Shark Focus

CAMPAIGN CORNERCampaign VictoryEuropean parliament votes for stronger finning banHousekeeping Happy Birthday To You Happy Birthday to you Not my usual money quote but as The Shark Trust hasturned 15 this year I thought I would sing. Normallymy piece involves general financial and administrativehousekeeping but as this is a special edition I was askedto talk about my time with The Shark Trust.I joined the Trust when it was two and a half years oldand the office had just been relocated from Newburyto Plymouth. We occupied the old ice cream parlour,rented from the National Marine Aquarium, and myselfand Clive James (who emigrated to New Zealand in2002) moved in, complete with the slushy machine andpick-a-mix stand. It was compact and desk space wasvery cramped, the use of a bathroom depended on theaquarium being open or dashing over the swing bridge tothe Barbican, but it was the new home of The Shark Trustand we were both delighted to be a part of the charityand hopeful for the future.I have been with the Trust for 13 years in March andit is with great pride I can say, apart from Sarah FowlerOBE, founder member and still a Trustee, I am thelongest serving staff member. My role has evolved overthe years including the honour of becoming the CompanySecretary which I took over in 2003. I take my positionwithin this amazing charity very seriously, ensuring weare compliant with all charity and company laws and thatwe are financially transparent and solvent! It is a job Ilove and I take great pride in working for a charity that ismaking a difference in shark conservation.Over the years I have spoken to and correspondedwith many of you at some stage, it is always nice toput faces to names at shows. I have sent out hundredsof renewal notices, 37,500 issues of Shark Focus,endless adoptions and cuddly toys and hundreds ofnew memberships – although loads more would bewonderful. There have been 13 very successful auditsand it is wonderful to be able to always report to you, themembership, that even in troubled economic times weremain in a healthy position and achieving our charitableaims with the tremendous work of the conservationteam – the most recent being the wonderful news on thevictory in the European Parliament for the review of theshark finning regulation.Time stands still for no-one and in the last 15 yearsthe Trust has evolved hugely. We have increasedthe number of Trustees and staff. Ali (Director ofConservation) joined the Trust in 2002, and over theyears we added more staff to the conservation teamto ensure the vital work of the Trust produced thenecessary results. We now have a staff base of five atpresent: Hannah, John, Cat, myself and Ali, and nineTrustees. We have hosted EEA conferences, attendedDive Shows, moved to a bigger office, marched alongbeaches in the rain looking for egg cases, attendedoutreach events, celebrated, engagements, weddings,babies, exam results with you all and most importantly,fought the cause for shark conservation nationally andinternationally, achieving excellent work and results.You have all supported us along the way. Yourfundraising ventures over the years have helped the Trusthugely and you find so many marvellous ways to do this.The Wall of Fame and fundraising pages on the websiteacknowledge all of the effort you have shown and thatyou are so generous and innovative. As a charity weGlenys Heafield,Head of Finance & CompanySecretary.promise to continue to spend effectively, work tirelesslyto protect these enigmatic creatures and increasefundraising efforts for the foreseeable future. We lookforward to sharing all of this with you in the coming yearsand remain grateful for your continued support.It has been a pleasure to have worked for this charity fornearly 13 years and as they have raised the retirementage, maybe another 15!!! I hope the festive season isgood for you all, and maybe by spring the green shoots ofrecovery the chancellor promised us all will be evident.And on that note join me to sing loudly: Happy Birthday To You Happy Birthday to you Supporting the European Elasmobranch AssociationThe Shark Trust4 Creykes Court, The Millfields, Plymouth PL1 3JBTel: (+44) (0)1752 672008/672020 Fax: (+44) (0)1752 672008Email: enquiries@sharktrust.orgWebsite: http://www.sharktrust.orgShark FocusIssue 45 December‐ 2012Features4 The EU Shark Finning Review – European Parliament Victory6 White Sharks in UK waters10 The Shark Trust - 15 Years of Shark Conservation11 A review of the Great Eggcase Hunt12–17 Pull-out posters18 Assessing the Footprint of the UK over-10m Fishing Fleet20 The Shark Trust: Future Conservation Objectives21 China Update24 Tagging and Tracking Britain’s Gentle Giants26 New Shark Trust WebsiteRegulars8 Shark Trust and World Shark News9 Policy page22 Member’s pages27 EEA Conference 2012 and condolencesEdited by the Shark Trust©Shark Trust 2012Shark Focus is published three times a year in March, July and November. Copy datefor the next issue is 31st January 2013. Shark Focus is copyrighted and therefore thosewishing to reproduce articles must first contact the Shark Trust. The views and opinionsexpressed by the authors in Shark Focus are not necessarily those of the Shark Trust.Established in 1997, the Shark Trust works to advance the worldwide conservationof sharks through science, education, influence and action. The Trust is the UKmember of the European Elasmobranch Association and currently provides theEEA’s secretariat services.Trustee/Directors: Richard Peirce (Chair), Sue Bates, George Bowser, Roger Covey, Paul Cox,Sarah Fowler OBE, Heather Koldeway, John Nightingale and Christopher Pringle.Patrons: Nick Baker, John Boyle, Leonard Compagno, Marc Dando, Bob Earll, Nigel Eaton,Ian Fergusson, Mariella Frostrup, Loyd Grossman, John Gummer MP, Monty Halls, Martha Holmes,Kate Humble, Sir David Jason OBE, Gordon Ramsay OBE, Simon Rogerson, Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch,Michaela Strachan and Valerie TaylorThe Shark Trust is supported by: the Co-operative, Defra, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation,the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Pew Foundation, Save our Seas Foundationand the Tubney Charitable Trust.Design: Fluke Art. www.flukeart.comBlue Shark. © Linda Pitkin.EDITORIALWe are a teenager! It’s not good English but it’s true, the Shark Trust is 15 years oldthis year.Shark conservation has come a long way since the Trust was founded in 1997.I remember my own reaction when I first heard of the Trust, “thank God there issomeone else out there”. There weren’t many voices raised in support of sharks atthat time and it is thanks to organisations like the Shark Trust that now the pro-sharklobby is a large, ever increasing, global movement.In the mid 1990’s we were almost lone voices, but today are part of a worldwideclamour that is being heard by legislators and decision makers. As we go to printthis was emphasised in fashion, with a landslide victory in the vote by the EuropeanParliament to strengthen EU finning regulations. The Shark Trust was there at thestart of the campaign to secure an effective finning ban and is seeing it through (seep.4 for the full story).Our 15th birthday is a good time to take stock. As well as directly contributing to theinitial adoption of a ban on shark finning in European waters and by the Europeanfleet worldwide, the Trust was also involved in securing the 2009 prohibition on theremoval of fins at sea for all UK vessels; the listing of sharks under CITES and theConvention for Migratory Species (CMS); the emergency closure of the NortheastAtlantic deepwater gillnet fishery; and the setting of Total Allowable Catches (TACs)and Quotas under the EU Common Fisheries Policy.We have worked with UK government agencies on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife &Countryside Act and the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, and supported efforts beingmade in China towards curtailing fin consumption and numerous public awarenessand public recording programmes (see p.10 of this issue for more on fifteen years ofshark conservation).A lot has been done, a lot is being done, but a lot more needs doing.It’s a good time to say thank you to all the volunteers, donors, fundraisers andothers who have helped the Trust, you know who you are – thank you all. Whilesaying ‘thank you’s’, I would record the trustees thanks to the Trust’s staff, past andpresent, whose hard work, energy and commitment has enabled so much progress tobe made.It’s appropriate that I conclude by welcoming four of our long time supporters tothe ranks of our ‘Shark Champions’. Stacey & Lisa Burnett, and Danny & CathieAslan have been Shark Trust helpers and supporters for over a decade and at theBirmingham Dive Show received their awards from Monty Halls and myself. Well doneand thank you.Happy Christmas to you all, and here’s hoping for a shark successful CITESconference in Bangkok and further conservation gains.Go well,Richard PeirceChairman2 www.sharktrust.org Shark Focus 45 Shark Focus 45 www.sharktrust.org 3

The EU Shark Finning Review– EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VICTORYThe Campaign Progress The Final PushThe shark fin trade is complex and the regulations whichcurrently manage it are often lenient and near impossibleto enforce. Here in Europe a shark finning ban wasadopted in 2003 following a concerted effort by the SharkTrust and WildAid, in theory making shark finning illegalin EU waters and on EU vessels worldwide. Although theintent of the regulation was to see all sharks landed withtheir fins attached, loopholes in the regulation (Article 4)allow Member States to issue Special Fishing Permits,permitting vessels to remove shark fins at sea under acomplicated fin:carcass ratio.These permits were meant to be the exception, butfast became the rule for the Spanish and Portugueselong-line freezer vessel fleet. In this form the Europeanregulation is amongst the most lenient in the world,hard to enforce and hampers species-specific datacollection. Furthermore, the EU’s weak finning regulationundermines progress within the Regional FisheriesManagement Organisations who oversee high seasfisheries management for tuna and tuna-like fish(sharks).In 2006 the Shark Trust was a founder member of theShark Alliance which, as a coalition of member groups,joined the campaign for the adoption of a tighter sharkfinning regulation through the adoption of ‘fins naturallyattached’: with no exceptions. To further understand theissues behind the campaign an excellent animation hasbeen developed which can been seen at:www.sharktrust.org/finning.Photos this pageMain image: Blue Shark. © Linda Pitkin.Image 1: Door-hanger reminding MEPs to attend the vote.© Sonja Fordham, SAI.Image 2: European Parliament. © Shark Trust.In Shark Focus 44 we reported that fins naturallyattached had been proposed by the EuropeanCommission, supported by the Council of FisheriesMinisters and the Environment Committee and washeading for PECH – the EP Fisheries Committee. Chairedby Gabriel Mato Adrover, a Spanish MEP, and receivingstrong lobby from the Spanish industry, PECH was nevergoing to be easy to win over.However the campaign had secured the support of somekey, proactive MEPs representing most of the politicalgroups. For the UK and Ireland these included ChrisDavies (ALDE), Julie Girling (ECR), Jim Higgins (EPP), IanHudghton (Green) and Nigel Farage (EFD); sadly alongthe way the campaign disappointingly lost the patronageof Struan Stevenson (ECR) who had previously beenvocal in his support. On 19th September PECH voted,and although there was clear support to remove thedamaging loophole, the result was confusing with twocontroversial points added to the report – but all wasfar from lost and the report was definitely still in play.Everything now came down to the plenary vote, and thefocus moved to Strasbourg for the final push.The European Shark Finning Regulation hasbeen at the heart of Shark Trust activitiessince the Trust was founded in 1997. Inthis, our fifteenth anniversary year, thecampaign has come to a head with crucialvotes in the Environment and FisheriesCommittees of the European Parliament(EP), culminating in a crucial plenarysession in late November, where all 752Members of the European Parliament hadthe opportunity to cast their vote.After months of delay and intense counter lobbying bythe Spanish and Portuguese fishing industry the reportreached Strasbourg the week of the 19th November.The upcoming plenary vote was finally confirmed by theEP Council of Presidents on the 19th and, working withShark Alliance colleagues from across Europe, a carefullyorchestrated period of activity ensued. A breakfastworkshop and evening debate were instigated by thePortuguese rapporteur, Mrs Patrão Neves, and roundsof personal meetings all offered opportunity to gaugethe feeling of the MEPs and ensure they appreciated thepotential ramifications of the proposed amendments whichsought to reintroduce and support the damaging Article4. As the level of support for the Commission’s proposalbecame increasingly evident, focus turned to ensuringthe vote was well attended, with vote-encouraging doorhangersdistributed through the offices of the EP building.Thursday morning, the day of the vote, and nerves wererunning high as we made our way into the Hemicycle –the voting arena of the EP, with seats for all 752 MEPsspread out below and visitors confined to the uppergallery. All we could do was wait and hope that the MEPsfollowed through accordingly.The VoteVoting is fast and furious and vocal objection was raised to the first instruction for a show of hands.Electronic voting ensued and the results followed with the amendment to reintroduce Article 4 andcontinued ability to remove shark fins at sea categorically rejected by 563-66, and the Commission’sproposal overwhelmingly supported by 566-47, truly a landslide victory!Press ReleaseStronger Shark Finning Ban Endorsed in LandslideVote by European ParliamentThursday 22 November 2012: STRASBOURG// Conservation groups are celebratingtoday’s European Parliament vote to close loopholes in the European Unionban on shark finning (slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the body atsea), the culmination of six years of campaigning and debate. Members ofthe European Parliament voted 566-47 in favour of the European Commission’sproposal to impose the best practice for finning ban enforcement: aprohibition on removing shark fins at sea. The measure faced formidableopposition from representatives of Spain and Portugal, Europe’s leaders incatch of oceanic sharks.“Parliament’s overwhelming support for strengthening the EU finning banrepresents a significant victory for shark conservation in the EU and beyond,”said Ali Hood, Shark Trust Director of Conservation. “Because of the EU’sinfluence at international fisheries bodies, this action holds great promisefor combating this wasteful practice on a global scale.”The EU banned finning in 2003, but the associated regulation includesloopholes that allow shark fins to be removed on board and landed separatelyfrom shark bodies, which hampers enforcement.“We owe so much of our success to the tens of thousands of divers acrossEurope who voiced their concern for sharks,” said Suzanne Pleydell, Directorfor Project AWARE Foundation in Europe. “By demonstrating the economicbenefits of sound shark stewardship, divers brought new EU Member States tothe debate to support a stronger finning policy that reflects the values of theentire European Union, not just its shark fishing powers.”Parliament’s final report now goes to the EU Council of Ministers andCommission as part of the process to finalise the regulation. Conservationgroups stressed that finning bans alone are insufficient to save sharks.“Strong finning bans are fundamental to effective shark fisheries managementand particularly important for shark fishing powers like the EU, but ourwork is far from done,” said Sonja Fordham, President of Shark AdvocatesInternational. “We urge swift finalisation of the amended finning regulation,and remain committed to securing additional, complementary safeguardsincluding science-based limits on shark catch and trade.”The groups are turning their sights to the next big battleground for sharks:the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) whoseParties meet in March to consider proposals to list commercially valuable,threatened shark species, including Porbeagles, hammerheads, and OceanicWhitetips. Proponents for listing include the EU and U.S.1 2 3Photos this pageImage 3: 2003: the FisheriesMinister receives a petitiondemonstrating public frustrationat loopholes in new finningregulations. © Fishing News.Image 4: The campaign begins.© Shark Alliance.The Next StepsAlthough the EP vote is an overwhelming demonstration of support,all is not over. Under the process of co-decision (required underthe Lisbon Treaty) the report has now gone back to the Councilof Ministers who have to consider the EPs amended report. If theCouncil accept the report then we are hopeful for a rapid conclusion(possibly even adoption) before Christmas – and what a great start tothe new year that would make!Key dates in the Shark Trust finning timeline:200115,000 Shark Trust petitions were presented (by bike!) to MargoWallström, EU Commissioner of the Environment, starting thecampaign to ban shark finning in EU waters and by EU vesselsworld-wide.2003The EU finning regulation is adopted, and the Shark Trust voicedits disappointment as loopholes allowing removal of shark fins atsea are clearly evident from the start. Sarah Fowler, Shark TrustFounder and early campaigner for a shark finning ban, calledfor whole body landings as the only way to effectively enforce afinning ban.Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw hosted the Shark Trust andWildAid who, in the company of Mariella Frostup, presented83,000 petitions from a frustrated public.2006The Shark Trust contributed to the formation of the Shark Alliancecampaign, created to deliver the European Community Plan of Actionfor sharks, with the review of the finning regulation as a key objective.The EU regulation is reviewed and the European Parliament callsfor a tighter finning ban.2009The Shark Trust successfully campaigns for the end of theprovision of Special Fishing Permits in the UK. All UK vessels nowland sharks with their fins naturally attached. Strong supportis demonstrated by the Fisheries Ministers Huw Irranca Davies(Defra) and Richard Lochhead (Scotland).2010Majority MEP support is secured for a Written Declaration callingon the EU Commission to propose an end to at-sea removal ofshark fins.2011The Commission released a proposal for an end to at-sea removalof fins, with no exception.2012Feb: Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon receives 60,000 UKsignatures supporting fins naturally attached.Aug: Benyon and Julie Girling (MEP) dive into shark conservation.Sept: PECH vote to reject Article 4.Nov: MEPs show overwhelming support!Dec: Adoption..?44 www.sharktrust.org/finning Shark Focus 45Shark Focus 45 www.sharktrust.org/finning 5

iconicSharks are iconic animalsthat evoke strong yetdivided opinions. Despitethe pivotal role sharksplay in our oceans, mediaportrayal is often negativeand sensationalist,usually depicting sharksas malicious, fearsomeand menacing rather thanintelligent and vulnerable.w.sharktrust.orgShortfin Mako. © Andy Murch.The Shark TrustFifteen Years ofShark ConservationThe Shark Trust was established in 1997 in recognition of the need for an independent voice forshark conservation. The Trust is the UK registered charity which works to advance the worldwideconservation of sharks 1 through science, education, influence and action.When the Shark Trust started its activity in 1997 there was little to no management for shark,skates and rays and an almost equal lack of public appreciation for sharks and their importancewithin the wider marine ecosystem.Delivering at national, European and international levels, the Shark Trust has made significant progress towardseffective shark conservation and management, culminating in this year’s final push to close the loopholes in the EUShark Finning Regulation, a campaign ten years in the running and started by the Trust in 2001. Not all Trust activitiesare headline grabbing, but are none-the-less essential for the delivery of practical and effective shark conservation.On a National ScaleThe Trust sought to raise public awareness of sharks and encourage greater appreciation of the diversity of speciesin our waters, all the while offsetting the then regular, and generally negative, media hype. With Basking Sharks listedunder the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) in 1998, the stage was set for additional sharks to make the leap fromcommercially exploited fish to ‘wildlife’ – a highly significant change in mind-set but unfortunately not a move that hasworked for many species (although all Devolved Administrations have now adopted protective measures which prohibitthe retention of Basking Shark, White Skate and Angelshark).In 2012 the Trust influenced Scotland’s adoption of the Scottish Elasmobranch Protection Order, which prohibits theretention of a further 26 species of shark, skate and ray. With Defra publishing its Shark, Skate and Ray ConservationPlan in 2011 there is now a solid framework from which to deliver positive domestic management and protection forsharks. Furthermore the support from Ministerial offices for practical shark conservation has been substantial and theShark Trust’s ability to engage the Ministers in campaigns and activities has been extremely valuable.EuropeThe Shark Trust has been active in Europe since its inception, acting as the Secretariat to the European ElasmobranchAssociation. The Trust has advocated for the adoption of appropriate catch limits for sharks; from the initial, albeitineffective, limits for Spurdog and then skates and rays in the North Sea, to today’s scenario where zero Total AllowableCatches (TACs) and bycatch restrictions are in place for Porbeagle, Spurdog and Deepwater Sharks and landingprohibitions apply to a further seven species. However, zero TACs do not equate to zero catch and the Shark Trustcurrently engages in projects with scientists and the fishing industry to develop appropriate and practical bycatchmitigation measures.In 2006 the Shark Trust was a founder member of the Shark Alliance campaign which aimed to secure a EuropeanCommunity Plan of Action (CPOA) for sharks in line with the 1999 resolution by the UN Food and AgricultureOrganisation (FAO). The CPOA would enable the delivery of a suite of shark conservation and management measures,with the review of the EU shark finning regulation listed as priority action.After an intensive campaign involving Shark Alliance colleagues across Europe, the CPOA was adopted in 2009, andthe European Commission launched the consultation for the review of the EU shark finning regulation later that year.Through the campaign the Trust engaged governments across Europe, gaining the support of quite literally hundredsof thousands of European citizens, delivered countless hours of factual argument, and patiently explained and reexplainedthe difference between shark finning and the removal of shark fins at sea. Three years on we are teetering onthe brink of a significant campaign victory, one that has ramifications for shark management in all oceans.InternationalInternationally, the Trust works through recognised conventions such as the Convention on International Trade inEndangered Species (CITES) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), as well as seeking to influence RegionalFisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) through the UK delegation. In 2013, working as part of the CITES7coalition, the Trust is supporting a number of shark proposals to the CITES Conference of Parties.With a proven record for delivering sound, science-based identification and guidance materials, effective delivery ofpublic awareness events and exhibits, and supported by a significant on-line presence, the Trust has done much tochange attitudes towards sharks and their conservation needs.Through projects, awareness and well-orchestrated campaigns, whether independently or as part of a coalition, overfifteen years the Shark Trust is surely delivering its remit: to advance the worldwide conservation of sharks.1. All reference to ‘sharks’ should be considered to represent all Chondrichthyan fish (sharks, skates, rays and chimaera) unless otherwise stated.The Great Eggcase HuntEggcase hunting in Orkney © Richard Land.What does a mermaid keep in her purse?True skate are oviparous, whereas true rays give birth tolive young (viviparous). In British coastal waters, thereare approximately 16 species of skate which reproduce bylaying tough, leathery eggcases (or mermaid’s purses). Theeggcases of eight of these species are commonly encounteredon UK beaches, with a number of deeper water speciesonly brought up by trawls. Of more than 20 shark speciesfrequently encountered in British waters, two species lay eggswhich are regularly found along the strandline of UK beaches.What does the GEH involve?Eggcases are much lighter once the embryo has hatched andif dislodged can be picked up in currents and carried inshoreby wave action. Spent eggcases are washed up along thestrandline where they can be found amongst the flotsam andjetsam. The GEH involves members of the public scouringthe beaches for these eggcases, identifying what they havefound and submitting details to the Shark Trust to record.ResultsThis is a database of occasional finds rather than beingsurvey based and therefore relies heavily on publicsubmissions. The Trust uses this information to betterunderstand the presence, diversity and relative abundanceof species around the coastline – the latest results havebeen mapped and can be seen at www.eggcase.org. Thisproject has been engaging people in hunting for spenteggcases for over nine years, and to date over 32,400findings have been reported from over 860 individualsconducting in excess of 1750 hunts. A staggering 47% of theeggcases submitted belong to the Smallspotted Catshark,with a further 23% belonging to the Thornback Ray. Theremaining 30% consists of Spotted Ray, Undulate Ray,Small-eyed Ray, Blonde Ray, Cuckoo Ray, Starry Skate,Common Skate spp., White Skate, Nursehound and even theodd deepwater species such as the Blackmouth Catshark.Catshark eggcases in-situ. © Linda Pitkin.Why record eggcases?In recent years, the abundance of many species of shark,skate and ray have declined around the British coast.Elasmobranchs have life history characteristics similar tomammals as they experience slow growth, late maturityand low reproduction rates, making them vulnerable tooverfishing. Skates take 5-10 years to mature (depending onspecies) and lay relatively few eggs (40 – 150 a year). Largerbodied species are more vulnerable to trawling activity andjuveniles are often caught before they have reached breedingage, causing populations to become depleted. Smallerspecies tend to grow and reproduce more rapidly and aretherefore more resilient to moderate fishing activity.The discovery of significant numbers of eggcases in one areacould signify that egglaying or nursery grounds are presentclose to shore. Recognising these hotspots provides vitalinformation which can be used in decision making processesto aid species recovery, such as the designation of MarineConservation Zones (MCZs) around the UK.Juvenile Smallspotted Catsharks Scyliorhinus canicula.© Lauren Smith.Established in 2003, the Great Eggcase Hunt (GEH)is a Shark Trust public awareness and recordingproject that aims to discover where different speciesof oviparous shark and skate lay their eggs. Althoughborne from concern regarding the population statusof egglaying species, the GEH also operates as aneducational tool to raise awareness of the presenceand diversity of elasmobranchs in British waters.A perfect example of an eggcase record. © Julian Clarke.How to report your findings?Visit www.eggcase.org and submit an online recordingform! Please be sure to either post your finding to the office,or send us photographs of the eggcases taken against ascale (such as a ruler and 2p coin) as it’s very importantthat we can verify your records.Eggcases UnderwaterOver the years, the GEH has helped improve the SharkTrust’s knowledge about the distribution of egglayingelasmobranchs. However, where eggcases are found onthe beach isn’t always a true indication of where they werelaid, as the sea can carry them some distance. ‘EggcasesUnderwater’ is aimed at divers and asks that eggcasesseen in-situ are reported, so beach records can be linkedwith actual egg-laying grounds. This also aims to get moredetailed information about the specific areas that skates andcatsharks use as nursery grounds, as well as the types ofsubstrate that different species lay their eggs on.The GEH takes on the USAInternational eggcases are often reported to the Shark Trustand a number of sister projects have since been establishedin other countries (including Ireland, France and Serbia).Given that the UK and the USA share a water body, thereis some crossover of species, so for this reason the GEHis looking to expand across the water to include oviparousspecies found in the Northwest Atlantic. In the long term,eggcase data from the USA could help provide informationrelevant for stock management and species conservation.10 www.sharktrust.org Shark Focus 45 Shark Focus 45 www.eggcase.org 11

THE GREAT EGGCASE HUNTTHE6Once the young have absorbed theyolk sac, the skate emerges frombetween the horns of the upper fieldof the eggcase and hatches as aminiature version of the adult.Skate Life CycleThe process of laying eggs that hatchoutside the female is known as oviparity.True skates produce eggcases.5Developing embryospump sea waterinto the eggcase bybeating their tails.Empty eggcases are picked up bycurrents and carried inshore.4As the embryo grows, itspectoral fins fold up overits back and its tail curvesup the side of the eggcase.7The juvenile skate will continueto develop to adulthood.The eggcases of eight species of skate and two speciesof shark are commonly found along the UK coastline,where they are known as mermaid’s purses.3Small slits openup along the hornsallowing oxygenatedsea water to enter.Eggcases are made fromcollagen and keratin, which arethe same proteins that makeup human hair and fingernails.8Once mature, the now adultfemale will produce herown eggs and the process isrepeated.2Eggs are anchored onto the seabedusing mucus filaments. The embryofeeds on a yolk sac. Incubation periodsvary (approximately 5months to overone year) according to species.1Eggs are laid (often in pairs, onefrom each ovary) by the femaleat daily or weekly intervals.GEH is supported byKeen eggcase hunters use the ID guide to identify species and reportfinds to the Shark Trust’s Great Eggcase Hunt project for recording.www.sharktrust.org

Assessing thefootprint of theUK over-10mfishing fleet:1985-2010Porbeagle Sharks on fishmarket 2007. © Rory Goodall.Sitting on the western edge of Europe, the UK is surrounded by some of the most productivefisheries in the world. From the storm-whipped North Sea, to the Celtic and Irish Seas, andout to the boundless Northeast Atlantic, fishing occupies a central role in the UK’s maritimeheritage. As well as traditional teleost (bony fish) stocks, sharks* have also supportedimportant fisheries for the UK fleet; indeed, between 2001 and 2008 the UK was ranked 19thin a list of the world’s top-20 shark fishing nations headed by Indonesia, India, Spain andTaiwan 1 .With this in mind, the Shark Trusthas taken an opportunity to assessthe ‘footprint’ of the UK commercialfishing fleet between 1985 and 2010 2 .The preliminary results below arebased on the analysis of over 216,000‘observations’ by fisheries enforcementagencies of all landings by UK-flaggedfishing vessels in the over-10.01mcategory – known colloquially as the‘over-10s’.Over-10m vessel. Image from Wiki Commons.A brief historyIn the twentieth century sharks formed an important component of mixed,rather than target, fisheries for the UK fleet – with two notable exceptions. TheBasking Shark Cetorhinus maximus had been fished for centuries, howeverafter World War II, UK vessels (amongst others) engaged in a more intensivetarget fishery, with the last UK fishing operation ceasing only in the mid-1990s. However, during the 1950s and 60s large-scale target fisheries forSpurdog Squalus acanthias in the Northeast Atlantic eclipsed all others, for atime making it the most commercially important shark in Europe.Skates and rays, too, have been historically important for the UK fleet,although tended to be taken in mixed fisheries. Unfortunately, prior to 2008this diverse group of fish were landed in the catch-all category ‘Skates andRays’ – meaning there is little, if any, useful landings data up until then.Further out, with the development of deep water fisheries in the 1970s,deepwater sharks began being caught as bycatch. But with no commercialvalue, unknown quantities were discarded at sea before markets developedfor a number of species in the late 1980s 3 . Perhaps the most desirableshark caught in mixed fisheries was the Porbeagle Lamna nasus. Rarelysubject to target fisheries by UK vessels, the Porbeagle was taken ashighly valued incidental catch, and was at one time the most commerciallyvaluable fish in Europe. Yet in a situation echoing that of the Basking Sharkand Spurdog, decades of overexploitation finally led to the collapse of theNortheast Atlantic subpopulation.The Over-10’sWith 6444 vessels, the UK currently has the sixth largest commercialfishing fleet in the EU. However, in terms of capacity (gross tonnage) thefleet falls a distant second behind Spain, while in terms of power (andrange) the UK lies fourth, behind Italy, France and Spain. Although only22% (1388) of vessels in the UK fleet are over 10m in length, their impactis more substantial, accounting for 91% of the fleet’s capacity and twothirdsof engine power 4 (fig. 1).Decline in total catchFigure 1The most visible trend in the data is a significant decrease in total shark,skate and ray catch by the UK fleet between 1985 and 2010 (fig. 2). Whilemuch of the decrease can be attributed to the decline of once abundantstocks, the introduction of catch limits and fishing prohibitions are alsocontributing factors. The best example of this can be seen in the trajectoryof the Northeast Atlantic Spurdog fishery – a classic example of a ‘boomand bust’ fishery. Taken in huge volume in bottom trawls, gillnets and onlines, in both target and mixed fisheries, Spurdog dominated total sharkcatch. As the fishery began showing signs of collapse, managementmeasures were introduced and by 2010 restrictions limited UK vessels totwo fish per trip, to be followed by a zero-TAC in 2011 which remains inplace today.Figure 2Figure 3Figure 4Diversification of shark fisheriesIn parallel with this was a diversification in shark specieslanded by the fleet (fig. 3). In the late 1990s and early2000s much of this consisted of deepwater sharks –primarily Portuguese Dogfish Centroscymnus coelolepisand Leafscale Gulper Sharks Centrophorus squamosus– which made up 45% of the total shark catch in 2004.Of all elasmobranchs, this group exhibits the greatestvulnerability to commercial fishing pressure, with somespecies experiencing declines of 80 – 95% in parts of theNortheast Atlantic 5,6 . In 2005 the influential Deepnet reportled to the emergency closure of deepwater gillnet fisheries inEU waters; this was followed in 2008 by the introduction ofa zero-TAC for some 20 deepwater sharks.Also notable is the emergence in the early 1990s of therecording category ‘Shark’, perhaps reflecting the transitionfrom a catch composed almost entirely of Spurdog to amuch wider variety of species. By 1997, with no regulatoryrequirement for species-specific recording, the Sharkcategory was being used to record almost one third of allshark catches (in that year alone some 3900t of sharkcatches provided fisheries managers and scientists with nouseful information). However, with EU Common FisheriesPolicy regulations now requiring species-specific recording,use of the Sharks category declined, used to record only 6tin 2010. Interestingly, ‘dogfish (Scyliorhinidae spp.)’ and‘unidentified dogfish’ became increasingly more important,by 2010 accounting for more than 40% of the total catch(NB: in 2012 there remains no management for dogfish(Scyliorhinidae spp.) populations in UK or EU waters).Skates and rays: a murky pictureThe catch composition for skates and rays, however, ismuch murkier. Between 1985 and 2008 only a minutepercentage of the catch was recorded by species, with theremainder logged as ‘Skates and Rays’ (fig. 4). Not only didthis provide no data on population structures, abundanceand distribution, it also grouped together species withcontrasting biological characteristics and resilience tofishing pressure. Only belatedly did scientists realise thishad masked fishing-driven population declines for somelarger-bodied skate, with the likes of the Common SkateDipturus batis 7 and White Skate Rostroraja alba nowCritically Endangered. In 2007, for the first time, total catchof skate and ray by the UK fleet exceeded that of sharks. By2010 skate and ray catch was more than twice as large andworth almost seven times as much.Fishing further afieldBetween 1985 and 2000 the entire shark catch by the UKfleet came from ‘home waters’: the Northeast Atlantic. By2005 this range had extended to the Southwest Atlantic,although catches there were of a far lower volume thanin the Northeast. By 2008 the fleet was catching sharksthroughout the entire Atlantic, as well as in the Indian Ocean(fig.5). In contrast, the skate and ray catch continued tocome almost exclusively from the Northeast Atlantic.Catches outside of home waters were dominated by oceanicsharks, in particular the Blue Shark Prionace glauca (withsignificant catches of deepwater sharks also recorded fromthe Western Indian Ocean and Eastern Central Atlantic).Taken mainly from the South Atlantic, as well as the WesternIndian Ocean, the Blue Shark catch mushroomed from 6t in2004 to 183t in 2005, peaking at 1086t in 2006.Figure 5: From a Northeast Atlantic focus in 1985, to fishingthroughout the Atlantic and Indian Oceans in 2010.Home watersNevertheless, the UK fleet’s shark fishing footprint remainedlargest in the Northeast Atlantic. And here, one regionwas consistently more productive for shark, skate and raycatches: ICES division 27.6.a – Northwest Coast of Scotlandand North Ireland. Encompassing productive continentalshelf and slope waters, as well as the much deeper RockallTrough (>2000m) and seamounts, the region also benefitsfrom the warming presence of the North Atlantic DriftCurrent, and it was from here that the greatest volume ofsharks and skates and rays were removed between 1985and 2010 – both overall and on a year-to-year basis.Smoothhound: an expanding andunregulated fisheryAs a demersal species, smoothhound occupy a similar nicheto Tope Galeorhinus galeus and Spurdog, with all threemedium-size sharks most commonly found in continentalshelf waters. By 2010, of the 1324t of shark caught by theUK fleet, 274t (21%) was smoothhound – a catch whichhad risen steadily from 2000 onwards (fig. 6). Yet, althougheffective fishing restrictions are in place for Tope (TopeProhibition of Fishing Order 2008 8 ) and Spurdog (zero TAC),Figure 6there is currently no management or protection in place forsmoothhound populations in UK or EU waters.Recent genetic research has demonstrated that rather thanthe two species of smoothhound traditionally thought tobe present in British waters – the Common SmoothhoundMustelus mustelus and Starry Smoothhound M. asterias– only the latter is present 9 . However Northeast Atlanticpopulations of Starry Smoothhound demonstrate a lowreproductive rate, and are perhaps more susceptible tooverexploitation – particularly when subject to an expanding,unregulated fishery.ConclusionsSeveral wider trends are evident in the data; perhapsof greatest significance is a considerable decrease intotal catch between 1985 and 2010, as well as a cleardiversification in shark catch in the early 2000s. Notable toois an extension of range, with the fleet moving throughoutthe Atlantic as well as into the Indian Ocean – primarilycatching oceanic sharks. In contrast, we know next tonothing about skate and ray catch prior to 2008 other thanvolumes landed.With recent policy initiatives such as the Department ofEnvironment, Food and Rural Affair’s (Defra) Shark, Skateand Ray Conservation Plan (2011), Marine Scotland’sElasmobranch Protection Order 2012 and the UKGovernment’s 2010 adoption of a blanket Fins NaturallyAttached policy, we can seriously contemplate the possibilitythat the UK may now, in 2012, fall outside the world’s top-20 shark fishing nations. Nevertheless, with dogfish andsmoothhound now dominating the shark catch by the fleet,concerns remain on the sustainability of expanding, thoughstill unmanaged fisheries for some species.Leafscale Gulper Shark © University of Aberdeen.References1. Lack, M. & Sant, G. 2011. The Future of Sharks: A Review of Actionand Inaction. TRAFFIC International and the Pew Environment Group.2. Data supplied by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).3. Fowler, S., Mogensen, C. and Blasdale, T. 2004. Plan of Action for theConservation and Management of Sharks in UK Waters. JNCC ReportNo. 360.4. Elliott, M. & Pilgrim, S. (Eds.). 2012. The UK Fishing Industry in 2011.Structure and Activity. Marine Management Organisation, pp. 49.5. Guallart, J., Serena, F., Mancusi, C., Casper, B.M., Burgess, G.H.,Ebert, D.A., Clarke, M. & Stenberg, C. 2006. Centrophorus granulosus.In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4.www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 27 November 2012.6. White, W.T. 2003. Centrophorus squamosus. In: IUCN 2010. IUCNRed List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. www.iucnredlist.org.Downloaded on 27 November 2012.7. Now recognised as being two genetically distinct species, provisionallynamed Dipturus cf. flossada and D. cf. intermedia.8. Shark Trust Commercial Fisheries Advisories - Tope.9. Farrell, E. et al. 2010. Reproductive biology of the starry smooth-houndshark (Mustelus asterias): geographic variation and implications forsustainable exploitation. Journal of Fish Biology, 77: 1505-1525.* All reference to ‘sharks’ should be considered to represent allChondrichthyan fish (sharks, skates, rays and chimaera) unlessotherwise stated.18 www.sharktrust.org Shark Focus 45Shark Focus 45 www.sharktrust.org 19

The Shark TrustFuture Conservation ObjectivesCHINa updateby Richard PeirceDespite global progress on a number of fronts, many shark species stillrequire urgent management or protection, while existing management isoften in need of strengthening or effective enforcement. There remains muchto be achieved.Over the next five years the Shark Trust’s priority objectives for policy andpublic awareness will include:Oceanic Whitetip. © Morton Beier.Improved conservation of threatened shark species at UK, EU andinternational levels, through effective advocacy and implementation ofprotective legislation, including: species listings on CITES at the 2013Conference of Parties; maximising opportunities developed throughthe Convention on Migratory Species ‘Memorandum of Understandingfor Sharks’ in the build-up to the next Conference of Parties in 2014;increase the focus on Regional Fisheries Management Organisations(RFMOs) as a route for more effective management for sharks on thehigh seas, through the introduction of catch limits and tighter finningregulations;Tightening the European shark finning ban by delivering a cessationof the provision of Special Fishing Permits and enforcement ofsimultaneous landings of fins and carcasses through adoption andimplementation of a fins naturally attached landings policy (hopefullyadopted by the end of 2012);Influencing the implementation of an effective and robust EuropeanCommunity Plan of Action for Sharks and equivalent domesticframeworks;Delivery of recovery plans for the most threatened species;Working with government and stakeholders to achieve sustainablemanagement of non-threatened shark species through significantlyimproved management;Securing protection for vulnerable species under domestic policy;Addressing the issue of excessive shark bycatch and the requirement forderogations from the proposed EU discards ban;Maintaining and expanding public involvement in conservation activitiesand extending the geographic range of popular projects such as theGreat Eggcase Hunt and the Basking Shark Photo-ID project;Demonstrating and facilitating best practice and adherence to Codes ofConduct in the recreational sector;Continuing to raise awareness of sharks;Working effectively with the Shark Trust membership to ensure retentionand expansion;Continuing to build a strong and stable Shark Trust.To see how you can get more involved visit theShark Trust at www.sharktrust.org.In June 2011 the Shark Trust presented ‘SharkChampion’ awards to Ding Liguo, Wan Jie, andJim Zhang. These awards were in recognitionof their proposals to the Chinese governmentseeking a ban on the import of shark fins.On June 18th this year China’s State Council GovernmentOffices Administration (GOA) issued a “GOA OfficialLetter (2012-21) which replied to the motion of“Suggesting banning shark fin consumption fromgovernment banquets and meals”. In the letter the StateCouncil praised Mr Ding Liguo of the National People’sCongress (NPC) for proposing the motion, and noted MrLiguo’s objective analysis of the reasons for banningshark fin consumption at government banquets. Theletter mentioned the beneficial effect the ban would havein conserving marine eco-systems and their balance,that it would help promote a green and environmentallyfriendly lifestyle, would improve food security, anddecrease the cost of government entertaining. An officialState Council spokesperson confirmed that the banwould be in effect throughout China within three years.Early in 2011 Jim Zhang joined with Ding Liguo of theNPC, and Wan Jie of the Chinese People’s PoliticalConsultative Conference (CPPCC) and formulatedthe strategy which led to each of them, Liguo and Jie,proposing the import ban to the NPC and the CPPCC.However after the 2011 sessions of the NPC and theCPPCC Zhang and his political colleagues realised therewould be no quick route to a ban on fin importing. Manysectors are involved among which are trade, customs,health, fisheries, agriculture and others and Zhangrealised the proposed legislation could, and probablywould, get bogged down and take many years.This realisation led to our ‘Shark Champions’ re-adjustingtheir positions and looking for a faster way of limitingshark fin consumption. According to the rules if an NPCmotion is supported by 30 congressional signatures, anda CPPCC motion by 50, they have to be fully consideredand must be responded to. Both Liguo and Jie secured therequisite signatures and made the same proposal to eachlegislative body that, “Shark fin consumption be bannedfrom all government’s banquets and meals”.As mentioned earlier this proposal has been officiallyaccepted and is being put into action, and Zhang believesit will be remembered as a milestone in China’s progresstowards protecting sharks.With the once in a decade hand over of political powersacross China being due later this year, the Communistparty may have begun to recognise public outrage at theway in which officials feast at the taxpayer’s expense.This will certainly have helped the passage of the“banquet ban” on shark fins as the Communist Partywill have been seen curbing the cost of taxpayer fundeddining. An immediate effect of the proposed ban wasthat in July the price of shark fins in Beijing’s largest fishmarket crashed by 30 percent in a few days.Whether the real motivation for government actionwas conservation or cost cutting, the effect cannotbut be beneficial to shark conservation. Such actionsare powerful examples and send powerful messages,and Zhang, Wan and Liguo are to be congratulated ontheir part in this valuable step forward. NGO’s andshark conservationists around the world applauded themove, and many noted that this was the first officialgovernment action in support of sharks, which meantthat China acknowledged the problems caused by sharkfinning and the need for action.For many years WildAid has been campaigning fora fin ban in China, and in more recent times hasbeen joined by several Chinese celebrities includingthe NBA superstar Yao Min. Sir Richard Branson isalso supporting a ban, and China’s young people areincreasingly turning their backs on the ways of the past.Perhaps there’s not just cause for hope, but for cautiousoptimism as well?[Editors note – some passages of this piece have beentranslated directly from Chinese government documents]1 2Image 1: Shark Trust Chairman Richard Peirce presents SharkChampion awards - Beijing, 2011. © Richard Peirce.Image 2: Fins for sale in a Taiwan market. Image from WikiCommons.Image 3: Shark fin soup, a national delicacy. © Chee Hong.Image 4: Great Hall of the People - the meeting place of theNational People’s Congress. © Dennis Jarvis.3420 www.sharktrust.org Shark Focus 45 Shark Focus 45 www.sharktrust.org/finning 21

MEMBER’S pagesShark diving in the AzoresSpike BrownFundraisingThe Shark Trust would like to say a massive thank you to all of our supporters whocontinue to support shark conservation by generously giving their time, passion andmoney.In August Ben Hardwidge and his dog, Sansa, walked from the east coast to the westcoast of England, via Hadrian’s Wall. Ben writes about why he wanted to raise moneyfor the Shark Trust below:“I’ve always been interested in sharks, since I (for my sins) used to go fishing forSpurdog, Tope and smoothhounds when I was a teenager. I’m also a keen scubadiver,and it’s always a real treat when you get to see a shark on a dive. I’ve knownabout shark finning for a number of years, but it wasn’t until I saw Sharkwater on atrans-Atlantic flight in 2008 that I realised the extent of the problem, and that sharkswere in serious trouble.What really impressed me about The Shark Trust was its commitment to evidenceand science-based policy - you don’t see any inaccurate pleas to emotion, butinstead hard facts, and I have a lot of respect for this. It’s for this reason that Idecided to make The Shark Trust my chosen charity when I walked Hadrian’s Wall,from the east coast to the west coast, with my dog in August this year. It took us sixdays to walk the total of around 90 miles, while carrying all our gear with us. Therewere major storms on the first two days, and we got ridiculously wet as a result, butthe rest of the walk was gorgeously sunny. We’ve now raised £476.25 for The SharkTrust, including Gift Aid, which I hope you can put to good use.”Ben Hardwidge and Sansa.© Ben Hardwidge.On the 14th October, Molly Swallow bravely completed a 400ft bungee jump inChepstow, Monmouthshire. When Molly emailed us in August to let us know herfundraising plans she wrote the following:“Since diving with Nurse Sharks in Australia this month, I instantly felt like I neededto give something back to these beautiful creatures. The more knowledge I gainedabout the brutality of shark finning whilst over in Australia, the more compelled I feltto do something proactive in order to help’. Molly raised an amazing £170.50.”Making a 400ft jump for sharkconservation.© Molly Swallow.Diving in the Azores isn’t just about the sharks. © Spike Brown.Following our trip to the Cocos during the summer of 2011 Clare and I had been bitten by theshark bug. So where to go next? With depleted savings (following Cocos) we trawled the diveshow for budget shark diving ideas. While checking out stands from some of the lesser frequenteddestinations we found ourselves talking to Gary from ‘Dive the Azores’ who mentioned theopportunity to dive with Blue Sharks. Here, we discovered the Azores are part of Portugal and in themiddle of the Atlantic Ocean, frequented by Blue and mako sharks – and that a litre of house winecost €5…sold.We travelled out to Pico, the second largest island but one of the least inhabited: a non-touristydestination, rustic and friendly with no crime. Most of the dive sites are close to the island and canbe reached either by a minibus journey with a shore entry or a short rib journey. The two exceptionsto this are the optional trips to the Princess Alice wreck and the Blue Shark Experience – the mainreason for our choice of destination.Other donations include: Camel Dive Club who raised £200 through t-shirt sales;London Aquarium who donated £120, Makowhiteness Ltd (£400); Stephanie Hitchlock(£500); Hardy Underwriting Agencies (£200) and the National Aquarium Workshop –see p.8 – (£158);MemorialIn August the Shark Trust received a generous donation in memory of shark enthusiastand supporter Daniel de-Lancey. Daniel’s younger sister Jodie wrote the following wordsin memory of her brother:“Daniel was passionate about sharks from an early age, it probably helped thatour grandparents lived in Looe and every summer we’d go down and visit them.I remember when he was about 10, he went out on a boat with one of our uncleslooking for sharks, but much to his disappointment he had no luck that day.With a good spell of weather we headed out in the rib for an offshore bank around 20nm west ofFaial to find the Blue Sharks. After an hour on the rib, we slowed to a crawl and started chummingwith €50 of fresh tuna. Blue Sharks are apparently very fussy about their food, as Gary found out,having tried cheaper alternatives with no success.After about an hour we spotted a Wahoo and slid into the water. We hovered below the slowlydrifting rib at between 5 – 10m keeping our position by the visual references of a basket of tunaheads hanging off the front and a couple of 7m shot lines hanging off the back of the rib. Once in,we saw three Blue Sharks in the distance, curious about our presence. Floating in the blue in themiddle of the Atlantic, surrounded by these amazing creatures we were in awe of their sleek beautyand grace. In time they became more curious, approaching closer and closer to the point where wehad to gently push them away with our cameras. We were also briefly joined by a Shortfin Makowhich checked us out from a distance before disappearing back into the blue. It was only runninglow on air that finally made us leave the sharks after 97 of the most incredible minutes of our lives.Later on we also dived the Princess Alice, several of the inshore sites and had a day whale watching.Blue Sharks in the Azores. © Spike Brown.A year before he was due to turn 30 he went on a round the world backpacking tripand he stayed in China for over a month. Despite the fact he fell in love with thecountry he was very distressed at the brutal treatment of the sharks. His other greatpassion was music and he DJ’ed his way across China. He became a very popular,funk and soul DJ in Somerset where he was living.Of course his favourite film was Jaws, a poster of which dominated his bedroom inhis teens and early twenties, I think every time he watched it he secretly wanted theshark to win. One of the last conversations Dan and I had was about Jaws IV andhow appallingly cheesy it was, but somehow the dreadful acting and dire specialeffects made it good to watch.I’ve attached a couple of photos to this e-mail. One is of Daniel himself when hewas travelling in Australia, looking all James Bond in his wetsuit. The other is of theflowers my sister Justine and I organised for his funeral, I know Dan would have beenpleased with them.Shark Trust supporter, Daniel de-Lancey.© Jodie de-Lancey.More information on the islands and dive sites can be found at www.divetheazores.com.Keep up all the good work you do for the sharks.”22 www.sharktrust.org Shark Focus 45Shark Focus 45 www.sharktrust.org/fundraise 23

Tagging and TrackingBritain’s Gentle GiantsPhilip Doherty, Lucy A. Hawkes, Brendan J. Godley,Matthew J. Witt - University of ExeterThe Basking Shark Cetorhinus maximus is the only species in the family Cetorhinidae and is the world’s secondlargest fish after the Whale Shark Rhincodus typus 1 . They are one of the most charismatic and enigmaticcreatures in British waters, with a name that means “monster nose”, which is apt as their huge snouts break thewater’s surface when feeding and are a defining feature of these sharks. Basking Sharks can be spotted in thesummer months in a range stretching from the southern coasts of Cornwall and Devon, to the Isle of Man and onto the west coast of Scotland – areas where these giant sharks congregate to feed and potentially reproduce.Historical exploitation and modern protectionBasking Sharks were once actively hunted, primarily fortheir huge liver – which makes up around 25% of theshark’s body weight – and the valuable squalene oilcontained within it. As a result, the International Unionfor the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classifiesBasking Shark populations as globally Vulnerable, whilestocks in the North Pacific and Northeast Atlantic oceansare considered Endangered due to more intense historicalexploitation 2 .Today the Basking Shark is protected under Appendix IIof the Convention on International Trade of EndangeredSpecies (CITES), and under Appendices I and II of theConvention on Migratory Species (CMS). In Englandand Wales the species is protected under the Wildlifeand Countryside Act 1981, in Scotland by the NatureConservation Act 2004 and in Northern Ireland by theWildlife Order 1985.Sieving, breaching and followingLarge, highly mobile marine vertebrates are notoriouslydifficult to observe, due to the habitats and depths theyoccupy. Basking Shark behaviour, however, gives us aunique opportunity to observe these creatures in the wildas they feed on the summer plankton blooms near thesurface. Basking Sharks are ram-feeding zooplanktivores 1that feed on copepod zooplankton, such as Calanushelgolandicus 3 and C. finmarchicus. The sharks capturethese tiny organisms in feathery structures called gillrakers which act like sieves to allow the water to flow overthe gills leaving the zooplankton behind.Like most large sharks, Basking Sharks areovoviviparous, meaning young hatch from eggs withinthe mother’s body and are live-born 4 . The period overwhich young develop within the mother is unknown, butestimates have suggested up to three and half years 5 ;however, a little over one year is more probable basedon observations of fisheries-caught pregnant females 6 .Basking Sharks are born at lengths of 1.5 to 2.0m and arethought to grow approximately 0.4 metres per year 7, 8 . Theyare likely to become sexually active at 5–7m (~12–16years old) for males and 8.1–9.8m (~16–20 years old)for females 9 . Basking Sharks can reach a maximum lengthof between 10–12m 10 , 5, and weigh up to seven tonnes 11 .Despite their size Basking Sharks regularly breach,throwing their entire body out of the water in what isa dramatic and spectacular feat of power and speed.Reasons for this are largely unknown, but the actionmight be associated with mate-finding or perhaps anattempt to remove the parasitic lamprey Petromyzonmarinus that attach to the shark’s skin. Interestingly,Basking Sharks are often found swimming in a line,“nose to tail following”, or parallel to one another,which is thought to be a courtship display 12 , but couldbe a strategy to allow for more efficient feeding. Thesegiants are also known to undertake oceanic migrations,although the frequency, exact destinations and reasoningbehind such journeys remains a mystery 14, 15 .21Satellite trackingThe waters around some of the islands off the west coastof Scotland (notably Coll, Tiree, and Hyskeir) have beenidentified as ‘hotspots’ for Basking Sharks 11, 13 . A recentsatellite tagging project conducted by the University ofExeter and Scottish Natural Heritage was carried outin these Scottish hotspots; here we aimed to refineour understanding of shark movement, behaviour, andhabitat use to assist in the future management of coastalseas. This is especially important given the increasingpressures placed upon marine species and habitats dueto human activities.A total of 21 sharks were tagged in these three areas,with two types of satellite tags utilised: Smart PositionTransmitting Tag (SPOT5) and Pop-up Archival Tag(PAT-F), with a combination of nine SPOT5 and twelvePAT-Fs deployed (manufactured by Wildlife Computers).SPOT5 tags are ‘traditional’ satellite transmitters, smalland torpedo-shaped, and have been deployed on a widerange of marine species over several years; the positionof tagged animals can be determined each time theybreak the sea surface, though only when a satellite isover head.Photograph, sex, swab, tag, repeat4As the window of opportunity to observe Basking Sharksat the surface is short, we used a range of methods togather as much information as possible, giving us thebest chance of creating a detailed picture of the lives ofthese amazing plankton feeders.We used pole-mounted equipment developed by Grahamand Jackie Hall of the Manx Basking Shark Watch to: a)sex the sharks with an underwater camera system, b)collect a sample of slime from the skin of the shark forgenetic analysis, and c) to attach the satellite tags tothe sharks. The tags were attached using a hybrid tethersystem developed with advice from Rachel Graham of theWildlife Conservation Society Ocean Giants Programme,who has worked on Whale Sharks for over a decade.We also collected a plankton sample from the locationof each shark tagged by hauling a plankton net from theseabed to the surface, as well as gathering additionalplankton samples in the wider vicinity and further afield.Photographs were taken of the shark’s dorsal fin inorder to build and expand the current database. BaskingSharks have varying pigmentation and fin structure, andare subject to a variety of injuries sometimes leavingdistinctive scarring. Photo-identification is a valuablenon-invasive technique to aid identification of individualPAT-F tags differ in that they also contain a depthsensor and a GPS positioning system. Their job is tocollect data while attached to the shark, then detach ata predetermined time, float to the surface and transmitdata back to the CLS Argos satellite-processing centrebased in Toulouse, France. Data retrieved from both tagscan then be analysed and will hopefully provide furtherinsight into the movements, depths and behaviour of thesharks once they disappear from surface waters.sharks so as to gain a greater understanding of theirlife history. The value of photo-identification for BaskingSharks has been highlighted by the seasonal return of anindividual female shark to Cornish waters 16 .In order to tag these giant fish, we had to develop atechnique that not only gave us the best chance ofgetting a tag on a shark, but also (and most importantly)to cause as little disturbance to the sharks as possible.This is no trivial feat; however with help from our skipperand crew from Sea Life Surveys in Tobermory (Isle ofMull) and advice from Colin Speedie and Louise Johnsonof Wave Action, we successfully deployed the 21 satellitetags following long days at sea travelling to variousScottish west coast hotspots.53Now what..?The area from Skye to Mull has recently been identifiedas a potential site for a marine protected area (MPA),while an area west of Tiree has been earmarked forconstruction of a wind farm. We hope the informationgathered from this study will help in the managementof our coastal seas in a way that benefits BaskingSharks – a species which was once heavily fished buthas now emerged as a flagship British marine species. Inthe forthcoming months the satellite tags should supplydetailed data on favoured depths and temperatures,as well as insight into migratory movements duringthe autumn and winter months. The summer-timemovements of eight sharks can be followed onwww.wildlifetracking.org/baskingsharks – one haseven gone to the West African coast!References1. Compagno, L., 2001. FAO Species catalogue for fisheries purposes. Sharks ofthe world—an annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species knownto date. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.2. Fowler, S., 2005. Cetorhinus maximus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red Listof Threatened Species. Version 2012.1. .Downloaded on 16 August 2012.3. Sims, D. & Merrett, D., 1997. Determination of zooplankton characteristicsin the presence of surface feeding basking sharks Cetorhinus maximus.Marine Ecological Progress Series, 158, 297–302.4. Joung, S. et al., 1996. The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is alivebearer—300 embryos found in one ‘megamamma’ supreme.Environmental Biology of Fishes, 46, 219–223.5. Parker, H. & Stott, F., 1965. Age, size and vertebral calcification inthe basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus (Gunnerus). ZoologischeMededelingen, Leiden, 40, 305–319.6. Holden, M., 1974. Problems in the rational exploitation of elasmobranchpopulations and some suggested solutions. In Sea Fisheries Research (F. R.Harden Jones, ed.). Paul Elek, London.7. Pauly, D., 1978. A critique of some literature data on the growth,reproduction and mortality of the basking shark Cetorhinus maximus(Gunnerus). International Council for the Exploration of the Sea CouncilMeeting 1978/H: 17 Pelagic Fish Committee, 10 pp.8. Pauly, D., 2002. Growth and mortality of the basking shark Cetorhinusmaximus and their implications for management of whale sharks Rhincodontypus. In ‘‘Elasmobranch Biodiversity, Conservation and Management:Proceedings of the International Seminar and Workshop, Sabah, Malaysia,1997’’, pp. 199–208. IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerlandand Cambridge, UK.9. Compagno, L.J.V., FAO species catalogue. Vol. 4, 1984. Sharks of the world.An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date.Part 2. Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fish Synopsis. 125 (4), Pt.2, 251–655.10. Lien, J. & Fawcett, L., 1986. Distribution of basking sharks, Cetorhinusmaximus, incidentally caught in inshore fishing gear in Newfoundland. TheCanadian Field-Naturalist, 100, 246–252.11. Speedie, C. et al., 2009. Basking shark hotspots on the west coast ofScotland: key sites, threats and implications for conservation of the species.Commissioned Report No. 339. Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness.12. Harvey-Clark, C. et al., 1999. Putative mating behavior in basking sharksoff the Nova Scotia coast. Copeia, 1999 (3), 780–782.13. Witt, M. et al., 2012. Basking sharks in the northeast Atlantic: spatiotemporaltrends from sightings in UK waters. Marine Ecology ProgressSeries, 459, 121–134.14. Gore, M. et al., 2008. Transatlantic migration and deep mid-ocean divingby basking shark. Biological Letters, 4, 395-398.15. Skomal, G. et al., 2009. Transequatorial migrations by basking sharks inthe Western Atlantic Ocean. Current Biology, 19, 1019–1022.16. Sims, D. et al., 2000. Movements and growth of a female basking sharkre-sighted after a three year period. J Mar Biol Assoc UK, 80, 1141−1142.Main image: Basking Shark near the Isle of Coll. © Polly Pullar.Image 2: Breaching Basking Shark. © Anthony Robson.Image 3: SPOT5 and PAT-F tags. © Matt Witt.Image 4: Basking Shark feeding on surface. © Colin Speedie.Image 5: An ideal photograph for photo-identification.© Rory Goodall.24 www.baskingsharks.org Shark Focus 45Shark Focus 45 www.baskingsharks.org 25

New Shark Trust WebsiteThe eagerly awaited launch of the new Shark Trust website will take placethis December. In the past few months the team have been working hardrevamping and creating new content. New resources include taxonomiccharts for British sharks, skates and rays, posters of a skates’ life cycle,an A-Z of sharks and shark anatomy, which we hope you’ll find interestingand useful in engaging younger supporters in shark conservation.In response to your feedback we’re introducing several key new areas,including an expanded shark conservation section. This section includes furtherdetails about the work we do to improve shark policy in the UK, Europe andinternationally, information about shark ecotourism – including tips to help youchoose a responsible tour operator or dive company – and a shark productssection to help keep consumers in the know about products that encourageunsustainable shark fisheries.Pups Activity ZoneThe Pups Activity Zone provides aninformative and fun space for our youngersupporters to learn about the fascinatingworld of sharks. Packed with shark factsand information, it includes ideas on howthey can get involved with shark conservation and make their voice count. We havedownloadable crosswords, word searches, colouring sheets, and many more creativeactivities for the whole family to get involved in. There’s a whole section dedicatedto shark anatomy, senses, reproduction, and information about skates, rays andchimaeras, as well as informative factsheets.Member’s e-newsletterSign up to our new e-newsletter for Shark Trustmembers and we’ll make sure you’re kept up todate with all the latest shark news, as well asShark Trust campaign alerts and project updates.If you’d like to receive email updates please makesure you visit the website and subscribe to themembers mailing list.Members AreaPlease note that we’ll no longer have a member’sarea on the website. The website will instead have anindividual login for every member, which will makepurchasing from the shark shop and recording yourshark sightings on our database much simpler, as you will no longer need to rememberdifferent login details to access these areas. From here you will also be able to updateyour email preferences, contact details and download the latest issue of Shark Focus.Email hannah@sharktrust.org for more information on creating an account.As we launch before Christmas, we’ve made sure the Shark Shop is well stocked.In the last few weeks the office has been inundated with boxes full of goodies thatare sure to make any shark enthusiast’s Christmas morning. And don’t forget thatproceeds from goods purchased help shark conservation. On the day of the websitelaunch the shop will be temporarily offline while we switch over to the new site. Weapologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause and recommend thatyou purchase your goods as soon as possible. The launch date is set for the 10thDecember but this may be subject to change. Please be aware that last orders willbe posted out on the 19th December but to guarantee your order arrives in time forChristmas check our website for the Royal Mails’ recommended posting dates.As always, we’d love to know what you think of the new website and will be launchinga website questionnaire in the New Year to collect your feedback. Or, if you prefer, youcan always email your thoughts or suggestions to enquiries@sharktrust.org.16th Annual EEA ConferenceMilan, ItalyReport by Heike Zidowitz –Deutsche Elasmobranchier-Gesellschaft (D.E.G.)The 16th Annual European Elasmobranch Association(EEA) conference was hosted by the Italian ScienceGroup on Chondrichthyan Fishes (Gruppo RicercatoriItaliani sugli Squali, Razze e Chimere, GRIS) of theItalian Society for Marine Biology (SIBM) from 22-25November 2012.More than 120 delegates from 21 countries attendedthis year’s EEA conference in Milan, some coming fromas far as the Sudan, Brazil, and Australia.Preceding the conference there was an expert paneldiscussion on elasmobranchs within the MarineStrategy Framework Directive (MSFD), an EU marineenvironmental policy tool. The discussion was followedby a welcoming reception at Milan’s Civic Aquarium.The following two days of scientific presentations wereheld at the Department of Biology of the Universityof Milan. Keynote speaker David Ebert kicked off theprogramme on the first day with an excellent overviewon how to discover and taxonomically describe newshark species. Thirty talks were presented in sixthematic sessions, and 44 posters in the postersessions. Themes covered many aspects of currentelasmobranch research, such as ecology and fishery,biology, ecotoxicology, conservation and genetic.Guiseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara gave an overviewon conservation approaches and measures forchondrichthyans in the Mediterranean Sea in the secondkeynote talk of the day.The conference dinner was hosted in the Civic Aquariumand an entertaining charitable auction with manysharky items raised more than a €1000 for the EEAstudent bursary. Aside from the scientific programme,public courses for students and families were offeredon Saturday and Sunday, as well as a public filmscreening and discussion panel at the aquarium. OnSunday, conference delegates met for a visit to Milan’splanetarium and natural history museum.Altogether, another successful and exciting EEAconference brought together European elasmobranchscientists and many from beyond, to furtherelasmobranch research and conservation.Copyright Rachel Ball/Liverpool MuseumEEA 2012. © Michael Scholl.22 - 25 November 2012James Thorburn, studentbursary recipient fromAberdeen: “Off the backof the fantastic news onthe recent EU vote on thefinning ban, this year’s EEAconference was a greatevent, providing a fantastic opportunity to meet otherresearchers from around the world in a friendly andwelcoming environment. The conference really showcasedthe amazing efforts put in by the research communitytowards better understanding elasmobranchs and reallyprovided inspiration. I was very grateful to be awarded anEEA student bursary and I thank the EEA committee forthis valuable contribution towards my attendance. I amreally looking forward to next year’s meet.”Bursary recipient, LilianLeiber: “I found the 16th EEAin Milan to be extremelyrewarding and I have returnedtruly revitalised with newideas and motivation. The EEAhas grown to be an inspiringcommunity, providing a platform not only to share ideas,but also to network and build collaborations for thefuture. I am proud to be part of it and I am especiallythankful for the student bursary I received that allowedme to attend this very exciting conference!”The Shark Trust at the EEAAs usual, the Shark Trust’s conservation team attendedthis year’s EEA conference to showcase the Trust’s latestwork. Director of Conservation, Ali Hood, arrived freshfrom the vote in Strasbourg and updated delegates onthe exciting news. Conservation Officers John Richardsonand Cat Gordon displayed posters on three of the SharkTrust’s flagship projects: Engaging with the CommercialFishing Industry, the Angler Recording Project and theGreat Eggcase Hunt. Cat also gave a presentation on theBasking Shark Photo-ID Project and its progress. As EEAsecretary, Ali attended the Board Meeting and acted onbehalf of Treasurer in the absence of Glenys Heafield. Allprojects were very well received by attending delegatesand we look forward to incorporating some new ideas inthe future and liaising with new contacts.The Shark Trust was saddened to hear of thepassing of Ron Taylor in September. Ron,along with his wife Valerie, became patronswhen the Shark Trust was first establishedand we are thankful for their enormouscontribution to shark conservation. Apassionate marine conservationist andpioneering underwater cameraman, Ron,together with Valerie, spent decades filmingsharks and is perhaps best known for hiswork on the original “Jaws”.In October, long standing patron BernardEaton sadly also passed away. Bernardstarted his career in local journalism andwent on to work on national newspapers. Atthe age of 35 he was invited by Peter Small,a fellow-journalist and co-founder 10 yearsearlier of the British Sub-Aqua Club, to helppublicise the Second World Congress ofUnderwater Activities in London.Both Ron and Bernard will be sorely missedand our condolences go out to both families.In the next issue of SharkFocusFreshwater elasmobranchs -why so few species?Basking Sharks as you’ve never seenthem before - using side-scan sonar totrack movements.Update on CITES 2013: Bangkok,Thailand.Oceanic Whitetip Shark. © Neil HammerschlagCondolences26 www.sharktrust.org Shark Focus 45Shark Focus 45 www.eulasmo.org 27