Rhinorays, a group of the shark-like rays that includes the guitarfish (Glaucostegidae) and wedgefish (Rhinidae) are classified as critically endangered based on the IUCN Red List and listed as Appendix II on CITES. In Indonesia, they are massively caught in the North Java Sea as bycatch in small-scale and commercial fisheries. Rhinorays have high economic value, thus increasing the occurence of trade-driven extinctions.

Non-Dentriment Finding (NDF) study conducted bythe Indonesian Institute of Sciences (P2O LIPI, currently the National Research and Innovation Agency) emphasized the need for strict fisheries management and protection of critical habitats for rhinorays. Karimunjawa National Park (KJNP) in the Jepara Regency, Central Java Province - Indonesia has the potential to be one of these habitats.

This program aims to study and conserve the Giant Guitarfish (Pari Kekeh - G. typus) and Bottlenose Wedgefish (Pari Junjunan - R. australiae) species in terms of biology, ecology, fisheries, and trade.

The outputs are expected to provide socio-ecological information to provide recommendations for science-based management for both species in KJNP.

Paper

• Search for the vulnerable giants: the presence of giant guitarfish and wedgefish in the Karimunjawa National Park and adjacent waters (Alghozali et al., 2023) [CSIRO]

Article

• The quiet bottom-dwellers of Karimunjawa - Faqih Akbar Alghozali [Link]
• More than just giant guitarfish - Faqih Akbar Alghozali [Link]
• Upaya konservasi pari terancam punah di Karimunjawa - Maula Nadia [Link]
• How Can We Save These Weird 'Shark-Like' Rays in Indonesia? - Andrew Wright [Link]