Japanese angelshark is eaten and the rough skin is made into a type of leather called shagreen for use in wood finishing. Angel sharks in general are highly threatened by commercial trawl fisheries due to their susceptibility to capture and low rate of reproduction, and angel shark species elsewhere are known to have declined markedly under fishing pressure. Trawling activity in the Yellow Sea and other parts of the northwestern Pacific is intense and, coupled with pollution, has had a serious impact on the local ecosystem. The Japanese angelshark population is suspected to have declined by up to 50% or more under
Shagreen ray m. It is most common at depths of 200 m, but is found deeper in southern areas. It favors sandy and possibly also rocky habitats. The shagreen ray feeds on a variety of benthic animals, mainly fishes but also crustaceans. Like other skates reproduction is oviparous; the egg capsules are amber in color and oblong-shaped, with long, stiff horns at each corner. One pair of horns are longer than the capsule. The capsules measure 7.5-9.9 cm long and 4.5-4.7 cm wide. Historically this ray was considered of "inferior" quality for consumption. It is caught commercially by longlines and trawls. Shagreen