This document provides the Important Shark and Ray Area Criteria (ISRA Criteria) and practical guidance on their use and application. Its purpose is to assist in an independent, expert-based process to inform the selection of areas that are critical for the persistence, and recovery, of all sharks, rays, and chimaeras. This guidance document is intended as a primary resource to inform the nomination of preliminary Areas of Interest (pAoI) and development of candidate Important Shark and Ray Areas (cISRAs) prior to and during regional, expert-driven workshops.