Sharks and Skates of Scotland Report: Cuckoo skate (Leucoraja naevus)

Population status

Scotland and Northeast Atlantic: Stable. The trend analysis of the Northeast Atlantic modelled biomass for 1950–2021 (71 years) revealed the highest probability of no major reductions in population over the past three generation lengths (30 years) (Finucci et al., 2025). The Cuckoo skate is considered uncommon across the Mediterranean Sea, with no decline detected (Ellis et al. 2015; Ramírez-Amaro et al. 2020). 

Global: Decreasing. Due to estimated increasing abundance in part of its range (Northeast Atlantic, parts of the northern Mediterranean Sea) but suspected decreasing trends in others (southern Mediterranean Sea, Northwest Africa), and high levels of exploitation, a global population reduction of 20–29% was estimated over three generation lengths (30 years) based on abundance data and actual levels of exploitation (Finucci et al., 2025).  

Conservation listings

• IUCN Red List Global and Europe: Near Threatened (assessment 20 February 2024)
• IUCN Red List Mediterranean: Near Threatened (assessment 25 March 2016)
• CITES: Not listed
• CMS: Not listed
• OSPAR: Not listed

Range and distribution 

Cuckoo skate are widespread in the Northeast Atlantic, ranging from the coasts of southern Norway and the Shetland Islands in the north, down to Morocco and even Senegal in the south (Finucci et al., 2025). They are found all around the coast of the UK. They are relatively common in the North Sea Ecoregion, the Celtic Seas, the Irish Seas and adjacent waters (including the English Channel) (Ellis et al., 2005; 2015), with highest abundances previously recorded in the western Irish Sea and northern St George’s Channel (Ellis et al., 2005). However, the species is rarely recorded in the eastern English Channel and southern North Sea (Ellis et al., 2005). They are also found in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, with lower abundances in trawled areas (Ellis et al., 2015). More information on stock boundaries and status is needed, especially in areas where the species is most exploited in the Northeast Atlantic, such as the Celtic Sea and the Bay of Biscay.  

Habitat 

Cuckoo skate occur in inshore waters to the continental shelf and upper slope at depths of 10–900 m and are most common at depths of 50–300 m (Ellis et al., 2015; Heesen et al. 2015; Ellis and Dulvy, 2016; Last et al., 2016, Ebert and Dando 2021). 

Biology and Ecology

This species has a relatively small body size (maximum size of 73 cm total length, and possibly 81 cm TL); males mature at 50–57 cm TL and females mature at 53–60 cm TL (McCully et al. 2012, Last et al., 2016, Ebert and Dando 2021). Age at maturity is estimated to be 7.4 years for females and 6.8 years for males in the North Seas, and the skate can live for 12 years. The generation time of the skate in the Irish Sea was estimated to be 8 years (Ellis et al., 2015), however both sexes of the skate are significantly smaller at 50% maturity in the North Sea, when compared to the Celtic Seas (Ellis et al., 2015). This egg laying species is reported to be reproductively active throughout the year, and a study from Portuguese waters found that peak spawning activity occurred in the winter months from January and May (Maia et al., 2012). The same study found that females can produce around 63 eggs per year, which are released in nine batches containing an average of 7 eggs per batch (Maia et al., 2012). An earlier study in the Celtic Sea estimated that females produce 90 eggs year (Buit, 1976).   

Human interactions