A Review of Fisheries and Conservation of the Atlantic Nurse Shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum (Bonnaterre, 1788), (Orectolobiformes: Ginglymostomatidae) in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Atlantic nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, mainly due to overfishing. We reviewed the literature on fishing for this species and identified catches in 26 locations in nine countries in the Americas and Africa, including artisanal fishing in 10 locations, incidental fishing in six, landing in three, sport fishing in one, and three not specified. Consumption of meat, cartilage, and oil was also reported. Fishing methods included gillnets, longlines, trolling, traps, nets (trammel nets, cast, trawl), handlines, windlass, and spearfishing. Atlantic nurse shark fishing was prohibited in Brazil, Colombia, and Guinea‐Bissau. All countries except São Tomé and Príncipe and the USA have conservation strategies in place. Without effective conservation and sustainable fishing alternatives, populations of Atlantic nurse shark could decline, thereby threatening marine ecosystems where it plays a key role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]