THE South Wales coast not only supports one of the most important inshore ray fisheries in the UK, but also provides large nursery grounds in shallow waters.
To clarify, a nursery habitat is one where juveniles spend their early life. Hypotheses concerning nurseries suggest that these provide the young with a better source of food and protection against predators.
Landings of skates and rays in the North Sea have more than halved during the past 50 years and stocks of Thornback ray, currently the most frequently landed, are now considered to be below safe biological limits.
