Beringraja pulchra
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
The Aleutian skate faces severe population declines primarily due to intensive commercial fishing pressure across its North Pacific range. Bottom trawling operations targeting groundfish species frequently capture this slow-growing ray as bycatch, with high mortality rates due to its fragile cartilaginous structure. Climate-driven shifts in ocean temperatures and currents are altering the distribution of its preferred prey species, forcing population fragmentation across its already limited habitat range.
Habitat
Beringraja pulchra inhabits continental shelf and slope waters of the North Pacific, typically found at depths between 15-440 meters on soft sediment bottoms. This benthic species prefers cooler waters along the coasts of Alaska, British Columbia, and the northern California coast, often associated with muddy or sandy substrates where it feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates.
