This species has been confused with Spotted Skate (Raja montagui) in the Atlantic, and with Spotted Skate and Speckled Skate (Raja polystigma) in the Mediterranean Sea (Bertozzi et al. 2003, Serena et al. 2010).

The Blonde Skate (Raja brachyura) is a medium-sized (to at least 120 cm total length) skate found on the continental shelf of the Northeast and Eastern Central Atlantic Ocean, from the United Kingdom to Morocco (and possibly to Mauritania), and the Mediterranean Sea. It occurs primarily on the continental shelf to depths of 150 m, and occasionally to 900 m. The Blonde Skate is an important commercial species across its range, and is taken as targeted catch, and retained from bycatch in demersal trawl, set net (gillnet and trammel), and longline fisheries. The Blonde Skate appears to be increasing in abundance in the Northeast Atlantic. The species is reported infrequently in the Mediterranean Sea, but it is unclear if the species is naturally rare. Misidentification of the Blonde Skate with similar looking species (e.g., Spotted Skate, Raja montagui) makes it difficult to determine long-term abundance trends from some datasets. There are few data available for the coasts of northwestern Africa (Eastern Central Atlantic), an area where sharks and rays have been exploited by semi-industrial fisheries since the 1950s. There is high distribution overlap with intensive fishing pressure, increasing trends in parts of its range and suspected declines in others, and a lack of species-specific management across much of its range. The Blonde Skate is inferred to have undergone a population reduction of 20–29% over the past three generations (29 years) based on abundance data and actual levels of exploitation, and it is assessed as Near Threatened (close to meeting Vulnerable A2bd).

The Blonde Skate is found in the Northeast Atlantic and northern part of the Eastern Central Atlantic Ocean, from the United Kingdom to Morocco and possibly to Mauritania, and also in the Mediterranean Sea (Ellis et al. 2015, Carpenter and De Angelis 2016, Ebert and Dando 2021, Dia et al. 2023).

There are no data available on the absolute global population size of the Blonde Skate. Population trend data are available from two sources: (1) the Northeast Atlantic (Marandel et al. 2019, ICES unpub. data); and (2) Mediterranean Sea (MEDITS unpub. data). The trend data from each source were analysed over three generation lengths using a Bayesian state-space framework (a modification of Sherley et al. 2020, Winker et al. 2020). This analysis yields an annual rate of change, a median change over three generation lengths, and the probability of the most likely IUCN Red List category percent change over three generations (see the Supplementary Information).

Within the Northeast Atlantic, ICES provide advice for stocks of Blonde Skate in the following areas: (1) Southern North Sea and eastern English Channel, (2) North-west Scotland and northern North Sea, (3) western English Channel, (4) Irish Sea and Bristol Channel, and (5) Iberian waters of ICES Division 9.a. Stock size indicators are used in the assessment for only two of these stocks: the southern North Sea and eastern English Channel stock (ICES 2022) and the Iberian waters of Division 9.a stock (off the Portuguese coast; ICES 2022). It should be noted that the surveys use data for only the ‘exploitable biomass’ (larger than 50 cm total length, TL), which is below length at maturity. Therefore, these biomass trends are not fully representative of the adult population and should be viewed with caution. The trend analysis of the North Atlantic modelled biomass for 1950–2021 (71 years) revealed annual rates of increase of 1.23%, with the highest probability of no major reductions in population over the past three generation lengths (29 years).

In the Mediterranean Sea, data are collected during the MEDiterranean International Trawl Survey (MEDITS) and these data have generally been analysed and reported in a range of publications with differing spatial and temporal scales. The Blonde Skate is recorded infrequently across much of the region and it is unclear if the species is naturally rare here. Most Blonde Skates have been recorded around Sardinia, which showed an increase in abundance from 1994–2015 (Marongiu et al. 2017). The trend analysis of the Mediterranean Sea modelled biomass for 1994–2021 (27 years) revealed annual rates of increase of 2.01%, with the highest probability of no major reductions in population over the past three generation lengths (29 years).

In the Eastern Central Atlantic, both overall catch and effort have continued to rise in the major shark and ray fishing countries, including Mauritania. Across West Africa, total artisanal fishing effort increased 10-fold between 1950–2010, while the catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) of artisanal and industrial vessels declined by 34% over this period (Belhabib et al. 2018). Many regional fisheries are now characterised by severe overexploitation and declines in abundance of marine resources (e.g., Gascuel et al. 2007). While these levels of declines are not species-specific, they are informative for understanding the broader levels of decline in sharks in the region.

Due to increasing trends in parts of its range and inferred declines in others, and high levels of exploitation, a global population reduction of 20–29% was estimated over three generation lengths (29 years) based on abundance data and actual levels of exploitation. Therefore, the Blonde Skate is assessed as Near Threatened (close to meeting Vulnerable A2bd).

The Blonde Skate is demersal on the continental shelf at depths from nearshore to 150 m, and occasionally to 900 m (Ellis et al. 2015, Last et al. 2016, Ebert and Dando 2021). It reaches a maximum size of ~120 cm total length (TL). Male and female maturity occurs at 78 and 86 cm TL, respectively (McCully et al. 2012) and size-at-hatching occurs at 16–18 cm TL (Last et al. 2016). Reproduction is oviparous. Accurate fecundity estimates are lacking, but it is thought to be in the range of 37–90 eggs per year (Holden et al. 1971, Porcu et al. 2015). Female age-at-maturity is 6 years and maximum age is 10–16 years (Fahy 1989, Gallagher et al. 2005, Porcu et al. 2015), resulting in a generation length of 9.5 years.

The Blonde Skate is an important commercial species and is taken as targeted catch and retained from bycatch in demersal trawl and set net (gillnet and trammel) fisheries targeting flatfish and gadoids and in demersal longline fisheries (ICES 2023). In the Northeast Atlantic, skates have been landed since the 1800s, and became increasingly marketable by the late 1800s/early 1900s (Ellis et al. 2010). Fisheries were largely unregulated, and fishing quotas for skates in the North Sea were only introduced in 1999, and further applied to all vessels operating in European Union Atlantic waters in 2009 (EC 1999, 2009). Earlier management efforts treated skates as one skate complex, and species-specific measures were only first introduced in 2007 (Ellis et al. 2010). Long-term extensive and intensive fishing pressure has led to documented population reductions, localized extinctions, and widespread changes to the shark and ray community structure across the range of the Blonde Skate in the Northeast Atlantic (Dulvy and Reynolds 2002, Marandel et al. 2019). The effects of fishing have been greatest on large-bodied species (Dulvy et al. 2000, Ellis et al. 2010). Misidentification of the Blonde Skate with similar looking species (e.g., Spotted Skate, Raja montagui) makes it difficult to determine long-term abundance trends (ICES 2023).

In the Mediterranean and Black Sea, the Blonde Skate has been subject to extensive and intensive fishing across much of the species' known depth and spatial distribution. Skates are caught with demersal trawl, trammel net, and longline gear (e.g., Carbonara et al. 2020, Ferragut-Perello et al. 2023). The Blonde Skate is reported infrequently (Geraci et al. 2021). Skates (Raja spp.) are the most fished elasmobranchs in parts of the Mediterranean Sea and neighbouring areas. For example, in the Gulf of Cádiz, skates represented up to 50% of regional shark and ray landings (Biton-Porsmoguer and Lloret 2020).

There is little information available for the Blonde Skate across the remainder of its Atlantic range, where it is reported to occur off Morocco, and possibly as far south as Mauritania. Sharks and rays have been exploited by semi-industrial fisheries in the Eastern Central Atlantic since the 1950s (Walker et al. 2005). Over the years, this has expanded into targeted shark and ray fisheries across many countries and is likely increasing fishing pressure on coastal shark and ray populations (Walker et al. 2005, Diop and Dossa 2011). In general, fishing effort and the number of fishers has intensified in recent decades across the range of this species. Reports indicate that the diversity and average body size of many important commercial coastal, demersal, and pelagic fishery species have markedly declined, with many stocks now considered to be overexploited (CCLME 2016, Polidoro et al. 2017). The direct cause of decline for many of these stocks has been attributed to overcapacity within both the industrial and artisanal fisheries and destructive fishing practices (GCLME 2006, CCLME 2016).

Climate change may influence the distributions of various European fish populations, including skates, in a manner that may influence the assessment of population trends and the potential viability of subpopulations (Simpson et al. 2011, Sguotti et al. 2016). Analyses of research trawls collated by the Northeast Atlantic International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) over 24 years (1997–2020) revealed that the habitat suitability for Blonde Skate has been altered by ongoing climate change and has increased by 1,419 km², extended northwards, and increased in the Irish Sea and west of Scotland (Coulon et al. 2024).

The Blonde Skate is utilized for its meat and is commercially valued for its wings. In some of its Northeast Atlantic distribution, it is one of the most important commercial species (ICES 2023). Products of the Blonde Skate may be marketed under a generic "ray" or "skate" label or mislabelled as a different species (Griffiths et al. 2013). Unmarketable parts of the ray may be used to supply bait for pot fisheries (Bullimore et al. 2001).

The species is likely to be used across the remainder of its range where retention is allowed or unregulated. Skate meat is consumed across West Africa where it may also be dried, or dried and smoked and exported across West Africa to supply countries such as Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso (e.g., Jabado et al. 2021).

The exploitation of Blonde Skate is managed in the Atlantic waters of Europe and the United Kingdom, with catch quotas for skates and rays (Rajiformes). There are some local and national management measures in place across the species range. For example, there is a minimum conservation reference size (or minimum landing size) of either 40 cm or 45 cm (disc width) for rays caught in the inshore waters of parts of the coasts of England and Wales. In Portugal, there is a limit on landing skates (Rajidae) in the nominal May-June spawning period, whereby skates and rays should not be landed (except where skate and ray landings are less than 5% of the landings). Portugal also has a minimum landing size (52 cm total length) for all Raja spp.

Further information on its ecology and life history of Blonde Skate is required, as well as information to better understand its distribution and interactions with fisheries in both the Mediterranean Sea and off northwest Africa.