Rhinobatos productus
Central Coast (South of Half Moon Bay to Point Conception)
Santa Barbara (Point Conception to Point Dume)
South Coast (Point Dume to Mexico border)
Firm fish
Oily fish
Wild caught
The Science
Taxonomic description
- A ray that grows up to 1.7 m long, is a brownish grey color that blends in with the sand, and has a flat body [11]
- Guitarfish use their long tails to move through the water, making them resemble sharks more than other rays [11]
Distribution
- Ranges from Northern California to the Gulf of California [11]
Life history
- Lives about 11-16 years [4]
- Mature males have large claspers proportional to their bodies and have spines. Females are mature when their shell gland and uteri are developed [6]
- Males mature at 8 years old and females mature at 7 years old [4]
- Mating occurs every summer between monogamous partners. Females carry eggs for 9-12 months before giving birth to a litter of 6-28 pups [4]
- Females give birth in shallow waters from June to October [4]
Habitat
- Lives on the sandy seafloor of bays and estuaries up to 12 m deep [11]
- Preys on crabs, worms, small fish, and clams [11]
- Preyed on by large birds and mammals [4]
- Their generally shallow habitat makes them easy catch for fishermen, though their population is not in danger because, historically, there has not been a high demand for shovelnose meat [6]
The Fishery
Seasonal availability
- Available year-round, though from 2013-2015 landings (in lbs) in California were lowest (close to zero) from July through September, and highest in either January (2013, 2015) or November (2014) [7]
Managing authority
- Regulated and managed by NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Management Council through the Federal Groundfish Fishery Plan; even though this species is not specifically listed it is likely incidental catch in some of the covered fisheries [5]
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, as covered as an emerging fishery under CDFW Code [10] and the Marine Life Management Act [2]
Gear type
- Similar groundfish species are caught with traps, hooks, and lines; even though this species is not specifically listed it is likely caught with similar gear [12]
Status of the fishery
- Species may be vulnerable to overfishing because long-lived, taking a long time to reach maturity and reproduce, and pregnant females in some regions swim in shallow water where they are easy to catch [3]
- Population is decreasing and is near threatened [1]
- No catch limit regulations or conservation efforts are in place [1]
Potential ecosystem impacts
- As with other fish, the guitarfish plays a role in the ecosystem as predator and prey, so drastic declines could dramatically affect the ecosystem [4, 3]
The Seafood
Edible portions
- Trunk, tail, and loin areas of the fish are generally used [6]
Description of meat
- Meat is often served fried and buttery, but can also be thick like steak [6,9]
Culinary uses
- Usually called “shark steak” or sold in “fish n’ chips” in Santa Barbara. Dried guitarfish also sold as curios [6]
- Common recipes for the shovelnose guitarfish could not be found, but it can be cooked using recipes for rays and skates (See reference [8] for a recipe for skate meunière with caper butter).
Nutritional information
- Nutritional info for shovelnose guitarfish could not be found; shown is Skate Wing [9,13]
Toxicity report
- No known toxins or dietary warnings/guidelines currently exist.
Seasonal availability
- Typically available year round, with some variation depending on the year [7]
References
[1] Farrugia, T.J., Márquez-Farías, F., Freedman, R.M., Lowe, C.G, Smith, W.D. & Bizzarro, J.J. 2016. Pseudobatos productus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Web. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T60171A104004394.en. Accessed: 29 May 2017.
[2] Keeley, F. 1999. Marine Life Management Act. AB 1241. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sacramento, California, United States.
[3] Márquez-Farías, F. 2007. Reproductive biology of shovelnose guitarfish Rhinobatos productus from the eastern GC Mexico. Marine Biology 151: 1445-1454.
[4] Navarro, R., C. Victoria. 2012. Animal Diversity Web: Rhinobatos productus. Web. http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rhinobatos_productus/. Accessed: 29 May 2017.
[5] NOAA Fisheries, West Coast Region: About Groundfish Fisheries. Web. http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/groundfish/. Accessed: 29 May 2017.
[6] Timmons, M., R. Bray. 1997. Age, growth, and sexual maturity of shovelnose guitarfish, Rhinobatos productus. Fishery Bulletin, 95: 349-359.
[7] California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2016-2017. Final California Commercial Landings. Web. https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Commercial/Landings. Accessed: 29 May 2017.
[8] 2017. Check Your Food: Skate Meuniere with caper butter. Web. https://www.checkyourfood.com/Meals/Meal/364/Skate-meuni%C3%A8re-with-caper-butter-. Accessed: 29 May 2017.
[9] 2017. Check Your Food: Skate Wing. Web. https://www.checkyourfood.com/ingredients/open/986/skate-wing. Accessed: 29 May 2017.
[10] Justia. 2017. 2005 California Fish and Game Code Sections 7090. Web. http://law.justia.com/codes/california/2005/fgc/7090.html. Accessed: 29 May 2017.
[11] Monterey Bay Aquarium. 2017. Shovelnose guitarfish. Web. https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/fishes/shovelnose-guitarfish. Accessed: 29 May 2017.
[12] 2017. Tuna Harbor Dockside Market Species. Web. http://thdocksidemarket.com/new/#species. Accessed: 29 May 2017.
[13] Guitarfish,Web. Myfitnesspal.com. Accessed: 21 September 2017.