Assessing fisheries impacts on elasmobranch populations has focused on quantifying immediate and delayed mortality rates. However, little is known about the sub-lethal effects of capture stress, particularly in pregnant females. The southern fiddler ray (Trygonorrhina dumerilii) was used as a case study to investigate the consequences of capture on a pregnant elasmobranch species. Nineteen pregnant females were collected, 10 were kept for control and nine were subjected to trawl capture (8 hr) followed immediately by air exposure (30 min). Immediately prior to, and for up to 28 days post trawling, all females were routinely sampled to monitor changes in total body mass (TBM), sex-steroid levels (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) and granulocyte to lymphocyte ratio (G:L). At parturition, neonates were measured for total length (TL), TBM and where possible, G:L was also calculated. Trawling reduced maternal TBM and elevated the G:L for up to 28 days post trawling. Trawling did not significantly affect any sex-steroid titters, however females reported lower than expected concentrations in sex-steroids at 28 days post trawling. Neonates who experienced pre-natal stress were lower in TBM and TL, and had an elevated G:L. Our results suggest that depending on the magnitude of environmental stress experienced by a pregnant female, a single capture event is sufficient to influence current and future reproductive efforts. Although more studies will be necessary to evaluate whether these results could be generalised to the entire elasmobranch group, the outcomes of this study suggest that stress related reproductive effects may have management implications.