Elasmobranchs are heavily impacted by fishing. Catch statistics are grossly underestimated due to missing data from various fishery sectors such as small-scale fisheries. Marine Protected Areas are proposed as a tool to protect elasmobranchs and counter their ongoing depletion. We assess elasmobranchs caught in 1,256 fishing operations with fixed nets carried out in partially protected areas within Marine Protected Areas and unprotected areas beyond Marine Protected Areas borders at 11 locations in 6 Mediterranean countries. Twenty-four elasmobranch species were recorded, more than one-third belonging to the IUCN threatened categories (Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered). Catches per unit of effort of threatened and data deficient species were higher (with more immature individuals being caught) in partially protected areas than in unprotected areas. Our study suggests that despite partially protected areas having the potential to deliver ecological benefits for threatened elasmobranchs, poor small-scale fisheries management inside Marine Protected Areas could hinder them from achieving this important conservation objective.

软骨鱼受到捕捞的严重影响。由于缺少小型渔业等各个渔业部门的数据，渔获量统计数据被严重低估。海洋保护区被提议作为保护软骨鱼类和应对其持续枯竭的工具。我们评估了在 6 个地中海国家 11 个地点的海洋保护区内的部分保护区和海洋保护区边界以外的非保护区内进行的 1,256 次固定网捕鱼作业中捕获的软骨鱼。记录了 24 种软骨鱼类，其中超过三分之一属于 IUCN 受威胁类别（易危、濒危或极度濒危）。在部分受保护的地区，受威胁和数据缺乏的物种每单位努力的捕获量高于未受保护的地区（捕获更多未成熟个体）。我们的研究表明，尽管部分保护区有可能为受威胁的软骨鱼带来生态效益，但海洋保护区内不良的小规模渔业管理可能会阻碍它们实现这一重要的保护目标。