Shark Bites

Deep-sea shark nursery found in Outer Hebrides

Deep-sea shark nursery found in Outer Hebrides

The discovery of the first deep-sea shark spawning ground in Scotland has fuelled calls for better protection of the seas and the nation’s multi-million pound wildlife tourism sector. Marine biologists at Heriot-Watt University revealed that they have found a nursery for the blackmouth catshark on a coral reef in the Outer Hebrides. Scientists at the [...]

June 18, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
Sharkatag 2013 Post Event Report

Sharkatag 2013 Post Event Report

Once again the Scottish weather played a key role in SSACN’s annual Sharkatag event! Despite the good weather leading up to the event, low pressure systems over the UK brought unsettled weather and strong south-westerly winds during the weekend unfortunately forced the cancellation of the event on both Friday and Saturday. With the wind swinging [...]

June 17, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
Sharkatag 2013 Day 3 is on !

Sharkatag 2013 Day 3 is on !

The weather relents ! The up to date forecast shows the strong winds easing and turning to the west through Saturday with Sunday looking favourable at the moment so, subject to them remaining that way, Sharkatag 2013 day 3 will proceed as planned. Registrations will be open from 1930 to 2100 hrs on Saturday evening [...]

June 14, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
Sharkatag 2013 Day 2–cancelled

Sharkatag 2013 Day 2–cancelled

Regretfully we’ve had to cancel day 2  (Saturday) of this Sharkatag due to conflicting weather forecasts. Only time will tell which forecast is proves right, but Windguru Pro has wind speeds of 28 knots (31 mph) at 12 noon Saturday. As a result, the registration sessions booked for Friday evening and Saturday morning will now [...]

June 13, 2013 Featured Article Read More →

Interesting Tag Returns

Gorringe seamount tope recapture

Gorringe seamount tope recapture

Tope #2601 originally tagged in Luce Bay by Dale Robertson on 25/07/10 was recaptured around 1400 miles away on 27/05/13 by a deep water longline vessel working the Gorringe Seamount.

June 13, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
NZ mako shark’s staggering 13,000km journey

NZ mako shark’s staggering 13,000km journey

New Zealand scientists are baffled by the 13,300km migration of a mako shark tagged in a landmark study. The shark, a 1.8-metre mako named Carol, has been tracked by Niwa scientists using a satellite tagging device. The tag was attached to Carol in the Bay of Islands six months ago. The tag has provided the [...]

January 10, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
Amazing journey of Basking Shark tagged off Ireland

Amazing journey of Basking Shark tagged off Ireland

An incredible 3,000-mile journey by a basking shark has forced scientists to rethink their theories on the rare species. Until now, it was thought that basking sharks were only found in temperate waters, but when a five-metre female — named Banba and tagged off Malin Head — was found to have travelled to the western [...]

January 9, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
You wait for ages for a skate and then 7 come along at once!

You wait for ages for a skate and then 7 come along at once!

Sea anglers know that the Irish Sea around the Rhins of Galloway (an ever popular sea angling destination) is always capable of throwing up the odd surprise, but we think it’s safe to say that nobody could have predicted the events of the past weekend. The action started on Friday when a break in the [...]

September 24, 2012 Featured Article Read More →

Threats to sharks

MSP recognises value of environment

MSP recognises value of environment

Scotland’s natural environment is not only a major contributor to Scotland’s economic growth in terms of our ability to engage visitors and produce world class produce and products but it also plays an important part in our quality of life. But in recognising this, politicians must ensure marine and coastal environments that are clean, healthy, [...]

January 18, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
Shark Identification Training for UK Fishermen

Shark Identification Training for UK Fishermen

Fishermen are to be trained to identify different shark species in a project that aims to help protect stocks. Fishing representatives in Lancashire, the North East, Yorkshire, Cumbria and North East Lincolnshire are to receive guides to help classify species at sea. The scheme, run by the Co-operative, the Shark Trust and commercial fishing industry, [...]

January 8, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
NFFO oppose zero TAC’s for spurdog and porbeagle

NFFO oppose zero TAC’s for spurdog and porbeagle

In a recent news story, the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) expressed their view that zero TACs have no place in fisheries management except in a single species fishery in urgent need of dramatic remedial action. Focussing on spurdog and porbeagle the NFFO feel that the purpose of zero TACs for them seems to [...]

December 13, 2012 Featured Article Read More →
EU to prolong deep-water shark fishing ban

EU to prolong deep-water shark fishing ban

EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki said Thursday that a total ban on fishing endangered deep-water shark species would be maintained for another two years. After talks with fisheries ministers, Commissioner Damanaki stated "I would like to underline that on [these] sharks we keep the zero-fishing proposal," Catch allowances have been at zero for the last [...]

November 30, 2012 Featured Article Read More →

International News

New York state Senate bans shark fin trade

New York state Senate bans shark fin trade

The New York state Senate voted unanimously on Tuesday to outlaw the shark fin trade. The bill now heads to the Assembly, which passed the same measure last year, only to have it die in the Senate without a vote. Read more here

April 26, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
Shark fins on Hong Kong rooftop

Shark fins on Hong Kong rooftop

A factory rooftop in Hong Kong covered in thousands of freshly sliced shark fins. The southern Chinese city is one of the world’s biggest markets for shark fins, the photo shows an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 fins being laid to dry on the rooftop ahead of an anticipated surge in demand over Lunar New Year [...]

January 4, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
AT – Sea angling survey–Update

AT – Sea angling survey–Update

Closing Date extended to 20th Jan. The Angling Trust are inviting sea anglers to take part in a vital research project into how they value the UK’s marine environment. They would be grateful if you would take the time to complete the survey by clicking HERE What’s It All About? Working with the University of [...]

December 20, 2012 Featured Article Read More →
England–Wales angling survey results

England–Wales angling survey results

Earlier in the year, the Environment Agency Fisheries Team working with the Angling Trust undertook a National Angling Survey. Over 29,000 anglers and 780 angling organisations replied, making this one of the biggest ever surveys of anglers. As well as giving views on various issues affecting angling, respondents also helped with the creation of a [...]

November 29, 2012 Featured Article Read More →

Other Recent Posts

Sharkatag 2013 Day 1–cancelled

Sharkatag 2013 Day 1–cancelled

Regretfully we’ve had to cancel day 1 of this years event due to adverse weather conditions. As a result, the registration sessions booked for Thursday evening and Friday morning will now not take place. The up to date forecast shows the strong southerly winds turning round more to the southwest into Saturday which may just [...]

June 12, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
UK Minister receives Shark Trust award

UK Minister receives Shark Trust award

The Shark Trust has awarded Richard Benyon, UK Minister for Natural Environment and Fisheries, a Shark Champion Award in recognition of his personal commitment to shark conservation and the UK government’s tireless resolve to end the removal of shark fins at sea. The EU banned shark finning throughout the EU fleet in 2003, but a [...]

June 12, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
EC finally strengthens Shark Finning Ban

EC finally strengthens Shark Finning Ban

The European Council of Ministers has taken the final step toward strengthening the EU ban on shark finning. Shark finning was banned by the EU in 2003, but there were loopholes in the regulation that allowed shark fins to be removed on-board and landed separately from shark bodies, the new associated official regulatory text requires [...]

June 7, 2013 Featured Article Read More →
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