Rays and skates (mainly thornback ray) in ICES Subareas X, XII, and XIV (Azores and Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

As  thornback  ray  is  the  dominant  ray  species  at Azores  and  the Mid-Atlantic  Ridge,  the  advice  for  skates  and  rays  is  based on the status of this species. Based on ICES approach to data-limited stocks, ICES advises that catches should be decreased by 36%. Because the data for catches are not fully documented and not reliable, ICES is not in a position to quantify the result.