roughnose wedgefish

​The roughnose wedgefish (Rhynchobatus cooki) is a species of fish in the Rhinidae family. A dwarf species of Rhynchobatus according to the IUCN, it only reaches up to 82 cm in total length (TL) while other members in this genus can get up to 300 cm TL. A dwarf indeed! It has a fragmented distribution in Indonesia (off Java) and Singapore and is irregularly caught as both as an intended catch but also bycatch in local fisheries throughout this range. 

A coastal species (they prefer coral reefs, estuarine waters and coastal saline lagoons), it is highly valued for its flesh and its fins, which are sold into the international fin trade. This often unregulated fishing pressure is only made worse by habitat loss and pollution. Adults are a greenish-brown color above and the young have white spots throughout their body. The IUCN has assessed these animals as Vulnerable (VU).

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GLOSSARY

• Bycatch: The part of a fishery’s catch that is made up of non-target species. 
• Estuary: Where the tide meets the stream (resulting in a mixture of fresh and salt seawater).​
• IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.

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