Sign up for Tagathon2009

The Scottish Shark Tagging Programme is delighted to announce the launch of the second annual Spurdog Tagathon.

The tagging event is part of our ongoing campaign to allow the stocks of spurdog and common skate in Lochs Sunart and Etive and surrounding waters to regenerate by protecting them from excessive and unsustainable exploitation.

Common skate are on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) ‘red list’; spurdog are at 5% of their original biomass and evidence from anglers suggests that Lochs Sunart and Etive and surrounding waters have unique resident populations which pup in the region.

However, Cabinet Secretary Lochhead and Marine Scotland require further evidence before they will to take any action to protect either species and to help facilitate this, the second SSACN/SSTP Spurdog Tagathon will take place in the area over the weekend 14th/15th of November.

Anglers will be encouraged to tag as many spurdog and common skate as possible from the shore and boat and the event will help to raise the public awareness of the urgent need for protection of Scotland’s critically endangered sharks, rays and skate.

Tagging is the only non-destructive assessment of sharks available which will help provide data such as :

Species migrations
Growth rates
Population and stock make-up
Stock fluctuations dynamics

Shortly we shall be adding a couple of pages to the SSTP and SSACN website designated to the coordination of the Tagathon.

If you fancy joining what looks likely to be a fantastic weekend then please register your interest below.

If you catch a tagged fish

Please leave the tag in the fish.

Note the telephone number or address on the tag and write down the number of the tag. If you have a suitable sling and scales then take the measurements and weigh the fish.

Please keep the fish in water as much as possible.

And don’t forget Log the data here.

Shark papers by Lauren Smith

On the BBC & ITV

and Gordon Goldie gives an interview here on ITV.

During Sharkatag 2010 the CBBC / BBC Newsround programme did a item with Kiera Merrifield and Bradley Burrett – see it at CBBC / BBC website

The Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network

The SSTP is part of the the Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network, an independent Charity registered in Scotland which was created to focus on conservation issues in the marine environment and in particular those affecting sea anglers.