An annotated checklist of the sharks and rays of the South China Sea is described, together with some global statistics on the status and use of elasmobranchs. For each of the 156 recorded species, the checklist contains scientific names, synonyms, common names, global distribution, distribution in the area, status of threat, human uses, key references on taxonomy, identification, reproduction, population dynamics, and a list of people who have contributed information. The checklist is a direct printout from. FishBase. a global database on finfish, developed at ICLARM in collaboration with FAO, the California Academy of Sciences, and many other partners, and supported by the European Commission (see www.fishbase.org). The goal of FishBase is to furtherthe conservation and sustainable use of fish by bringing togetherthe knowledge of taxonomists, fisheries experts, and conservationists, providing tools for analysing and updating this knowledge, and making it available to concerned people. How a closer link between FishBase. taxonomists and country experts can benefit the specialists, as well as elasmobranch conservation, is discussed.