Sharks and rays form an essential part of West African marine ecosystems. They also present a particular challenge for fisheries management due to biological characteristics that make them more vulnerable, including relatively slow growth rates, late maturity, and low reproductive rates. Overfishing, climate change, and habitat destruction have caused drastic shark and ray population declines over the past 50 years, but these species are also increasingly targeted for international trade in their products (fins, meat, and gill plates), which are sold for medicinal purposes and consumption in Asia.