frequently occurring in a trawl survey conducted off the coast of Namibia between the years 1992—1996 (Hamukuaya et al. 2001). This species is reportedly expanding its range northward due to increasing water temperatures where it is now known from as far north as Greenland as well as Iceland and northwest Europe (Møller et al. 2010). This species frequently occurred in a trawl survey off the Cape Verde Islands where it was identified as the synonym L. vaillanti (Menezes et al. 2004).

habitat:
Lophius piscatorius is a bathydemersal species which occurs from the shoreline to the continental slope, to depths of about 500 m (Caruso 1986). It exhibits seasonal onshore–offshore movements in response to thermal conditions, prey availability, or for spawning (Landa et al. 2001). Landa et al. 2001 also found evidence for L. piscatorius movements between the Le Danois Bank and the Cantabrian continental shelf which may indicate mixing of the northern and southern populations. In a study on this species off of northern Britain, spawning occurred in deep water, the larval transition from pelagic to demersal occurred in relatively shallow water, and most recruits entered the North Sea from the north and west which indicates that juveniles may settle hundreds of kilometers from the spawning grounds (Hislop et al. 2001). The larvae of L. piscatorius are pelagic (Caruso in press). Eggs are extruded in a buoyant, gelatinous ribbon that may measure more than 10 m, resulting in a highly clumped distribution of eggs and newly emerged larvae (Hislop et al. 2001), and therefore, ecosystem conditions tend to have significant impacts on recruitment success (ICES 2012). In a tag-recapture study in southern European waters, growth rate was estimated at 13.6 cm per year-1 (Landa et al. 2007). L. budegassa and L. piscatorius are long-lived species with slow growth and late maturation with females achieving older age and greater size than males (25 years vs. 21 years old) (Duarte et al. 2001, Landa et al. 2001, Farina et al. 2008). The maximum size is 200 cm (Vakily et al. 2002), though it is more common to 40 to 60 cm. Length at maturity varies depending on sex and season: female mean length at maturity was 73 cm and males were 49 cm (Afonso-Dias and Hislop 1996). Off the Portuguese and Spanish Atlantic coasts, lengths and ages at first maturity for females were 93.9 cm and 14 years and for males 50.3 cm and 6 years, and the number of mature females was low (Duarte et al. 2001). In the Mediterranean L. piscatorius had a mean size at sexual maturity for females of 68.5 cm TL (Ungaro et al. 2002, Tsikliras and Stergiou 2014) and maximum size of 100 cm TL (Tsikliras and Stergiou 2014).  Spawning off the Iberian Peninsula occurred between January and June (Duarte et al. 2001). Off the northwest coast of Scotland on this species, ripe males occurred year-round, ripe females were found between November and May (Afonso-Dias and Hislop 1996). In Norway, a generation length of 8 years was used, but it may be longer (perhaps as long as 15 to 20 years). Lophius piscatorius is a sit-and-wait predator that utilizes concealment and a lure to opportunistically feed on prey items (Laurenson et al. 2004). In a study off the Shetland Islands, UK this species preyed upon a wide variety of items (mostly fish) with the main prey being Norway Pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) and Lesser Sandeel (Ammodytes marinus), though diet composition varied seasonally (Laurenson and Priede 2005).

threats:
Lophius budgessa and L. piscatorus have occurred as bycatch in North Atlantic fisheries for at least the past century.  They began to be specifically targeted in the 1980s by bottom trawl and gill net fisheries. L. budegassa and Lophius piscatorius are lumped together in the fishery off of Portugal and Spain where total allowable catch limits were set at very high levels from 1987 to 1999 (10,000 to 13,000 tonnes), and did not restrict the fishery. Since 2005, the TAC has been set at 2,000 tonnes,  which goes against ICES recommendations for a full moratorium (Azevedo et al. 2008). In the eastern Mediterranean, L. budegassa may be experiencing growth overfishing, as the stock was mostly composed of 3-4 year old juveniles and spawners were scarce (Carlucci et al. 2009). In a study of the gill net fishery off the northern coast of Spain it was estimated that 18.1 tonnes of Lophius spp. are captured annually by abandoned nets (ghost fishing) which represents 1.46% of the total commercial landings of this fishery (Sancho et al. 2003).

conservationAction:
Lophius piscatorius was assessed as Least Concern in the Mediterranean in 2007 (Abdul Malak et al. 2011, IUCN 2011).

useAndTrade:
Lophius piscatorius is targeted by bottom trawl fisheries and is considered a highly desirable food fish in the market. Species-specific catch statistics are not available (Caruso in press).  L. budegassa and Lophius piscatorius are among the most valuable fish targeted in western and southern European waters. They have occurred as bycatch in North Atlantic fisheries for at least the past century until they began to be specifically targeted there and in Iberian waters in the 1980s (Hislop et al. 2001). ICES considers there to be a northern and southern stock, however, there is some doubt whether this is true (Blanco et al. 2008). L. budegassa and L. piscatorius are targeted in bottom trawl fisheries and gill net fisheries off Portugal and Spain where the landings peaked between 1980 and 1986/1987 and have generally decreased thereafter (Farina et al. 2008). After 2000, the number of juveniles of L. budegassa and L. piscatorius caught in the Spanish Northeast Atlantic trawl fisheries increased in most areas (Diaz et al. 2008). The North Atlantic trawl fishery for L. piscatorius and L. budegassa (composes a lesser percentage of the catch than L. piscatorius) in ICES Subarea VI (West of Scotland and Rockall) and Division IVa (the North Sea) expanded rapidly in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with landings peaking at almost 35,000 tonnes in 1996 and significant subsequent decline thereafter. Total allowable catch limits were set in 1999, however, misreporting by fishermen was suspected and probable. Stock assessment attempts lacked many valuable pieces of data (Dobby et al. 2008). There have also been declines of Lophius spp. catch in the ICES Divisions Vllb,c and j,k in Irish waters since the mid-1980s (Fahy and Gleeson 1992). In ICES Divisions VIIb-k and VIIIa,b,d the 2011 and 2012 TACs were 40,950 tonnes and 38,900 tonnes respectively, while the 2010 TAC for both species combined was 41,400 tonnes and estimated landings 28,880 tonnes. Spain and France together contributed about 80% of total stock landings. Since 2007 the assessment has been based on commercial LPUEs and data from four surveys that gather data on biomass, abundance indices and length distributions. For L. budegassa, survey data indicate that biomass and abundance have been continuously increasing from the mid to late 2000s due to strong recruitments during 2004-2008. Recruitment was low in 2009, but improved in 2010.In ICES Divisions VIIIc and IXa landings of both species combined were 2,331 tonnes in 2010, which was 58% above the set TAC of 1,496 tonnes. The TAC in 2011 and 2012 was 1,571 tonnes and 3,300 tonnes respectively. The two species are assessed separately (but managed together) using a surplus-production model (software ASPIC), tuned with commercial LPUE series for L. budegassa and a length based SS3 implementation for L. piscatorius. Fishing mortality of L. budegassa was around FMSY in the early 1980s, subsequently increasing to much higher levels. F has been decreasing strongly since year 2000 and has been below FMSY since 2009. Biomass was close to BMSY until the mid-late 1980s, then decreasing strongly during the period of higher fishing mortality. In parallel with the reduction in F in recent years, biomass shows a marked upwards trend since 2008, being below but close to BMSY in 2011. It is particularly difficult to manage these stocks due to the lack of ageing data and further study on growth is needed (ICES Report 2012). Farina et al. (2008) also indicates there is a need for a better understanding of the location of spawning grounds and related behavior.This species occurs as bycatch in the trawl fishery on the Mersin-Anamur fishing ground off Turkey (Atar and Malal 2010). 


redListCategoryRationale:
Euroean Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Melanocetus johnsonii is circumglobally distributed in the meso-bathypelagic zones and is a relatively rare, deep-dwelling species. It has been found at depths of over 4,000 m, but it is normally found shallower than 1,500 m. Melanocetus johnsonii is known from at least 852 female specimens and 8 males. It may occur as bycatch in trawl fisheries, but it is not utilized and there are no major threats as it inhabits deep, bathypelagic waters. Therefore, M. johnsonii is assessed as Least Concern.  

range:
Melanocetus johnsonii is distributed in the tropical and temperate parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans between 66oN and 53oS. In the western Atlantic it is distributed from 175—2,700 m depth (mostly greater than 2,10 0m) from Greenland south to Argentina (Moore et al. 2003). Near Hawaii, it is known from Oahu and Johnson Atoll from 600—1,000 m depth (Mundy 2005). This species occurs off of Japan from the Pacific coast of Tohoku District and around Okinotorishima Island (Nakabo 2002). In the eastern Atlantic, M. johnsonii is known from scattered localities from Iceland south to Namibia (e.g., Jonsson and Palsson 1999, Hamukuaya et al. 2001, Vakily et al. 2002). Melanocetus johnsonii is found in depths of between 100 and 4,500 m (Yang et al. 1996), but it is most commonly found between 100 and 1,500 m (Pietsch 1986).

population:
This species is widespread and may be common. Melanocetus johnsonii is known from at least 852 female specimens and 8 males (Pietsch 2009). Melanocetids are solitary species that do not occur abundantly (Pietsch in press).There are 557 museum collections containing M. johnsonni with a maximum count of 30 individuals in a single lot (Accessed through Fishnet 2 Portal, www.fishnet2.net, 11 June 2013).

habitat:
 Melanocetids are deepsea fishes that inhabit the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones (Vakily et al. 2002). Larvae are found primarily in upper 100 m (Watson 1996). Melanocetus johnsonii females have a maximum size of 15.4 cm standard length (SL), while males are up to 2.8 cm (SL) (Pietsch 2009). Melanocetus johnsonii is carnivorous, preying on deep benthic crustaceans, gastropods and other benthic fishes (Pietsch in press). Melanocetus johnsonii is capable of catching and swallowing prey larger than itself, as witness the approximately 24.0 cm (SL) specimen of Chauliodus sp. in the stomach of a 6.6 cm (SL) individual (Stewart and Pietsch 1998). They exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism. Females attract prey with an elongate first dorsal spine that has been modified as a lure. Males have highly developed sensory organs that allow them to find females at which point they will temporarily attach themselves to the body (Pietsch in press). Melanocetus johnsonii is oviparous, with planktonic larvae. The eggs are presumably contained in floating gelatinous rafts (Watson 1996). The fecundity, spawning periodicity, stages of maturation and early life history traits of this species are poorly understood. .

threats:
There are no known major threats to Melanocetus johnsonii. This species may be taken as by-catch in trawls (Bianchi et al. 1999).

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures for Melanocetus johnsonii. Its range intersects with numerous marine protected areas, but the depth preference of this species may be too deep for these protected areas to be of significant value to M. johnsonii.

useAndTrade:
Melanocetus johnsonii is not utilized (Pietsch in press). This species may be caught, incidentally, in deep-water trawls off of Namibia (Bianchi et al. 1999).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) In Europe, Melanocetus murrayi is found in the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
In Europe, Melanocetus murrayi is found in the Azores, Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014)and the Canary Islands (Brito et al. 2002). Globally, Melanocetus murrayi is nearly cosmopolitan in its distribution with numerous records throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans between 64oN and 43oS where it has occurred in nets fishing between zero to over 2,000 m depth, but mostly at greater than 1,500 m depth (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Melanocetus murrayi is known from at least 310 female specimens and four males (Pietsch 2009). Melanocetids are solitary species that do not occur in abundance (Pietsch in prep.).

habitat:
Melanocetus murrayi females have a maximum size of 12.4cm SL, while males are up to 2.0cm. Melanocetids are deepsea fishes that inhabit the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones. They exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism. Females attract prey with an elongate first dorsal spine that has been modified as a lure. Males have highly developed sensory organs that allow them to find females at which point they will temporarily attach themselves to the body (Pietsch in prep.).

threats:
There are no known major threats to Melanocetus murrayi in the Eastern Central Atlantic.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Melanocetus murrayi in the Eastern Central Atlantic.

useAndTrade:
In the Eastern Central Atlantic Melanocetus murrayi is not utilized (Pietsch in prep.).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) In Europe, this species is found off the Azores. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
In Europe, Neoceratias spinifer is known from a record off the Azores, 81 nautical miles northeast of the Marsala Seamount (Carneiro et al. 2014). It has a worldwide distribution in tropical and warm, temperate waters and is found at depths of 350 to 1,750 m (Mundy 2005).

population:
There is little species-specific population information available for N. spinifer. It is represented by only eight lots in a search of museum collections (FishNet2 database search June 2014).

habitat:
The maximum known size of N. spinifer females is 10.9 cm (SL), while the smaller, parasitic males reach sizes of 1.9 cm (SL) (Pietsch in prep). This species is a marine demersal species which is found at depths of 350 to 1,750 m (Mundy 2005).

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats to N. spinifer.

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for N. spinifer.

useAndTrade:
There is no use and trade information available for N. spinifer.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Chaenophryne draco is a widespread species, which within Europe is known from the waters of mainland Portugal, Madeira, and the Azores. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
Chaenophryne draco has a worldwide distribution and has been recorded at depths ranging from 350 to 1750 m (Mundy 2005). Within Europe, it is known from the waters of mainland Portugal, Madeira, and the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014, Santos et al. 1997).

population:
There is little species-specific population information available for C. draco. This species is abundant in museum collections, where it is represented by 170 lots (FishNet2 database searched June 2014).

habitat:
Chaenophryne draco is a meso- and bathypelagic species, and is known from only female specimens with the largest known female is 12.3 cm SL (Pietsch in press 2014).

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats to C. draco.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for C. draco.

useAndTrade:
There is no use and trade information available for C. draco, although it is unlikely to be utilized.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Chaenophryne longiceps is a circumglobal, tropical species. Due to the deep-water nature of this species it is unlikely that it is being impacted by any major human-induced or climatic threats. While this species is occasionally taken as by-catch, this threat is not known throughout this species wide range and is unlikely to be harvesting significant numbers. There are no known uses or threats to C. longiceps. No species specific conservation measure are currently in place, but there are numerous marine protected areas throughout it range. It has, therefore, been assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Chaenophryne longiceps is found in the tropical to temperate parts of all oceans. The most southerly specimen recorded was found off the coast of New Zealand (Stewart and Pietsch 1998). Chaenophryne longiceps is found in the Atlantic Ocean, from the Caribbean to West Greenland and as far north as 70o N. Chaenophryne longiceps has never been found farther south than the equator in the Atlantic Ocean (Pietsch 2009). In the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Chaenophryne longiceps can be found off the northern coast of Iceland, and south throughout temperate and tropical waters to 1oN (Pietsch 2009). It has been found at depths ranging from 500 to 950 m, but may inhabit deeper waters as well (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Population data for Chaenophryne longiceps are very limited for European waters, including the Mediterranean and Black Seas. It appears to be relatively uncommon. During the period 1973 to 1999, only 32 individuals were reported by commercial fishermen to Iceland's Marine Research Institute (Jónsson and Pálsson 1999). There are only 147 museum collections of Chaenophyrne longiceps with a maximum count of 13 individuals in a single lot (Accessed through Fishnet 2 Portal 2013 June).

habitat:
The Can-opener Smoothdream is a bathypelagic and meso-pelagic species (Bertelsen 1990). While the males are dwarfed, they are not parasitic. Chaenophryne longiceps feeds on fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans (Coad and Reist 2004). Males of the family Oneirodidae are fee-living and not sexually parasitic. Specimens of the genus Chaenophryne have thick leathery skin. Metamorphosed females range in size from 10 to 245 mm; metamorphosed males range in size from 12 to 12.5 mm. Larvae range in size from 3.2 to 19 mm. Female C. longiceps have been captured in water 500 m and deeper. The majority of specimens captured (90%) have been caught in waters below 850 m. The largest specimens have been captured in waters 950 m. This species maximum depth is currently unknown (Pietsch 2009). The ecology, including the spawning periodicity, fecundity, stages of maturation and early life history traits need further research.

threats:
The Can-opener Smoothdream has been taken as by-catch in deep water trawls however due to the depth range this species occupies, this is not thought to be a major threat at present . There are no other known threats that exist towards C. longiceps.

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place, for the Can-opener Smoothdream. Some parts of its range overlap with marine protected areas (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). Further research into all aspects of the biology and ecology of this species is suggested.

useAndTrade:
There are no known uses of Chaenophryne longiceps.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Chaenophryne ramifera is a widespread species, which within Europe is known only from the Azores. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
Chaenophryne ramifera is widely distributed in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans (Pietsch 2009). Within Europe it is only known from the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014). Depth range values are not clear, but most of the specimens were caught with gear fishing deeper than 550 m with a total range of 200-1,000+ m (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Chaenophryne ramifera is known from at least 23 female specimens in the eastern central Atlantic (Pietsch 2009).

habitat:
Females of Chaenophryne ramifera have a maximum length of 8.7 cm SL and males are unknown (Pietsch 2009).  Oneirodids are solitary, meso- and bathypelagic anglerfishes. Females passively attract prey with a luring device. Males actively seek mates with their highly developed sense organs and temporarily attach themselves to the female (not parasitic) (Pietsch in prep FAO ECA guide).

threats:
There are no known major threats to Chaenophryne ramifera.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Chaenophryne ramifera.

useAndTrade:
Chaenophryne ramifera is not utilized. Oneirodids are not utilized (FAO ECA guide in prep TW Pietsch).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Ctenochirichthys longimanus is a widespread species, which within Europe is known only from Madeira. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
Ctenochirichthys longimanus is known from the Eastern Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Oceans. Within Europe, it is only known from Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014). It is known from depths ranging from 800 to 1000 m (Pietsch 2009, Pietsch in press 2014).

population:
There is little species-specific population information available for C. longimanus, it is represented by 3 lots in museum collections (FishNet2 Database searched June 2014).

habitat:
Ctenochirichthys longimanus is a deep-water species. Females reach a maximum size of 3.7 cm SL, and males reach a maximum size of 1.2 cm SL.

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats to C. longimanus.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for C. longimanus.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Dolopichthys allector is a widespread species, which within Europe is known only from Madeira and the Azores. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
Dolopichthys allector is distributed throughout the Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans. In the Atlantic, records are clustered in the north between 45-53oN, and in the far south between 36-40oS, although one specimen was captured in a trawl survey in the southern mid-Atlantic and Walvis Ridge at 4°40′S, 12°16′W (Kobyliansky et al. 2010). Within Europe, it is known from Madeira and a single specimen to the northeast of the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014). Most specimens were captured by gear fishing between 1,050-2,000 m depth (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Dolopichthys allector is known from at least 15 female specimens (Pietsch 2009).

habitat:
Females of Dolopichthys allector have a maximum length of 15.4 cm SL and males are unknown (Pietsch 2009).  Oneirodids are solitary, meso- and bathypelagic anglerfishes. Females passively attract prey with a luring device. Males actively seek mates with their highly developed sense organs and temporarily attach themselves to the female (not parasitic) (Pietsch in prep).

threats:
There are no known major threats to Dolopichthys allector.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Dolopichthys allector.

useAndTrade:
Dolopichthys allector is not utilized. Oneirodids are not utilized (Pietsch in prep).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Dolopichthys danae is a widespread species, which within Europe is known only from Madeira. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
This species is known from the tropical eastern Atlantic and has been recorded to depths of 600 to 2000 m (Pietsch 2009, Pietsch in press 2014). There is a single record from the northeastern Pacific that belongs to Oregon State University, but there are no other records of this species in the Pacific Ocean. Known from both sides of the North Atlantic between 30 and 40° N and the type locality at 8°N 44° W. Within Europe, it is only known from Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014).

population:
This species is somewhat rare, a search of museum collection databases revealed three lots (FishNet2 database searched June 2014).

habitat:
Dolopichthys danae is known from only female specimens, the largest known female specimen is 11.5 cm (SL).

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats to D. danae.

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for D. danae.

useAndTrade:
There is no use and trade information available for this species, although it is unlikely to be utilized.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Dolopichthys jubatus is a widely-distributed species, which within Europe is restricted to the Azores and Madeira. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
This species has a cosmopolitan distribution in warm waters. Within Europe, it is known from the Azores and Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014, Santos et al. 1997).

habitat:
This is a marine, bathypelagic species with a depth range of 690-1,353 m (Pietsch 2009).


range:
This species has a circumglobal distribution in temperate to tropical waters. Within Europe, it is only known from the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014).

habitat:
This is a marine, bathypelagic species, with a depth range of 1,375-2,200 m (Pietsch 2009).


range:
The fish is found in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Oceans, as well as the Indian and Indo-Pacific Oceans. This species is found at depths of 1,375 to 2,200 m (Pietsch 2009). In the European region the fish is known from Portugal (the Azores archipelago; Carneiro et al. 2014).

population:
No information available; presumably rare.

habitat:
Females reach a maximum known size of 15.4 cm SL, males are unknown (Pietsch in press).


range:
The fish is found in the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and is found to depths of 2,000 m (Scott and Scott 1988). In the European region the fish is known from Portugal (the Azores archipelago and Madeira; Carneiro et al. 2014).

population:
There is little species-specific population information available for the species.

habitat:
The largest known female specimens are 10.3 cm SL, and the largest known male specimens are 0.8 cm (Pietsch in press).

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for this species.

useAndTrade:
There is no use and trade information available for this species, and it is unlikely to be utilized.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Lophodolos acanthognathus can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. It lives in the bathypelagic zone at depths ranging from 650 m to over 1500 m. Lophodolos acanthognathus is one of the best represented anglerfish in global collections. Females range in size from 6 to 73 m; metamorphosed males are still unknown. Lophodolos acanthognathus is not commercially utilized. There are no known species specific conservation measures in place, but due to its deep depth preference, there are no known threats towards it. Therefore, Lophodolos acanthognathus is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Lophodolos acanthognathus can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans (Bertelsen 1986).  Most specimens collected in the Atlantic Ocean were taken off the coasts of Cuba and Greenland. In the eastern Atlantic, L. acanthognathus ranges from southern Iceland to the continental slope off Africa at 2oS, 9oW.  Specimens have been captured at depths ranging from 650 m to over 1,500 m (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Lophodolos acanthognathus is one of the best represented anglerfish in global collections (Pietsch 2009). There are 117 museum records with a maximum of 5 individuals in a single lot (Accessed through Fishnet2 Portal 2013 June).  In a bottom trawl survey conducted along the Mid-Atlantic ridge from Iceland to the Azores, L. acanthognathus proved to be more than twice as abundant than any other species or family in the Lophiiformes (Sutton et al. 2008).

habitat:
Lophodolos acanthognathus lives in the bathypelagic zone at depths ranging from 650 m to over 1,500 m. Females range in size from 6 to 73 mm and are relatively long and slender. Their illicium length varies from 10% to 140% of the specimen's standard length. The esca is a pair of unpigmented , bilateral appendages appearing silvery white. The maximum recorded length of this fish is a female at 7.9 cm total length (TL) (Bertelsen 1986)Metamorphosed males are still unknown. Collected larvae range in size from 7 to 8 mm. They can be distinguished by a dark V-shaped patch of pigment on their gill covers (Pietsch 2009). Due to the depth preference of this species, little research had been conducted into its stages of maturation, fecundity, spawnal periodicity, and early life history traits

threats:
There are no know threats to Lophodolos acanthognathus.

conservationAction:
There are no known species specific conservation measures in place. The range of Lophodolos acanthognathus does overlap several marine protected areas (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). Research into the life history, reproduction, population and possible threats towards this species is needed.

useAndTrade:
There are no known uses for Lophodolos acanthognathus.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) In Europe, this species is found in the Azores and Portugal. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
In Europe, this species occurs in the Azores and Maderia (Carneiro et al. 2014). Globally, Microlophichthys microlophus is widely distributed throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. In the western Atlantic it ranges from Florida, north to Bermuda and the central North Atlantic at 54oN, 30oW (Pietsch 2009) including the Caribbean and Newfoundland (Moore et al. 2003). In the eastern Atlantic it is known from West Africa at 22oNorth, 23oW to the Gulf of Guinea and farther south to 36oS, 5oE. In the Indian Ocean it is known from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. In the Pacific it is known from numerous widely scattered records between Japan, the Philippines, and Banda Sea to the Hawaiian Islands and further east to the Gulf of Panama and Peru-Chile Trench as far south as 13oS. One specimen was captured in a trawl survey in the southern mid-Atlantic and Walvis Ridge at 4°06.16′S, 12°25.50′W (Kobyliansky et al. 2010). The depth range is between 800-2,200 m (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Microlophichthys microlophus is known from at least 94 female specimens and five male specimens (Pietsch 2009).

habitat:
Females of Microlophichthys microlophus have a maximum length of 11.2cm SL and males 1.7cm SL (Pietsch 2009). Oneirodids are solitary, meso- and bathypelagic anglerfishes. Females passively attract prey with a luring device. Males actively seek mates with their highly developed sense organs and temporarily attach themselves to the female (not parasitic) (Pietsch in prep). The ovary of one 10.6cm specimen contains eggs 0.30-0.35 mm in diameter and another 11.2cm specimen has eggs with 0.40-0.45 mm (Pietsch 2009).

threats:
There are no known major threats to Microlophichthys microlophus.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Microlophichthys microlophus.

useAndTrade:
Microlophichthys microlophus and Oneirodids in general are not utilized (Pietsch in prep.).


redListCategoryRationale:
Oneirodes anisacanthus is known to occur in the North Atlantic from Madeira, the Canary Islands, and from off Iceland; it is currently considered endemic to the European assessment region. Further research is required to confirm its distribution, threats, and population trends, and it it is considered Data Deficient.

range:
Oneirodes anisacanthus is known to occur in the North Atlantic from Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014), the Canary Islands (Bordes Caballero et al. 2009), and from off Iceland (65°N, 29°W; Jónsson and Pálsson 1999).

population:
Oneirodes anisacanthus is known from single records collected from Madeira, the Canary Islands and from Iceland. There is limited information available on its population status and trends.

habitat:
Oneirodes anisacanthus is a deep-water anglerfish collected from a depth of about 1,500 m. There is limited information available on its life history characteristics.

threats:
There is no information available on threats but it is assumed to have no current threats given its deep-water habitat.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation actions in place for this species. Research is required for this fish.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Data Deficient (DD) Oneirodes carlsbergi is a relatively rare species with a narrow, circumtropical distribution that lies between 18oN and 8oS where it has not yet been collected in the western Atlantic or Indian Ocean. In the eastern Atlantic it ranges from 36oW between 18oN and 5oS. One specimen has been taken off the Irish Atlantic Slope and one in Icelandic waters. Males specimen O. carlsbergi are unknown. Members of this species can be found at depths ranging from 360 to 1,000 m. There are no known threats towards this species, and no conservation measures have been put in place for this species. Oneirodes carlsbergi is only known from a few specimens in Europe and confirmation is needed that an established, reproducing population exists within the defined zonal area of the region in order for the European Assessment to assess this species. It is, therefore, assessed as Data Deficient until confirmation that it occurs in Europe.

range:
Oneirodes carlsbergi has a relatively narrow circumtropical distribution between 18oN and 8oS, though it has not yet been collected in the western Atlantic or Indian Ocean.  In the western Pacific, it is known from single records in the Java and Banda Seas, and north of Luzon, Philippines. Several are known from the central equatorial Pacific, but many more in the eastern tropical Pacific between 8oN and 8oS. It has been captured by nets fishing between 360 to 1,000 m depth (Pietsch 2009). It also occurs off southern Taiwan in the northern South China Sea (Shao et al. 2008). In the northeastern Atlantic, Oneirodes carlsbergi is known from only a few specimens: in Icelandic waters (Jónsson and Palsson 1999), off the Irish Atlantic Slope (Pietsch 2009), northwest of Galacia, Spain and from the southern Canary Islands. This species can be found at depths ranging from 360 to 1,000 m (Pietsch 2009). 

population:
This species is rare. Oneirodes carlsbergi is known from at least 30 female specimens (Pietsch 2009). Oneirodes carlsbergi  is rare with only 16 museum collections with each one containing a single specimen (Accessed through Fishnet 2 Portal 2013 June).

habitat:
Oneirodids are solitary, meso- and bathypelagic anglerfishes. Female Oneirodes carlsbergi have a maximum length of 22.2 cm standard length (SL) and males are unknown (Pietsch 2009).  Females passively attract prey with a luring device. They are lethargic, lie-and-wait predators, that are well adapted to the low energy conditions of deep-sea environments (Luck and Pietsch 2008). Males actively seek mates with their highly developed sense organs and temporarily attach themselves to the female (not parasitic) (Pietsch in press).  Little else is known about the diet, ecology, stages of maturation, fecundity or early life history traits of this species.

threats:
There are no known major threats to Oneirodes carlsbergi.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Oneirodes carlsbergi. Marine protected areas are interspersed throughout its range, but it is undetermined if the deep depth preference of O. carlsbergi allows this species to benefit from them. Research into all aspects of this species' population size and trends, ecological and biological characteristics, as well as any potential threats is suggested.

useAndTrade:
Oneirodes carlsbergi is not utilized. Oneirodids are not utilized, in general, in the commercial fishing industry (Pietsch in press).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) In Europe, Oneirodes clarkei is known from Madeira. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
In Europe, Oneirodes clarkei is known from Madeira (Carneiro et al. 2014). Globally, it occurs in the northeast Atlantic and it is associated with depths of between zero and 1,500 m.

population:
There is little species-specific population information available.

habitat:
This species is known from female specimens. The maximum known size is 11.9 cm (Pietsch in press).

conservationAction:
There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for O. clarkei.


redListCategoryRationale:
European Regional Assessment: Least Concern (LC) Oneirodes eschrichtii is nearly cosmopolitan in its distribution where it is widespread in occurrence in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. In the eastern Atlantic it is known from the Irish Atlantic Slope off Ireland and Iceland, southwards to Madeira and Portugal. Despite its widespread occurrence, Oneirodes eschrichtii is rare. Fifteen specimens have occurred in Icelandic waters. This species is found in deep waters, is not utilized commercially, and there are no known threats towards it. There are no specific conservation measures in place for O. eschrichtii, but there are marine protected areas throughout its range. Therefore, Oneirodes eschrichtii is assessed as Least Concern.

range:
Oneirodes eschrichtii is nearly cosmopolitan in its distribution where it occurs in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. In the western Atlantic, it is known from Greenland (66o N) and south to Bermuda. In the western Indian Ocean, it is known from the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. In the western Pacific it is known from the Philippines and South China Sea, north to Japan and the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench at 49o N, 158o  E, and south to New South Wales, Tasmania, and New Zealand. In the eastern Pacific it extends from central equatorial waters at 150o W to the west coast of the Americas from 33oN to 34o S, including the Gulf of Panama (Pietsch 2009). In the eastern Atlantic, it is known from the Irish Atlantic Slope as far south as 40o S and between 43 and 7o W, specifically off Ireland, Madeira, Portugal and Iceland (Bertelsen 1990). Fifteen specimens have occurred in Icelandic waters (Jónsson and Palsson 1999). Specimens have been collected from 750 to 2,500 m (Pietsch 2009).

population:
Oneirodes eschrichtii is considered relatively rare. Oneirodes eschrichtii is known from at least 115 female specimens (Pietsch 2009). There are only 95 museum collections with a maximum count of 3 individuals in a single lot (Accessed through Fishnet 2 Portal June 2013).

habitat:
Female Oneirodes eschrichtii have a maximum length of 21.3 cm standard length (SL) and males are unknown (Pietsch 2009).  Oneirodids are solitary, meso- and bathypelagic anglerfishes. Females passively attract prey with a luring device. Males actively seek mates with their highly developed sense organs and temporarily attach themselves to the female (not parasitic) (Pietsch in press). They are lethargic, lie-and-wait predators, that are well adapted to the low energy conditions of deep-sea environments (Luck and Pietsch 2008). Several large specimens (12.1 to 21.3 cm (SL)) contain ripe ovaries with large and tightly packed eggs (Pietsch 2009). Oneirodes eschrichtii can be found at depths ranging from 300 and 2,600 m (Pietsch 2009). Oneirodes eschrichtii is a rare, deep-sea species, and the habitat, diet, spawning periodicity, stages of maturation and early life history traits are poorly understood.

threats:
There are no known major threats to Oneirodes eschrichtii.

conservationAction:
There are no known conservation measures for Oneirodes eschrichtii. There are numerous marine protected areas interspersed throughout its range (World Database on Protected Areas 2010). Research into all aspects of this species' population, ecology, biology and potential threats is suggested.

useAndTrade:
Oneirodes eschrichtii is not utilized. Oneirodids are not utilized (Pietsch in press).


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) Oneirodes macronema is recorded only from the Azores. This species is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
Oneirodes macronema is widely distributed in the Atlantic from the Caribbean and the Azores and the Pacific with records from Hawaii. It is probably more widespread than currently recognized. In the European region, it is recorded only from the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014). 

population:
Oneirodes macronema is known from a few specimens (Bertelsen 1986). There is limited information available on its population status and trends. 

habitat:
Oneirodes macronema is a a deep-water anglerfish collected from a depth of about 350 m. There is limited information available on its life history characteristics.

threats:
A deep-water fish that is not utilised, it is assumed to have no current threats.


redListCategoryRationale:
European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA) In Europe, this species is known from the Azores. It is assessed as Not Applicable as it has a marginal occurrence in Europe. Its European population is considered to represent less than 1% of the global population.

range:
In Europe, this species is known from the Azores (Carneiro et al. 2014). Globally, it is known from the North Atlantic Ocean with one record from the South Atlantic Ocean (G. Ralph pers. comm. 2015). It has been collected at depths ranging from 598 to 1,100 m (FishNet2 database searched June 2014).

population:
There is little species-specific population information available for O. macrosteus. It is represented by 26 lots (FishNet2 database searched June 2014).

habitat:
This species has been collected in the vicinity of seamounts (FishNet2 database searched June 2014). Females reach 18.5 cm SL, males are unknown.

threats:
There are no known species-specific threats to O. macrosteus.

conservationAction:
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for O. macrosteus.

useAndTrade:
There is no use and trade information available for this species, and it is likely not utilized.


