Top Guitarfishes Not Elsewhere Included Fishing Countries

Guitarfishes, belonging to the family Rhinobatidae, are cartilaginous fishes that exhibit a distinctive body shape resembling both sharks and rays, with a flattened body and elongated snout. Among the "Top Guitarfishes Not Elsewhere Included" (NEI) category—used in FAO fisheries statistics to group species not individually identified—the main fishing countries are India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and several nations in West Africa, such as Senegal and Mauritania. These countries harvest guitarfishes primarily as bycatch in trawl and gillnet fisheries targeting other demersal species, but in some regions, they are also targeted for their meat and highly valued fins, which are exported to Asian markets for use in shark fin soup. Overfishing and habitat degradation have led to significant declines in many guitarfish populations, prompting growing conservation concerns and the inclusion of several species in CITES appendices to regulate international trade.

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.