The Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (SPA/RAC) organized a sub regional training on monitoring, identification, and advanced research methodologies of chondrichthyans in the Adriatic Sea from 21st to 23rd January 2025. The training, led by internationally awarded scientist Andrej A. Gajić, took place at the Sharklab ADRIA Research Centre in Vlorë, Albania.
This training was part of the initiative “Safeguarding Mediterranean Cartilaginous Species: Actions for Conservation and Capacity Building in the Adriatic Region”, supported through a bilateral agreement between UNEP/MAP and the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) to aid in the execution of the 2024-2025 Program of Work.
The training gathered leading experts from the Adriatic and beyond, with over twenty participants from ten countries, including universities, research institutes, regional organizations, and National Geographic scientists. The participants had a unique chance for hands-on experience with over 20 species of cartilaginous fishes from the Adriatic Sea.
The first two days included theoretical and practical sessions. On the first day, participants engaged in hands-on training to deepen their understanding of the key morphological features used to identify some of the rarest and most endangered species in the Adriatic Sea.
On the second day, they were introduced to advanced research methodologies, including trauma assessment, post-capture survival studies, diseases, and detailed reproductive biology studied through primarily through pathological examinations and magnetic resonance imaging. This was followed by a practical session focused on the detailed examination of a thresher shark.
On the third and final day of the training, all participants took part in a roundtable discussion to address existing knowledge gaps and outline the necessary future steps for the conservation of cartilaginous fishes (chondrichthyans) in the Adriatic Sea.
While the training provided vital skills for early-career scientists, it also fostered new collaborations among senior scientists present at the event, strengthening regional cooperation in shark and ray conservation.
SPA/RAC would like to thank Sharklab ADRIA Research Centre for co-organizing and hosting the sub regional training, as well as all participants for their commitment and valuable contributions to the success of this event. Together, we are taking another step towards the improved conservation of cartilaginous fishes in the Adriatic Sea.