Description
This dataset compiles and standardises chondrichthyan occurrence data collected between 2003 and 2021 for species known to occur regularly or occasionally in metropolitan French waters. Given the high mobility of these species, records from adjacent areas of the North-East Atlantic and the Western Mediterranean Sea are also included.
The dataset integrates both presence-absence data derived from structured sampling events (e.g., fishing operations, survey transects) and presence-only occurrence records from opportunistic observations. Data originate from three complementary sources: fisheries-dependent data (i.e., the French professional fisheries observer program), scientific surveys (i.e., bottom trawl and acoustic trawl surveys, deep-sea canyon exploration cruises, aerial and vessel-based observation surveys), and citizen initiatives.
All records were harmonised and subjected to reliability assessments based on taxonomic verification and consistency with known species distributions, depth ranges, and biological traits (i.e., individual lengths). Expert review by French taxonomic specialists was also applied for selected species. This dataset underpinned the production of the 'Atlas des chondrichthyens de France métropolitaine' (Bisch et al., 2024). The full methodological framework and quality control procedures are described in detail in an associated data paper currently in preparation (Bisch et al., forthcoming).
Data Records
The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 177,042 records.
1 extension data tables also exist. An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated below.
This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.
Versions
The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.
How to cite
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
Bisch A, Stephan P, Elliott S, Acou A (2026). French chondrichthyans distribution dataset in North-Eastern Atlantic and Western Mediterranean waters (2003-2021). Version 1.8. GBIF France. Samplingevent dataset. https://ipt-uat.gbif.fr/resource?r=french_elasmo_dataset&v=1.8
Rights
Researchers should respect the following rights statement:
The publisher and rights holder of this work is UAR PatriNat (OFB-MNHN-CNRS-IRD), Paris. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License.
GBIF Registration
This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: db8b1693-ed9e-4bb2-a737-62dcd8d7839d. UAR PatriNat (OFB-MNHN-CNRS-IRD), Paris publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by GBIF France.
Keywords
Samplingevent; Chondrichthyans; Sharks; Skates; Rays; Chimaeras; Fisheries-dependent data; Scientific survey data; Citizen science; Occurrence; Presence-absence; North-east Atlantic Ocean; Western Mediterranean Sea; Elasmobranchii; Holocephali
Contacts
- Metadata Provider ●
- Originator ●
- Point Of Contact
- Research officer
- Station marine de Dinard, 38 rue du Port Blanc
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2422-2444
- Metadata Provider ●
- Originator
- Originator
- Metadata Provider ●
- Point Of Contact
- Metadata Provider ●
- Point Of Contact
- Scientific project manager
- Station marine de Dinard, 38 rue du Port Blanc
- Reviewer
- Content Provider
- Content Provider
- Content Provider
- Content Provider
- Content Provider
- Content Provider
- Content Provider
- Content Provider
- Content Provider
- Content Provider
- Distributor
Geographic Coverage
The dataset covers all or part of the four marine sub-regions defined under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast, and Western Mediterranean Sea. The dataset also includes data collected in adjacent areas of the North-East Atlantic.
| Bounding Coordinates | South West [36, -15.99], North East [62.33, 12] |
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Taxonomic Coverage
The dataset includes 86 chondrichthyans species (7 holocephali, 79 elasmobranchii) known to occur in French marine metropolitan waters. All the scientific names of the species comply with the TAXREF v18 reference database.
| Order | Chimaeriformes, Squatiniformes, Squaliformes, Torpediniformes, Carcharhiniformes, Orectolobiformes, Lamniformes, Myliobatiformes, Hexanchiformes, Rajiformes |
|---|---|
| Family | Triakidae, Gymnuridae, Squalidae, Arhynchobatidae, Dalatiidae, Chlamydoselachidae, Alopiidae, Rhinochimaeridae, Hexanchidae, Centrophoridae, Dasyatidae, Carcharhinidae, Squatinidae, Sphyrnidae, Rajidae, Oxynotidae, Torpedinidae, Mobulidae, Chimaeridae, Etmopteridae, Scyliorhinidae, Lamnidae, Myliobatidae, Somniosidae, Cetorhinidae, Ginglymostomatidae, Pseudotriakidae, Pentanchidae |
Temporal Coverage
| Start Date / End Date | 2003-01-08 / 2021-12-21 |
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Project Data
No Description available
| Title | Mapping the presence and sensitivity of French regulated elasmobranch species within the framework of Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) measures program (D01-PC-OE1-AN1) |
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The personnel involved in the project:
Bibliographic Citations
- Bisch, A., Stephan, P., Barreau, T., Bousquet, C., Durieux, E., Elliott, S., Mayot, S., Lapinski, M., Rohr, A., Stephan, E., Bouet, M., Santoni, M-C., Dorémus, G., Laliche, C., Paillon, C., Coulon, N., Labourgade, P., Carpentier, A., Delesalle, M. & Acou, A. (2024). Atlas des Chondrichtyens de France métropolitaine - Cartographier la présence et la sensibilité des espèces réglementées dans le cadre du programme de mesures D01-PC-OE01-AN1 (sous-action 1) de la DCSMM cycle 2. Rapport d’expertise de PatriNat et de l’Université de Corse. 385 pp. + annexes. URL: https://mnhn.hal.science/mnhn-04475562
Additional Metadata
| Acknowledgements | We would like to thank the project funder, the French Ministry for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion (Directorate for Water and Biodiversity - ELM3). We are also extremely grateful to all the data providers: DGAMPA and COPIL ObsMer; Ifremer and all the campaign managers; Michel Marengo (STARESO); Maïa Fourt and Elodie Damier (MedSeaCan/CorSeaCan); Ghislain Dorémus (Observatoire PELAGIS); Eric Stephan & Alexandra Rohr (APECS); Matthieu Lapinski (Ailerons); François Sichel & Laurent Colombet (BioObs). |
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| Alternative Identifiers | https://ipt.gbif.fr/resource?r=french_elasmo_dataset |