Distribution and relative abundance of seven species of skates (Pisces: Rajidae) which occur between Nova Scotia and Cape Hatteras

Data collected during eight groundfish surveys of the area from Nova Scotia to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and during five seasonal surveys of Chesapeake Bight were used to define the distribution and relative abundance of Raja eglanteria, R. garmani, R. laeuis, R erinacea, R. ocellata, R. senta, and R. radiata. Ancillary distributional data for the area from the Straits of Florida to Cape Hatteras and the areas off northern Nova Scotia and the Gulf of St. Lawrence were used qualitatively to extend the distributional study