Thornback ray

Raja clavata · Rays and skates

Also called thornback, roker, ray

The Thames Estuary's signature spring fish, feeding over mud, sand and gravel channels.

How to recognise it

A diamond-shaped body, brown with pale and dark blotches.
Rows of large hooked thorns (bucklers) along the back and tail; adults have them on the wings too.
The underside is white.

Caught all year, with April to June the peak in the Thames.

This profile is a draft: we're still checking it against published studies.

Raja clavata · Rays and skates

Also called thornback, roker, ray

The Thames Estuary's signature spring fish, feeding over mud, sand and gravel channels.

Minimum size: Sizes vary along the coast. Pick your spot to see the rule there.
Bag limit: None set for the whole UK.

Minimum sizes around the UK

A diamond-shaped body, brown with pale and dark blotches.
Rows of large hooked thorns (bucklers) along the back and tail; adults have them on the wings too.
The underside is white.

Caught all year, with April to June the peak in the Thames.

This profile is a draft: we're still checking it against published studies.