Catch trends and population status of the leopard whipray Himantura leoparda (family Dasyatidae) off the east coast of South Africa

Abstract

The leopard whipray Himantura leoparda (family Dasyatidae) is globally assessed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species owing to the species’ inherent vulnerability and declining population trends. In this study we assessed the population found off the coast of South Africa by modelling probability-of-capture using a comprehensive recreational shore-angling competition dataset covering a 46-year period (1977–2022, except not 2020). Although partially biased by ‘effort creep’, the results of JARA (Just Another Red-List Assessment) suggested that the population in South African waters is stable, and thus it was assessed as Least Concern. Decreased fishing effort, introduction of catch-and-release by competition anglers, and the establishment of large no-take marine protected areas within the core range of the species are the likely reasons for this conservation success. However, heavy fishing pressure on the population in southern Mozambique is cause for concern, and ongoing monitoring and careful management are required to ensure sustainable use of this resource.