Smooth Ray, Blonde Skate
The Blonde Ray is a large, broad-bodied skate with a light sandy-brown upper surface, scattered with distinctive darker spots across its back and wings. The underside is pale, and the skin is rough to the touch. Females are generally larger than males, with wings that can grow impressively wide.
Blonde Rays inhabit the northeast Atlantic Ocean, from southern Norway to the coast of North Africa. Around the UK, they are found along the southwest coast, particularly in deeper waters over sandbanks, gravel beds, and muddy seabeds. They are relatively sedentary, spending much of their time resting on the seabed.
Sustainability Rating
Status: Blonde Rays are vulnerable to overfishing due to their slow growth and late maturity. Populations are locally depleted in some areas.
Best Choice: Blonde Rays caught by small-scale, targeted fisheries using tangle nets.
Avoid: Rays caught by demersal trawling, which can lead to high levels of bycatch and habitat damage.
Culinary Uses
Blonde Ray is typically prepared by using the wings, which offer firm, sweet-tasting flesh.
Popular methods include grilling, pan-frying, or baking.
Ray wings are often served with brown butter and capers, or lightly spiced and roasted.
The flesh has a delicate flavour that pairs well with simple herb or lemon dressings.
Best Fishing Practices
Tangle netting — a method using nets that rest lightly on the seabed — is the preferred, more sustainable way to catch Blonde Rays.
Fisheries that monitor and manage ray catches, particularly through minimum landing sizes and closed seasons, help protect the population.
Reducing bycatch and avoiding juvenile capture are key to sustainability.
Seasonality
Although available year-round, catches are most frequent from late spring through autumn, when rays move into shallower coastal areas.
Protecting Blonde Rays for the Future
As a slow-growing species, Blonde Rays are particularly vulnerable to overfishing. Choosing responsibly sourced rays, avoiding trawled fish, and supporting fisheries that adhere to conservation measures can help maintain healthy populations and ensure that future generations continue to enjoy this excellent, underrated seafood.
On our menu: No
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