ISRA REGION 13 – SOUTH AMERICAN INLAND WATERS REGION
A REGIONAL COMPENDIUM OF IMPORTANT SHARK AND RAY AREAS
Author(s)
Rima W Jabado, Adriana Gonzalez-Pestana, Emiliano García-Rodríguez, Amanda Battle-Morera, Asia O Armstrong, Christoph A Rohner, Vanessa Bettcher Brito, Ryan Charles, Marta D Palacios
Publication date
29 April 2025
Abstract
The seventh Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) regional expert workshop was held in hybrid mode (in person and online) in Montevideo, Uruguay from 13–17 January 2025. The goal was to identify and delineate three-dimensional and discrete portions of habitat that are critical to the survival of sharks, rays, and chimaeras (hereafter ‘sharks’), and that have the potential to be managed for conservation. The region covered was the South American Inland Waters. This scientific collaboration amongst regional and global experts resulted in the identification of 21 Important Shark and Ray Areas and 14 Areas of Interest. Identified ISRAs range in size from small areas of 0.4 km2 at depths of 0–4 m (Agualasal-Catatumbo in Colombia) to large areas of 19,495 km2 (Amazon River Mouth in Brazil) from 0–50 m.
© International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Shark Specialist Group, 2025
How to cite this document
Jabado RW, Gonzalez-Pestana A, García-Rodríguez E, Batlle-Morera A, Armstrong AO, Rohner CA, Bettcher Brito V, Charles R, Palacios MD. 2025. South American Inland Waters: A regional compendium of Important Shark and Ray Areas. Dubai: IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group. https://doi.org/10.59216/ssg.isra.2025.r13
