UK Rays and Skates

By Alex Clayton · Updated 24 October 2026

About 18 species of skate and ray turn up regularly in UK waters, and around 8 of them are common, according to the Shark Trust. The types of ray UK sea anglers are realistically likely to catch are the thornback, blonde, spotted, small-eyed, undulate and cuckoo rays, plus the giant common skate, which is now treated as two species: the flapper and the blue skate.

Almost every one of those “rays” is technically a skate.

This guide covers how to tell the ray species UK anglers catch apart, where each one usually turns up, and whether you can keep it. The answer to that last question changes with the species and with the stretch of coast you fish. For other fish around our coasts, see the sea fish species guide, or browse every UK fish species.

Skate or Ray? What the Names Actually Mean

Why is a thornback called a ray when scientists class it as a skate? Anglers named these fish long before anyone sorted them properly, and the old names stuck.

The thornback, blonde, spotted, small-eyed, undulate and cuckoo rays are all skates. Skates lay eggs in tough cases, and the empty ones that wash up on the strandline are the “mermaid’s purses” you find on beach walks. Defra’s skate identification guide, written with the Shark Trust, notes that these fish are often called rays but are in fact all skates.

True rays work differently. The common stingray gives birth to live young and has a stinging spine on its tail, which skates lack, according to the Shark Trust. If you land one, keep your hands well clear of that end.

On this page, and on most UK beaches, “ray” means the smaller egg-laying species and “skate” means the giant common skate.

How to Identify UK Rays: Quick ID Table

Colour is the first thing most anglers look at, and it is the least reliable. Defra describes thornback colour as varying widely, and Cefas identification guidance warns that some thornbacks carry markings that resemble blonde or spotted rays. Check structure and pattern instead.

Work through these four checks in order:

Where do the spots stop? Spots that reach the edge of the wings mean a blonde ray. A clear unspotted margin around neat, defined spots means a spotted ray.
Are there thorns? Thorny spines along the back and tail, with a short pointed snout, mean a thornback.
Are there eyespots? A distinct eyespot on each wing means a cuckoo ray.
Are there wavy bands? Dark wavy bands with white spots point to an undulate ray. The same pattern in a lighter fish suggests a small-eyed ray.

Species	Key ID feature	Size guide	Angling notes
Thornback ray	Thorny spines on back and tail, very variable colour	Up to about 1.3m long	The most common shore ray
Blonde ray	Spots reach the wing edge	About 120cm long	Mainly a boat catch
Spotted ray	Clear margin around defined spots	Rarely much over 5lb (2.3kg)	Easily confused with the blonde
Small-eyed ray	Wavy pattern, lighter than the undulate	No verified figure	Southern and western coasts, shallow sandy water
Undulate ray	Dark wavy bands with white spots	About 1.2m wide	Rarely caught from the shore
Cuckoo ray	An eyespot on each wing	No verified figure	Mainly boat, roughly 20m to 150m deep
Flapper and blue skate	Far larger than any other UK ray	Adult female flapper up to 285cm	Must be released

Getting the ID right is not pedantry. Defra and the Shark Trust both point out that catches recorded under the wrong name make stock data less reliable, and that data shapes the rules everyone fishes under.

Thornback, Blonde, Spotted and Small-Eyed: The Rays You Will Catch Most

Four species make up most of the rays anglers catch around England and Wales. Match your coast and your style of fishing to the list below and you will have a fair idea of what is on the end.

Thornback ray

The thornback is the most common shore ray in UK waters and the one most beach anglers catch first. Defra lists it on sandy and muddy seabeds and as common in the southern North Sea and English Channel. It also dominates commercial catches there: 54% of the skates and rays landed from the plan area between 2016 and 2021 were thornbacks, according to the fisheries management plan. For baits, tactics and seasons, read our full thornback ray guide.

Blonde ray

The blonde ray is mainly a boat species and reaches about 120cm. Defra places it on sandy seabeds, feeding mainly on crabs and other shellfish. The Southern North Sea and Channel skates and rays fisheries management plan names the blonde as one of three notable recreational species, alongside the thornback and undulate. If you book a boat trip over sand, it is a realistic target.

Spotted ray

The spotted ray is smaller, rarely much over 5lb going by angling press reports. It is easily confused with the blonde, so use check one above: if the spots stop short of the wing edge, it is a spotted ray.

Small-eyed ray

The small-eyed ray is mainly a fish of southern and western coasts, often in fairly shallow water over sand. Its wavy markings are lighter than the undulate’s, which is the easiest way to separate the two.

Several areas have a long reputation for rays: the Bristol Channel, the Solent, the Lleyn Peninsula, the Essex rivers and the beaches between Skegness and Hornsea. Treat that as a starting point rather than a promise. Frozen sandeel is one of the most widely used ray baits. From the shore, start with the thornback.

Undulate and Cuckoo Rays: Less Common, Worth Knowing

Two of the most distinctive rays in UK waters are also two of the least often caught, which is why most guides skip them.

Undulate ray

The undulate ray has dark wavy bands and white spots across its back, and reaches about 1.2m in width. Away from the west coast of Ireland, it is rarely caught from the shore. Defra describes it as slow growing and long lived, which makes it vulnerable to overfishing. The fisheries management plan lists it as a notable recreational species, and IFCA officers and anglers have reported a localised fall in undulate numbers in the English Channel. The rules on keeping one are in the keep-or-release section below.

Cuckoo ray

The cuckoo ray is the easiest ray to name: it has a clear eyespot on each wing. It lives at a wide range of depths, roughly 20m to 150m, so most are caught from boats rather than beaches.

Starry ray

The starry ray is also covered by the plan. Fishing vessels may not fish for, keep or land it in the North Sea, the eastern English Channel and neighbouring northern waters. If you catch one, release it.

If you are torn between undulate and small-eyed, look at the contrast. The undulate has bold, dark bands edged with white spots. The small-eyed carries a similar pattern in a much lighter fish.

Common Skate: Flapper and Blue Skate Must Go Back

The common skate is anything but common. Since 2010 it has been recognised as two separate species, the flapper skate and the blue skate, according to the Shark Trust.

These are the giants of UK waters. NatureScot gives a length of up to 285cm for an adult female flapper skate. The Shark Trust puts the largest fish at up to 3m long, with a 2m wingspan and a weight of over 220lb (100kg).

Their status explains the strict rules. The IUCN lists the common skate complex as Critically Endangered. Both species are prohibited, so they must not be kept and should be released straight away. In Scotland, landing them commercially has been illegal since 2009, and all angling for flapper skate is catch and release, according to NatureScot.

Anglers have helped turn things round. NatureScot credits angler tagging data going back more than 30 years with helping to protect flapper skate.

Hook a common skate anywhere in UK waters and it goes back.

Can You Keep a Ray? Sizes, Rules and Release

Search for a UK ray size limit and you will mostly find “check local rules”. There is no single UK rule. What you can keep depends on the species and on which Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) district you fish.

The Southern North Sea and Channel skates and rays fisheries management plan sets out the minimum sizes in the IFCA districts it covers:

IFCA district	Minimum size for skates and rays
Kent and Essex	40cm wing tip to wing tip (whole fish), 19cm detached wing
Southern	40cm wing tip to wing tip (whole fish), 20cm detached wing
Cornwall; Devon and Severn; Sussex; Eastern; North Eastern; Northumberland	No minimum size listed

Byelaws change, so confirm with the IFCA before you keep a fish. North Western IFCA, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland sit outside that plan: check with North Western IFCA, the Welsh Government, the Marine Directorate in Scotland or DAERA in Northern Ireland.

Undulate, starry and common skate

The plan’s undulate rules, a May to August closed period and a 78cm to 97cm size window, are fishing vessel licence conditions for the English Channel. The plan sets no equivalent rule for rod and line anglers. Check with your local IFCA, and given the reported decline, release undulate rays. Starry rays and common skate go back.

How to release a ray well

Defra’s handling guidelines for skates and rays are voluntary, not legal requirements. Follow them anyway: these fish take a long time to reach breeding age, and females of some species may not breed until around nine years old.

Support the whole body rather than lifting by the tail or a wing.
Wet your hands or wear gloves to protect the skin.
Cut the trace if the fish is deep-hooked.
Return it to the water quickly.

If it turns out to be a stingray, keep clear of the tail throughout.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common ray in the UK?

The thornback ray is the most common ray caught from UK shores. It lives on sandy and muddy seabeds and is common in the southern North Sea and English Channel. Look for thorny spines along the back and tail, and ignore colour, which varies widely.

How do you tell a blonde ray from a spotted ray?

Check where the spots stop. On a blonde ray they reach the edge of the wings. A spotted ray has a clear unspotted margin around its defined spots. Ignore overall colour, because some thornbacks carry similar markings.

Can you keep a common skate?

No. The common skate is two species, flapper and blue skate, and both are prohibited and must be released straight away. The IUCN lists the complex as Critically Endangered, and in Scotland all angling for flapper skate is catch and release.

Is there a minimum size for rays?

Only in some areas. Kent and Essex IFCA and Southern IFCA set 40cm wing tip to wing tip for whole skates and rays. The other English districts covered by the fisheries management plan list no minimum size. Elsewhere, check with the local authority.

Are UK rays dangerous?

The skates anglers usually catch have no stinging spine, though a thornback's thorns are sharp enough to handle with care. The common stingray is different. It is a true ray with a stinging spine on its tail, so keep your hands well away from it.