Species FAO code: RJA

Rostroraja alba

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Commercial designations
Production methods and fishing gears
Conservation measures
Species distribution and habitat
Species description
Combined Nomenclature

Commercial designations

Country	Commercial designations	Names accepted or permitted locally or regionally
Croatia	hr volina bjelica	–
Czech Republic	cs Rejnok	–
Denmark	da Spidsrokke	–
France	fr raie blanche [Raja alba synonym for Rostroraja alba] fr pocheteau [Raja alba synonym for Rostroraja alba]	–
Lithuania	lt baltoji raja	–
Slovakia	sk raja biela [Raja alba synonym for Rostroraja alba] sk raja biela	–
Slovenia	sl bela raža [Raja alba synonym for Rostroraja alba]	–
Spain	es Raya bramante [Raja alba synonym for Rostroraja alba]	Balearic Islands: Llisól [Raja alba synonym for Rostroraja alba] Canary Islands: Raya picuda [Raja alba synonym for Rostroraja alba] Catalonia: Rajada blanca [Raja alba synonym for Rostroraja alba]
Sweden	sv Grårocka	–

Main production methods

Caught

Main fishing gears

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Rostroraja alba (Lacepède, 1803)

TACs and quotas

Total allowable catches (TACs) or fishing opportunities, are catch limits (expressed in tonnes or numbers) that are set for most commercial fish stocks. TACs are set annually for most stocks (every two years for deep-sea stocks) by the Council of fisheries ministers. TACs are shared between EU countries in the form of national quotas. For each stock a different allocation percentage per EU country is applied for the sharing out of the quotas. Read more: TACs and quotas

Stocks (2021)

SRX/03A-C.

Rajiformes

Fishing areas

27.3.a Skagerrak and Kattegat (Division IIIa) Union waters

TAC

45.0 t

Union

45.0 t

10.0 t

35.0 t

Stocks (2021)

SRX/07D.

Rajiformes

Fishing areas

27.7.d Eastern English Channel (Division VIId) Union waters

TAC

1400.0 t

Shall not apply to undulate ray (Raja undulata).

Union

1183.0 t

Special condition: of which up to 5 % may be fished in 6a, 6b, 7a-c and 7e-k (SRX/*67AKD). This special condition shall not apply to small-eyed ray (Raja microocellata) and to undulate ray (Raja undulata). — Special condition: of which up to 10 % may be fished in United Kingdom and Union waters of 2a and 4 (SRX/*2AC4C). This special condition shall not apply to small-eyed ray (Raja microocellata). — Shall not apply to undulate ray (Raja undulata).

7.0 t

1051.0 t

125.0 t

Stocks (2021)

SRX/2AC4-C

Rajiformes

Fishing areas

27.2.a Norwegian Sea (Division IIa) United Kingdom waters
27.4 North Sea (Subarea IV) United Kingdom and Union waters

TAC

1650.0 t

Shall not apply to blonde ray (Raja brachyura) in United Kingdom waters of 2a and small-eyed ray (Raja microocellata) in United Kingdom and Union waters of 2a and 4. When accidentally caught, these species shall not be harmed. Specimens shall be promptly released.

Union

540.0 t

10.0 t

220.0 t

257.0 t

13.0 t

40.0 t

Stocks (2021)

SRX/67AKXD

Rajiformes

Fishing areas

27.7.e Western English Channel (Division VIIe) United Kingdom and Union waters
27.7.j Southwest of Ireland / East (Division VIIj) United Kingdom and Union waters
27.7.g Celtic Sea North (Division VIIg) United Kingdom and Union waters
27.7.f Bristol Channel (Division VIIf) United Kingdom and Union waters
27.7.h Celtic Sea South ( Division VIIh) United Kingdom and Union waters
27.7.c Porcupine Bank (Division VIIc) United Kingdom and Union waters
27.6.a Northwest Coast of Scotland and North Ireland or as the West of Scotland (Division VIa) United Kingdom and Union waters
27.6.b Rockall (Division VIb) United Kingdom and Union waters
27.7.k Southwest of Ireland - West (Division VIIk) United Kingdom and Union waters
27.7.b West of Ireland (Division VIIb) United Kingdom and Union waters
27.7.a Irish Sea (Division VIIa) United Kingdom and Union waters

TAC

9675.0 t

Shall not apply to small-eyed ray (Raja microocellata), except in 7f and 7g. When accidentally caught, this species shall not be harmed. Specimens shall be promptly released. — Shall not apply to undulate ray (Raja undulata).

Union

6875.0 t

1011.0 t

11.0 t

3757.0 t

4.0 t

837.0 t

21.0 t

1210.0 t

19.0 t

5.0 t

Stocks (2021)

SRX/89-C.

Rajiformes

Fishing areas

27.8 Bay of Biscay (Subarea VIII) Union waters
27.9 Portuguese Waters (Subarea IX) Union waters

TAC

To be established

Shall not apply to undulate ray (Raja undulata). This species shall not be targeted in the areas covered by this TAC. In cases where it is not subject to the landing obligation, by-catch of undulate ray in subareas 8 and 9 may only be landed whole or gutted.

Union

5129.0 t

1949.0 t

1590.0 t

1580.0 t

10.0 t

Stocks (2021)

SKA/N3LNO.

Rajidae

Fishing areas

21.3.L Cape Freels, Cape St. Mary's, Grand Bank, Avalon Peninsula, St. John's
21.3.O Grand Bank
21.3.N Grand Bank

TAC

7000.0 t

Union

4408.0 t

3403.0 t

283.0 t

62.0 t

Habitat

Saltwater

FAO major fishing areas

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Rostroraja alba (Lacepède, 1803)

Distribution maps

Source: Aquamaps - Computer Generated Native Distribution Map for Rostroraja alba

Scientific name

Rostroraja alba

Author

(Lacepède, 1803)

Rank

Species

FAO code

RJA

Morphological description

A giant skate with a broad-based, abruptly narrow-tipped snout covered with small, sharp thorns; pectoral disc angular, and no thorns on nape or back, but three rows of large thorns on tail (Ref. 5578). Larger immature and adult individuals grey with numerous small white spots above, underside white with no black pores; hatchlings plain reddish-brown above, often with blue spots, and white below with broad dusky grey margins on disc (Ref. 5578).

Taxonomic classification

ClassElasmobranchii
- OrderRajiformes
  - FamilyRajidae
    - GenusRostroraja
      - SpeciesRostroraja alba

Synonyms

Raja bramante (Sassi, 1846)
Raja marginata Lacepède, 1803
Raja rostellata Risso, 1810
Raia rostellata Risso, 1810
Raja alba Lacepède, 1803
Raia alba Lacepède, 1803
Raja bicolor Shaw, 1804
Raia bicolor Risso, 1827

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Rostroraja alba (Lacepède, 1803)

An annually revised goods classification scheme used in EU for the purposes of customs duty and foreign trade statistics. The scheme is based on the Harmonized System nomenclature, further extended with Community subdivisions. Each subdivision is identified by an eight-digit numerical code. Read more: Combined Nomenclature

03 — CHAPTER 3 - FISH AND CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS AND OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES
- 0302 — Fish, fresh or chilled, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304
  - Other fish, excluding livers and roes
    - 0302 82 00 — Rays and skates (Rajidae)
- 0303 — Fish, frozen, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304
  - Other fish, excluding livers and roes
    - 0303 82 00 — Rays and skates (Rajidae)

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Rostroraja alba

Commercial designations

Main production methods

Main fishing gears

Hooks and lines

Trawls

TACs and quotas

Stocks (2021)

Stocks (2021)

Stocks (2021)

Stocks (2021)

Stocks (2021)

Stocks (2021)

Habitat

FAO major fishing areas

Area 27 - Atlantic, Northeast

Area 34 - Atlantic, Eastern Central

Area 37 - Mediterranean and Black Sea

Area 47 - Atlantic, Southeast

Area 51 - Indian Ocean, Western

Distribution maps