Status of Two Critically Endangered Guitarfish Species (Glaucostegus cemiculus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817 and Rhinobatos rhinobatos Linnaeus, 1758) in the Coastal Waters of the Gaza Strip, Palestine

Guitarfishes are large demersal elasmobranchs that inhabit shallow coastal and continental shelf habitats worldwide. Exhibiting intermediate morphology between sharks and rays, they serve as important benthic predators but are highly vulnerable to overfishing, slow growth, and habitat degradation. The Mediterranean Sea hosts two native species: the Blackchin Guitarfish (Glaucostegus cemiculus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817) and the Common Guitarfish (Rhinobatos rhinobatos Linnaeus, 1758), both of which have suffered severe population declines and are classified as Critically Endangered and Endangered, respectively. This study provides the first account of guitarfishes in the coastal waters of the Gaza Strip, Palestine, documenting their occurrence, fisheries, consumption, and educational use. Data were obtained from the General Directorate of Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture and local fishermen, complemented by photographic records. The Common Guitarfish dominates the local catch, is frequently sold in fish markets, and is widely used in university anatomy laboratories. In contrast, the Blackchin Guitarfish is larger, rarer, and less frequently captured. Guitarfishes are caught using a variety of demersal fishing gears, including specialized Guitarfish nets (Sharak Al-Salafeeh), gillnets, trawls, and longlines. Between 2009 and 2023, the average annual catch was 6,121 kg, peaking in 2021. Despite official recognition of their threatened status, local awareness remains limited, raising sustainability concerns. The findings underscore the urgent need for continuous monitoring, sustainable fishing practices, and enhanced conservation efforts to safeguard these endangered species in the Gaza Strip and the broader eastern Mediterranean.