Mark, Measure, Conserve: Empowering fishers to monitor the Critically Endangered blackchin guitarfish in Cyprus (2026 – Ongoing)

Scope

Cyprus supports one of the most important remaining Mediterranean populations of the Critically Endangered blackchin guitarfish, Glaucostegus cemiculus. Neonates and young-of-the-year are repeatedly encountered in shallow coastal bays, often by recreational fishers whose regular presence provides a detailed picture of where and when the species occurs.

Years of citizen-science reporting have already produced a major conservation result. Through MER’s collaboration with iSea, recreational and small-scale fishers, divers, beach users, researchers and volunteers, observations from around the island were brought together and assessed. This evidence supported the recognition of Larnaca Bay, Episkopi Bay and Chrysochou Bay as Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) for the reproduction of the blackchin guitarfish.

This achievement shows the practical value of long-term trust and consistent reporting. Fishers contribute local ecological knowledge, frequent coverage of the coast and rapid access to encounters that occur outside scheduled surveys. Scientists contribute standard methods, tagging technology, data management and analysis. Together, these strengths create a monitoring system with broad reach and continuity.

The Mark, Measure, Conserve project builds on this foundation by establishing Cyprus’s first structured, community-based mark–recapture programme for the species. Community engagement is the project’s working method. Fishers will help shape campaign timing and locations, participate in field activities, recognise tagged animals, scan PIT-tagged individuals, report recaptures and share observations that guide the interpretation of results.

The programme uses two complementary identification systems. Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags provide permanent individual identification through handheld scanners. Visible spaghetti (SSD) tags allow fishers to recognise tagged animals directly during routine fishing. Each verified recapture can add information on growth, apparent survival, movement, site fidelity and repeated habitat use.

At least eight structured tagging campaigns will be carried out between June 2026 and January 2028 through targeted expeditions and fishing events. The project aims to tag and safely release at least 200 blackchin guitarfish, with potential to reach 400 individuals depending on encounter rates. Standardised biological, spatial and environmental information will be recorded for every animal.

Two practical workshops and targeted activities at fishing competitions, meetings and digital platforms will train at least 100 recreational fishers. Training will cover species identification, safe handling and release, tag recognition, PIT scanning, data recording and recapture reporting. MER will maintain regular communication with participants, verify reports with contributors and share project findings as the dataset develops.

The value of the network reaches beyond individual recaptures. Better handling supports post-release survival. Wider participation increases the chance of detecting tagged animals. Repeated observations reveal patterns across seasons and locations. Continued dialogue builds stewardship and keeps the monitoring system active after the funded period.

Methods at a glance

• Co-design of campaign locations, timing and reporting routes with recreational fishers, surfcasting groups and fisher representatives, drawing on their local ecological knowledge and experience of seasonal guitarfish encounters.
• Selection and purchase of PIT tags, external spaghetti tags, sterile applicators, handheld scanners and field consumables, together with standard operating procedures for tagging, scanning, data recording and reporting.
• Delivery of two practical workshops and targeted training activities for at least 100 recreational fishers, covering species identification, safe handling and release, tag recognition, PIT scanning and reporting.
• Implementation of at least eight structured tagging campaigns through targeted expeditions, surfcasting competitions and direct collaboration with experienced fishers.
• Tagging and safe release of at least 200 blackchin guitarfish, with potential to reach 400 individuals, using tag type and size suited to each animal’s size and condition.
• Standardised recording of total length, sex where determinable, GPS location, capture date, environmental observations and unique PIT and external tag codes.
• Year-round recapture reporting through routine fishing, competitions, meetings and digital communication, supported by PIT scanning and visible-tag recognition.
• Verification of community reports with contributors, maintenance of a quality-controlled database and regular feedback to participating fishers on records, recaptures and emerging findings.
• Mark–recapture and GIS analyses to examine growth, apparent survival, site fidelity, displacement, local abundance, aggregation hotspots and habitat connectivity.
• Implementation of all capture, handling and tagging procedures by trained personnel under the required permits and animal-welfare protocols, with rapid processing and release.

Outputs

• An active community monitoring network involving at least 100 trained recreational fishers who can identify, handle, scan, release and report blackchin guitarfish safely and consistently.
• A complete tagging and scanning system, including PIT tags, external tags, applicators, handheld scanners, field materials and standardised protocols.
• At least 200 tagged and safely released guitarfish, with potential to reach 400 individuals depending on encounter rates.
• The first structured community-based mark–recapture dataset for the blackchin guitarfish in Cyprus, linking biological measurements, locations, environmental observations and recapture histories.
• Quantitative estimates of growth, apparent survival, site fidelity, displacement and local abundance, where supported by the recapture data.
• GIS maps and conservation guidance for aggregation areas, nursery habitats, repeated habitat use and possible connectivity among coastal locations and recognised ISRAs.
• A documented record of local ecological knowledge used to guide field planning, interpret seasonal patterns and strengthen future monitoring.
• Training and communication materials for workshops, fishing events, social media and recapture reporting, supported by regular updates and feedback for participating fishers.
• Technical reporting and management-oriented recommendations, together with a practical framework for sustained fisher-led monitoring in Cyprus.

Community knowledge as a foundation for conservation

Mark, Measure, Conserve continues a relationship built through the MECO citizen-science initiative, MER’s acoustic telemetry research and the SAFE-GUITARFISH project. These initiatives created regular contact with fishers, strengthened reporting and safe-release practices, and showed how community observations can support recognised conservation outcomes.

The recognition of three Cyprus ISRAs gives this work a clear legacy: local encounters became verified records, the records revealed reproductive areas, and the evidence placed those areas on an international conservation map. This project adds individual tagging and structured recapture monitoring to that shared effort. Each recapture will connect a fisher’s observation with an animal’s history, adding information on growth, movement, survival and repeated habitat use.

MER will return findings to the people who generated them through workshops, competitions, meetings and digital updates. This exchange supports trust, keeps contributors engaged and allows local knowledge to inform future research and management. By the end of the project, Cyprus will have a trained community network, a structured scientific dataset and a practical monitoring system that can continue and grow. The approach provides a strong model for participatory elasmobranch conservation across the Mediterranean, grounded in scientific quality, community knowledge and shared responsibility for the species.