Diversity and Conservation Status of Sharks and Rays in the Dutch Caribbean

Sharks and rays (i.e., elasmobranchs) are ecologically important species, yet their populations have declined severely worldwide over the past decades. In the Dutch Caribbean (Saba, Sint Maarten, Sint-Eustatius, Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire), knowledge on their diversity and status remains limited. We updated the species list and conservation status of sharks and rays in the the Dutch Caribbean by combining records in the literature (including grey literature), observations by fishers and divers, online recorded observations, and input by other experts. This resulted in eight new species recorded for these islands and 44 additional island records for species previously documented. Despite some species overlap, the Leeward island group in the southern Caribbean (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) and the Windward island group (Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten) located in the northeastern Caribbean are characterized by distinct elasmobranch communities. The presence of most species could be confirmed for the waters of Saba (n = 22 species, 41% of expected species) and Curaçao (n = 25, 32.5% of expected species). The conservation status of many shark and ray species from the waters of the Dutch Caribbean are data deficient, as the presence of 60% of expected species (i.e. expected based on distribution maps), including the majority of regional endemic species, could not be confirmed. Conservation state assessments indicate unfavourable conditions for coastal and pelagic species, while the status of deep-sea species remains unknown. We recommend improving data collection, identification of critical habitats, evaluation and expansion of existing legislation, and strengthening regional cooperation to ensure their effective conservation.