SNH Commissioned Report 339:
Basking Shark Hotspots on the West Coast of Scotland: Key sites, threats and implications for conservation of the species.

 
The Wildlife Trusts’ Basking Shark Project conducted effort-corrected line transect surveys for the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) along the west coast of Scotland between 2002-2006. A total of 11,179km of linear transects consisting of 956 hours duration were covered, and a total of 593 sharks were recorded whilst on transect.

Very little work has been carried out in the UK to show the mortality rates on fish released by rod and line anglers; consequently much of the findings below are based on fish from overseas.
A study http://www.acuteangling.com/Reference/C&RMortality.html
was carried out on a variety of different species ( non Shark ) The study suggests an average successful return rate of 97.23% without consideration of optimized techniques. The study claims the use of specific tackle types and fishing techniques, use of codes of practise etc. can significantly reduce the 2.73% mortality rate.
And on …

Listen to SSTP’s Ian Burrett talking about Tagathon on this weekends BBC Radio Scotland’s Out of Doors programme at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nwsgy – fast forward to 1hr 10 mins to get to the start of Ian’s contribution to the programme.

SSTP are pleased to introduce the latest member of our team – Dr Lauren Smith.

The Shark Bug
From a very early age I was fascinated by the Oceans, however growing up in West Bromwich meant shark encounters were more often experienced behind reinforced glass tanks in Aquariums than in the wild! It wasn’t until I moved to Plymouth to pursue my undergraduate degree that I could finally begin to immerse myself in the shark’s realm. Specific research projects grabbed my attention and the more I discovered about sharks, the more …

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Argyll and the Islands LEADER Programme have put together a funding package which will enable us to take our Scottish Shark Tagging Programme (SSTP – www.tagsharks.com) to the next level by funding a ‘Shark Project Officer’ and helping support some of the ongoing costs.
If you are interested in applying for the Project Officer job go to http://www.snhjobs.co.uk/; if you require any further information, details etc, just use this form.
The following press release went out today.
The Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network
SSACN …

THE UNCOMMON SKATE – key facts
It is slow growing and takes many years to reach sexual maturity
Population replacement is only around 2% per year
Now considered to be extinct in many areas
Please download a copy of the poster
Thanks go to Davy Holt, Glasgow Museums and the various sponsors.

The Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Environment Committee is seeking views on the general principles of the Marine (Scotland) Bill " .
The Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 29 April 2009 and it is expected that the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee will be designated lead Committee for scrutiny of the Bill.
The Bill seeks to create “a framework to manage growing and competing demands for the use of marine resources in the seas around Scotland, balancing environmental and socio-economic considerations to maximise economic growth within …

“Scottish sea anglers welcome EU shark plan”
SSACN launch the Scottish Shark Tagging Programme
The Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network (SSACN) has been lobbying both the EU and Scottish parliament for a coherent approach to shark conservation and management for a number of years.
The EC has finally announced their conclusions and priority actions regarding the Community Plan of Action for Sharks (CPOA) which is a framework document that sets out a range of potential measures (both mandatory and voluntary) to be implemented at Member …

By Phill Williams for Boat Fishing Monthly
SCOTTISH SEA ANGLING CONSERVATION NETWORK ‘TAGATHON’
If like me you are between 50 and 60 years of age and have fished for as far back as you can remember, then you almost certainly will have shared in a quality of boat fishing that most people younger than yourself can only dream about. There aren’t many consolations for growing old, but that, along with bus passes and free prescriptions, is one of them. In particular I can remember when spurdog shoals were so vast that you …

CONSULTATION on an EU Action Plan for Sharks Response
Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network (SSACN)
Antonio Fernandez-Aguirre International Policy and Law of the Sea Unit Directorate General for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs European Commission 99 Rue Joseph II B – 1049 Brussels
Dear Mr. Fernandez-Aguirre:
The Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network (SSACN www.ssacn.org) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the European Commission’s consultation paper for development of a Community Plan of Action (CPOA) for Sharks.
SSACN is …