Top Smooth Butterfly Ray Fishing Countries

The Top Smooth Butterfly Ray (*Gymnura micrura*) is a species of ray found in warm coastal waters of the western Atlantic, including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and along the Atlantic coasts of North, Central, and South America. Distinguished by its broad, diamond-shaped body and smooth skin, this ray is typically caught as bycatch in trawl and gillnet fisheries targeting other species. The primary countries involved in the harvest of the Top Smooth Butterfly Ray are Brazil, Mexico, and the United States, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico region. In these countries, the species is not usually the main target but is landed incidentally and sometimes sold in local markets for its meat. While not a major commercial species, its presence in artisanal and small-scale fisheries contributes to local economies, though overfishing and habitat degradation have raised concerns about population declines in some areas.

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