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When is a sharka ray?Emma-Louise NichollsWhen did rays evolve into sharks?Or, for that matter, did sharksevolve into rays? The answer ishotly debated and frequentlychallenged. Here is a brief historyof the argument and an explanationof the current theory. Perhaps youcan decide for yourself.Firstly, we must be able to tell sharksand rays apart. Originally, scientistswould split them by body shape -if its body is rounded it’s a shark,if it’s flat it’s a ray.But there are many sharksthat do not fit either profile,for example the wobbegong (figure 1),which are flat in terms of a shark,but rounded in terms of a ray!Subsequently it was realised thata revision of the defining features ofeach group was needed. In 1973 a newset of rules was devised using comparisonsof body parts such as the skull, gill arches,teeth and skeleton. The new method wasfar more elaborate and called upon theidentification of a number of anatomicalfeatures rather than just body shape. Putsimply, sharks have their gills on the sidesof their heads, and their heads are separatefrom their pectoral fins (figure. 2). Rays havetheir gills on the underside of their headsand their head and pectoral fins come in an‘all in one’ package (figure. 3).Underside of a sawshark head © Emma-Louise Nicholls.But even this becomes tricky whenlooking at species such as the sawfish(Pristiformes) and the sawsharks(Pristiophoriformes). They are twocompletely unrelated groups and yet it isas hard to tell them apart as it is to spelltheir Latin names. Firstly, Sawfish (Figure.4) are rays whilst sawsharks are sharks,because the gills are on the underside ofthe head in sawfish and on the side of thehead in sawsharks. Secondly, sawsharks(Figure. 5) have barbels on the snout.These are two appendages, one on eitherside of the ‘toothed’ nose, rather like amoustache. Sadly, sawfish are in criticaldanger of extinction. People fish for themfor meat and fins and keep their nosesfor trophies. Unfortunately they live inshallow tropical waters which are heavilyfished and their toothed snout tangles innets. It is not too late but they desperatelyneed our help to survive. The luckiersawsharks live in deep water wherefishing pressure is lower.So, now that we can confidently tellrays from sharks it is time to workout who came first. Sharks are splitinto two groups, the Galea (includingthe Great White and hammerheads)and the Squalea (including sawsharksand the angelsharks). The originalmethod of separating groups is throughmorphological phylogenetics, which usesshapes, sizes and presence/absenceof body parts. Using this method andnoting the similarities between rays andthe flattened bottom-dwelling sharks, itwas deduced that rays had evolved fromsharks and so were placed within theSqualea.More recently, scientists have usedmolecular phylogenetics which looksfor similarities between DNA sequencesrather than body features. The resultssuggest that rays are not closely relatedto the Squalea, but rather form a ‘sister’group. This means that rays split off frombasal sharks when they first appear inthe fossil record within the Triassic andevolved separately to the modern species.So currently it is thought that rays andsharks are separate groups within theElasmobranchii. However, it is still a hotlydebated issue!Sharks and rays are very closely related. The term ‘Elasmobranchii’ refers to them both collectively, whileindividually sharks are called Selachians and rays are called Batoids.These images demonstrate some of the ways to tell them apart.123Banded Wobbegong. © Andy Murch.Bonnethead. © Emma-Louise Nichols.Cownose Ray © Emma-Louise Nichols.45Green Sawfish. © The Deep.Japanes Sawshark. © Marc DandoFigure. 1. Banded Wobbegong. Demonstrating theflattened body of a bottom dwelling shark.Figure. 2. Bonnethead Shark. The gills are on theside, between the pectoral fin and the head.Figure 3. Cownose Ray. The gills are underneath thebody at the base of the large pectoral fin.Figure 4. Long Comb or Green Sawfish. The pectoralfin is barely separate from the head and the gillsare not visible.Figure 5. Japanese Sawshark. The pectoral fin isclearly distinguishable from the head and the gillscan be seen clearly on the side of the body.4 www.sharktrust.org Shark Focus 32 Shark Focus 32 www.sharktrust.org 5

Kuwait Shark Expedition2008When I learnt that Richard and JacquiPeirce of the Shark Conservation Societywere leading a shark research expeditionto Kuwait I leapt at the opportunity tojoin. Two and a bit weeks working in aregion where sharks have not been at theforefront of people’s minds meant thatthere was much to be investigated.There was a great sense of excitement buzzing aroundthe expedition members as we met in Kuwait City.Names such as Great Hammerhead, Sawfish, EagleRay, Bull Shark and Tiger Shark were zipping betweenus – all of these had been recorded from Arabian Gulfwaters previously and all of them were high on oursighting wish list.The goal of our expedition was twofold: to spendas many hours at sea as possible chumming for freeswimmingsharks and to visit Kuwait City’s two mainfish markets to assess the composition and number ofanimals landed each day.Al ReeveBordered by Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Kuwait is a small country with a lot of oil(around 96 billion barrels), making it one of the richest countries in the world.Despite a long seagoing history there is no definitive list of shark and ray speciesfound in its waters and little is known of the numbers of animals landed by thenumerous fishers each morning.Kuwait CoastguardTo assist with the former we were ably assisted by theKuwaiti Coastguard who had graciously offered theuse of their barracks as a base and their super-quickpatrol boat for reaching our chumming sites. Thisinvasion by 16 barmy shark enthusiasts must havecome as a bit of shock, but they were essential to theexpedition and took part with relaxed enthusiasm.Despite storms, broken engines and shallowsandbars over 110 hours were spent at seachumming for sharks. In this time we saw about 50sharks from around seven different species rangingfrom 65-100 cm in length.Market samplingThe market sampling team, led by the expedition’sscientific advisor Alec Moore, braved 5am startseach morning to go down to observe the fishing boatsunload their night’s catch, record their landings andexplore the stalls on the lookout for any interesting orunusual fish.Here we saw a diversity of elasmobranchs notreflected by the hours spent at sea – Granulated andGiant Guitarfish, Great Hammerheads, Bull, Java,Blacktip and Spinner Sharks (most of them subadult),plus a range of smaller requiem and weaselsharks – over 25 species in total. Although saddeningto observe, the sharks in the market were at leastgoing to be sold as food. The sight, each day, of pilesand piles of dead rays and carpetsharks on the docksthat were just going to be thrown back to the sea wasmuch harder to bear. Many of the gillnet fishers settheir nets overnight and rather than sorting their catchat sea, do so onto the dockside outside the market. Bythis time most of the catch is dead and little-valuedspecies such as eagle rays, cownose rays, stingraysand carpet sharks are taken out to sea and dumped.Sharks and The GulfThe Arabian Gulf is an extreme environment – hypersaline,with water temperatures ranging from 12– 35˚C, subject to much habitat loss, alteration andexploitation, and is heavily utilised by hundreds ofsupertankers and container ships bringing in food toKuwait and taking oil to the rest of the world.With little study into the impact of these combinedeffects and no knowledge of original shark numbers,it is difficult to say whether sharks have declined inKuwaiti waters or are naturally resident at low levels.One thing is for certain – there is much more workto do. We need further study of catch compositionat other times of the year to gain better insight intohow the species caught and the size of the animalschange. This will improve the awareness of policymakers to the state of sharks and other marine life inthe Gulf.PHOTOSTop left: Kuwait at sunset.Inset: The Expedition group.Bottom far left: Blacktip Shark.Left: Measuring a shark in the fish market.Top right: Working hard at sea!Adjacent top: Chumming.Adjacent bottom: A Whitecheek Sharkabout to be released.All photos courtesy of Shark Trust/SharkConservation Society.New species in Gulf?To finish on a rather exciting note, as a resultof this expedition there is the possibility thatwe have identified a species not previouslyrecorded in the Arabian Gulf. The SmoothtoothBlacktip (page 298 in your Collins Shark FieldGuide) is currently known to science from onlya single animal caught off Yemen in the 1980s,yet we found a number of similar specimens inKuwait. The process of detailed identificationis underway, and if confirmed as theSmoothtooth Blacktip this would significantlyextend its known distribution – watch thisspace for updates!The Shark Conservation Society KuwaitiShark Expedition was a fabulous successand has led to some important outcomes.I would like to thank the Kuwaiticoastguard for their help in enablingus to achieve so much, Dareen Almojilour Kuwaiti contact for her tireless helpand enthusiasm, Richard and JacquiPeirce for the opportunity and all of thevolunteers who made this trip such a greatexperience.To read the full report of the SharkConservation Society Kuwait SharkExpedition check out:www.peirceshark.comThe Shark Conservation Society wouldlike to formally thank the Governmentof Kuwait (Kuwait Coastguard) and GulfTelecom for their support without whichthe expedition would not have beenpossible.CommentsThere were a few Shark Trustmembers on this trip - here aresome of their comments...Andy SweeneyThe Kuwait Shark Expedition wasan ideal opportunity to experienceexploration and to contribute to a projectthat will have serious research andconservation implications for the future.I have always been fascinated by sharks and havea particular interest in their anatomy and physiology.The scientists on the trip taught me what features tolook for to aid identification and gave me an insightinto research methodology.I enjoyed photographing the sharks at the marketalthough it was sad to see the creatures on the slab.It was great to work with a team of people of variousages and backgrounds, but who all have one thing incommon – to conserve sharks for future generations.Stuart NichollsIf adventures are all aboutexploring the unknown, then this tripwas full of them. We didn’t knowexactly what we would find at sea orin the markets, whether new specieswould come to light or what interestthe trip would generate. There weremany memorable moments, althoughthe sight of a carrier bag full of sharkfins will stay with me for a long time. If travel is allabout putting something back rather than just taking,I hope this trip will prove valuable in ensuring thatsharks in the Gulf are around for a long time yet.Mark BoothmanKuwait has never been on my listof places to visit, but on hearing ofthis expedition it certainly jumpedto the top of my list! The trip wasan emotional rollercoaster; from thehighs of nights onboard surroundedby Blacktips, to the lows of the manybeautiful species lying dead in themarkets. As unfortunately seems to bethe norm in shark conservation, the evidence does notlook favourable, but I sincerely hope that everyone’shard work, in particular Richard and Jacqui’s, cango someway in beginning the arduous processes ofconvincing those at the top that our beloved friendsare in serious need of help.6 www.sharktrust.org Shark Focus 32 Shark Focus 32 www.sharktrust.org 7

MEMBER’S pagesAn African ExperienceMark BoothamLoving sharks means developing acertain knack of speaking to bankmanagers in the right way! Havingovercome these minor logistical hurdles,I was jetting off to two places thathave to be high in any shark lover’s list– South Africa and Mozambique.During my brief visit to South Africa I spent a fantastic day out with WhiteShark Projects and, despite the circus of Gansbaai, nothing can detractfrom that first White Shark encounter. Watching these majestic animalsemerging from the gloomy waters of the Cape was a moment I will savourand cherish forever. Their beauty and power was only further enhancedby a trip out with Chris Fallows to see the ‘Flying Sharks’ of False Bay. Itwas an honour in itself to meet such a dedicated shark conservationist but towitness the sheer power of a White Shark breach just yards from the boat wassensational. How these animals are demonised is completely beyond me.Mozambique provided a dramatic contrast to South Africa, in terms of theplace and the animals I was going to visit. Tofo, a village close to the townof Inhambane, is blessed with phenomenal numbers of both Whale Sharksand Mantas and rarely will one suffer a ‘blank’ day. Working with QuestUnderseas the aim was to educate the local community, particularly the youngergenerations, about their marine neighbours, and to photo-identify as manyindividuals as possible.Top: Manta Ray cruising.Above: Whale Shark.Right: the ‘one boat per shark’ agreement clearly not being followed here. All photos © Mark Boothman.Spending time with these animals was truly amazing. Whale Sharks, like allsharks I’ve come across, each have their own personality and swimmingalongside them and gauging their individuality was a true privilege. The Mantastoo were a sight beyond what any photo could begin to reveal. To have theopportunity to see these creatures in such numbers, both cruising underwaterand fully breaching at the surface, made me consider myself to be one of theluckiest humans alive!The protection that these species receive in Mozambique is far from adequate.Although the dive companies usually operate a ‘one boat per shark’ policy thisis not always the case, as tourists demand sightings. Equally the most prolificManta sites often have divers on them who are by no means interested in thepreservation of the Manta cleaning stations so critical to the reef ecosystem.The research Quest is collating, although still in its early stages, is being usedon the ground by those attempting to protect the populations of both WhaleSharks and Mantas in Mozambiquan waters. Whale Sharks, who spend somuch time leisurely filter-feeding at the surface, are particularly susceptible tofinning and the revenue that this barbaric industry can bring to such a povertystricken country is obviously very tempting. Mantas have also been targetedby commercial fisheries across the globe for both liver and meat and they tooare a highly vulnerable species. With the ongoing work being done in the areathe government will hopefully see the light and create the legislation needed toprotect these precious animals for generations to come.Diving with White Sharks in South AfricaText.Simon CollinsIn September of last year I spent three unbelievableweeks in Kleinbai, South Africa working with one ofmy favourite sharks, and the one everyone knowsCarcharodon carcharias, White Pointer, White Shark,the Great White. Whatever name it is called, italways puts a huge smile on my face. The company Ivolunteered with is one of eight cage diving operatorsworking out of the harbour. During the winter monthsthe sharks predate on the seals at Dyer Island, butduring the summer most of the sharks are closer to themainland on the reefs. And on a daily basis we tookProtea problemsAndy CurrieProtea Banks, located approximately 7kmoff Shelly Beach in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN),South Africa, has traditionally beennoted for its spectacular shark divingopportunities. However, whilst exploringthis area, Shark Trust member andShark Focus regular Andy Currie becameaware of the shocking reality of whatis occurring here. Beneath the waves,there lies a truth hidden deeper than thedeepest part of this fossilized sand dune.Visit the membersarea of the SharkTrust website toread Andy’s articlein full.Going Shark diving this summer, visitinga great aquarium or just have somethingto say? The Trust is seeking articles andcomments for the next edition.Email enquiries@sharktrust.orgfor further information.tourists out to see the sharks. Whilst chumming for sharks, the one thing I didobject to was the use of Soupfin Shark liver. The shark liver was added to thetuna, in the chum, because of its high oil content and is used as a substitutefor the highly attractive properties of whale liver. It seems very hypercritical tobe using another shark product and then tell the guests how we need to protectthese animals. Once a shark arrived, the cage is deployed. I saw up to nineindividual sharks each day and not one of those sharks gave me less pleasurethan the first. It was easy to see even from the surface that each shark had itsown character. Some would hit the bait hard; some would cautiously approachand circle the boat several times before it would try to get the chunk of the tunameat floating on the surface. Others would just come and investigate us andthen swim away. But none of these sharks were larger than 3.8 metres long;they were all female sub adults, teenagers not old enough to breed. I was luckyenough to be present when they spotted the first male shark known to visit thereef. But where was the breeding population?As we set out to the reef the guest’s reactions were a mixture ofexcitement, anxiety and even fear, but by their return a new found respect hadbeen reached. We can only hope that they take away this new image of thesemagnificent animals and help educate others with what they have learned.Visit the members area of the website to read Simon’s article in full.Sharks for saleFederica CarrBorough Market in London is afamous destination for gourmandsand tourists alike. Given thelocation, it is not surprising thatone of the longest establishedfishmongers should be influencedby the nearby London Dungeon todisplay their wares. Especially inthe last few months, we’ve seenplenty of gruesome arrangementsthat could well rival those of thefamous neighbouring attraction.Monkfish gawp at the customerswith lemons stuffed in theirmouths. Like criminals on theLondon Bridge, octopuses appearimpaled on wooden poles. Rabbitshang from the sides of the stall likethey did in a medieval country fair.Moreover, in the last few weeks amore upsetting and worrying trendhas surfaced. A guitarfish hangingmiserably from a hook. Horribly,the cut-off head of a PorbeagleShark on parade on one side, whileits flesh, cut into meaty steaks,was being sold on the other side.And above all, shoppers takingpictures, laughing and shrieking.It made my stomach churn andmade me upset, sad and very,very angry. Not only the lack ofrespect for animals that feed you– yes they are dead fish but notso long ago they were gracefullyswimming in the sea! But moreshockingly, these are endangeredspecies. Borough Market shouldnot be a place to set such abad example, where displayinga Porbeagle Shark like thislegitimizes its sale as a normal,regular staple. When questioned,the fishmongers replied that it wasa trawler bycatch and it’s bettersold than thrown, dead, back intothe water. The sad reality of thetrawlers is that they constitute aterrible attack on our seas. And ifpeople see shark meat so readilyavailable, it will be even harderto raise awareness towards theprotection and the safeguard ofour seas.© Timo WebberSpectacular shots of a Great White Shark. All photos © Simon Collins10 Send in your stories to enquiries@sharktrust.org Shark Focus 32 Shark Focus 32 Send in your stories to enquiries@sharktrust.org 11

Why record?Recording your sightings not onlylets you share with the worldthe animals you have seen butprovides incredibly useful data toresearchers and conservationistsworking with sharks, skates andrays around the world.Your sighting can have avery positive impact on ourunderstanding of certain speciesand provide the best availabledata to support managementconsiderations to help ensurea sustainable future for sharks,skates and rays.Sightings submitted to the Shark Trust willhave many potential uses – from learningabout the different colour morphologies ofskates and rays around the British coast tothe understanding the population size ofWhale Sharks around the world.Any sighting or catch of any wild elasmobranchcan be submitted to the Shark Trust databasefor use in not-for-profit decision-making,education, research, environmental and otherpublic-benefit purposes.It is very easy to submit your sightings tothe Shark Trust simply email all of the detailsto sightings@sharktrust.org or recordthem online at www.sharktrust.org/sd.If you have any questions about how yoursightings will be used, would like to knowmore about any of these subjects or would liketo enquire about access to some of the dataplease email sightings@sharktrust.orgAnglersAnglers are often one of the first groups of peopleto notice changes in the marine environment and inrecent years have embraced sustainable practicessuch as catch and release.The Shark Trust collaborates with responsible anglinggroups to encourage best practice and catch recordingwith the long term future of the elasmobranchs in mind.Why record?Why record?By recording their shark, skate and ray catchesanglers can help the Shark Trust better understandthe species found in British waters, and abroad, andall the variations in colour and morphology that thesefish display. Photographs of the dorsal and ventralsides are extremely useful and the Trust encouragessubmission in hard copy or via email or the internet.Changes in the distribution of individual speciesmay often go unnoticed by commercial fishers whowork on a larger scale than anglers. As such theTrust is also keen to record any observations oranecdotal information that anglers have, especiallywhere people have been visiting the same locationsover a number of years.The Trust supports angler recording by providing logbooks and identification guides. Contactsightings@sharktrust.orgfor more details.baskersThe Basking Shark is the second largest fish in thesea and are regularly spotted feeding in the surfacewaters off UK coastlines during the spring andsummer months.Despite being protected, Basking Sharks are stillnegatively affected by man’s activities. BaskingSharks commonly display scars from boat collisions,propellers and net entanglement. The Shark Trust isinvestigating the extent to which Basking Sharks arebeing affected by these anthropogenic impacts and weare very keen to receive reports and pictures of theseincidents.By taking photographs of the fins or any othercharacteristic feature of Basking Sharks andsubmitting them to the Shark Trust you are taking anactive role in an ongoing shark conservation effort.So, next time you go to the coast, keep your eyespeeled for the fins of Basking Sharks breaking thesea-surface; you may be lucky enough to see Britain’slargest shark!www.baskingsharks.orgDiversFor many divers, seeing a shark is the ultimateencounter and will actively visit specific sites just tosee sharks.We are very interested to hear about all of yourshark encounters both in the UK and abroad fromSmallspotted Catsharks to Whale Sharks.Why record?Housed in your log books is a wealth of informationdetailing the different sharks you have seen over theyears and may well indicate changes in abundance ofsharks at certain locations.Don’t forget to look out for egg cases in situand we are always after pictures of freeswimming skates and rays!BeachcombersThere are over ten species of skate and ray and a fewspecies of shark in UK waters that reproduce by layingtough, leathery eggcases on the seabed.Each eggcase contains one embryo which will developover several months into a miniature skate, ray orshark.Each species lays eggcases in different shapes andsizes which remain safely on the seabed until thejuvenile has hatched. Once empty, the eggcases arewashed up on beaches and can be found amongst theseaweed on the strandline or at the back of the beach.Why record?The distribution of different shark, skate and rayspecies are changing and a number of them are indecline.By taking part in the Great Eggcase Hunt you arehelping to Shark Trust to identify areas of the coastwhere eggcases regularly wash up.Eggcases may indicate that nursery grounds arenearby. The Trust believes that by identifying thesegrounds can assist in the conservation of sharks,skates and rays. Your eggcase records are a crucialelement of this conservation work.www.eggcase.orgOpposite pageMain photo: Blue Shark, Linda Pitken.Bottom left: Smallspotted Catshark, Ken Byrne.Anglers: Piked Dogfish (Spurdog), Davey Holt.Baskers: Basking Shark at surface, RDS Dive Club.This pageDivers: Smallspotted Catshark eggs, Linda Pitken.Left: Eggcase ID on the beach, Thanet Coast Project.Beachcombers: Eeggcases found on one stretch of beach,Angie Gall.sightingsdatabaseThe Sightings Database has been developedfor you to show off your shark, skate andray sightings while helping out with sharkconservation at the same time.It is simple to record your sightings and tolook at what other people have seen too. Youcan also edit your profile and upload a headshot to display on the contributors page.Check out some of these recent sightings:Leonora Lang. Thornback Ray.Sally Sharrock. Black Huss in SW.Peter Duncan. Basking Shark 310508.Shelley Hibberd. Whale Shark 110608.Submit your sightings via email tosightings@sharktrust.org or online atwww.sharktrust.org/sd12 Email your sightings to sightings@sharktrust.org Shark Focus 32Shark Focus 32 Submit your sightings online at www.sharktrust.org/sd 13

Free Diving:the way to see sharks?I could see six or seven circling below me and Iknew that they could sense my presence. I wason the surface, breathing slowly through mysnorkel, focusing on slowing my heart rate andpreparing to hold my breath to descend and jointhem. They looked at least 2m long and possiblyhad black tips on the dorsal and pectoral fins- they were exactly how sharks should look….I first began Freediving* nine years ago, whenI realised holding my breath underwater wasinstinctive to me! World record holders whothen became good friends taught me more aboutfreediving. They told me how and where to gofreediving and, once I learned, nothing couldstop me! Next I took part in the first FreedivingInstructor course in the UK and then I was readyto start my new company NoTanx and beginteaching.Sharks have fascinated me since childhood.Instead of the movie JAWS scaring me, it justintrigued me to find out more about these amazingcreatures. After researching them through manybooks and documentaries I started to realisehow incredible sharks are, so I had to investigatefurther…The first time I freedived with sharks was when Imoved to Hurghada (Red Sea). I had just openedmy new freediving school and was training with astudent after we’d spent the morning freedivinga wreck. I spotted two beautiful Whitetip ReefSharks resting on the sand under a coraloverhang. We took turns going down to see them,each time gaining their confidence, which allowedus to study them more closely. They didn’t seembothered by us at all. I’d been teaching my studenta new method of Duck Diving* to get below thesurface, which benefited us fantastically.The second time was more exhilarating. I wasteaching in Thailand and discovered a reef calledShark Reef, so I had to go check it out. It was a500m+ swim from shore but was still only about16m deep* where we stopped. It was dusk and Icould feel the sharks before I saw them, just asthey could me. I first dove to the bottom and justlay on my belly and did a 3 minute static*. Whenthe first two Blacktips shot by my nose I almostbolted straight for the surface, but I then realisedthat being 5ft10” with metre long freediving finson I was a good deal bigger than these guysand they were maybe more scared of me than Iwas of them. After a surface interval and chat tomy buddy, I could now see at least six or sevencircling below me. The sun was going down butAndy LaurieI had to see more. I packed my lungs full of air,slipped under the surface and laid on the sandybottom again. The sharks took turns slowlypassing by to check me out and I was almostflooding my mask with water due to smiling somuch! It was difficult at first to stay calm andkeep my heart rate low so as not to use all myprecious oxygen up, but eventually the sharks justwent about their business so I calmed myself andenjoyed it as they swam closely by me. This isoften achieved by freedivers, as you can generallyget closer to marine life than most scuba divers. Atruly amazing experience that I will never forget!I had always wanted to see a Whale Shark, sowhen I heard it’s possible to swim with them I justhad to do it! I was in Utila (Honduras) teachingthrough a school that had a good reputation forconservation and professional attitudes. I took aday off and went north to where the Whale Sharkswere normally spotted. When I heard the call overthe radio that there was a sighting, my heart wasalready pounding. Once we saw the boil the boatshut off its engine and we all slipped gently off theback of the boat. We knew this immense creaturewas heading our way but could see nothing. Idecided to freedive down and have a better look.It was then when I looked around I saw the mostamazing sight of my life. She was 15-16ft longand looked like she was hardly moving at all. Iwas below her so I swam up and alongside her,minding to keep clear of those huge pectoral fins.I was so honoured to be freediving alongside thisincredibly beautiful fish and be sharing the samebody of water. It’s tattooed on the inside of mymind and I cherish the memory every day.Since then I take every opportunity I can to meetsharks on a single breath as I find you can feel somuch more. There is no noise, no disturbance andno limits!Closing thoughtThe general public always say that they feelafraid and vulnerable being in the water withsharks. Remember that they are at the top of thefood chain and you are in their space, but if yourespect that, your experience will always be good.Imagine how afraid and vulnerable a shark wouldfeel on the London Underground!For anyone interested in Freedivingplease contactandynotanx@googlemail.comfor more information.Above: Fred shadowing aTiger Shark.Main: Andy style.Below: Fred monofinningwith Tiger Shark.All photos: © Fred Buyle/nektos.netFreediving*Is sub-aquatic relaxation... simply enjoying being underwater withlittle or no equipment. It’s easy to do and within everyone’s reach…just go slowly under the surface and have a look… find anotherworld on a single breath, full of grace. Pleasure is immediate…Duck Diving*This method involves minimal effort thus minimal oxygen is used anda longer dive is possible. It allows you to slip under the surface ratherthan the usual thrashing, which scares all the fish and sharks away!16m Deep*This is the maximum depth reached in Constant Weight*, generallyby students after only a 2-day course! Freediving is open to anyone.Static or Static Apnea*Apnea is the scientific word for breatholding. This is basically lyingwith your face immersed in water for as long as possible on thesurface or at depth. The World Record for Static Apnea is 9 minutesand 15 seconds.Constant Weight*Swimming up and down using your own power without changingany weighting. This is the most common method of freediving andis usually the 1st discipline in competiton. The World Record forConstant Weight is 112m.Amazing AmberIn April the Trust received a fabulousdonation from Amber Gott. Amber wasseven this year and instead of asking forbirthday presents she decided to collectdonations to help conserve her favouritesharks! Thank you very much Amber!Sponsored EventsJuniorMEMBER’S pageAs ever, massive thanks to all those of you who haveswum, walked, cycled or dived your way towards collectingsponsorship for the Shark Trust. Every pound counts towardsshark conservation! Keep your eyes on the Shark Trust Websitefor our new sponsorship packs which should help you in yourfundraising.A marathon effortRichard Kirkham raised £241 in sponsorship by running the Flora LondonMarathon on 13th April. Richard decided to run the London Marathon for theconservation of sharks purely on the basis of his passion for them!Sponsored swimNorth Norfolk Dive Club held a sponsored swim and raised £60 forthe Shark Trust.Summiting Snowdon for SharksOn a dry day in April, Beverley Collyer, Angela Palmer and Jennie Faulknerattempted to hike to the summit of Mount Snowdon to raise money to aid theShark Trust. However, due to hazardous weather conditions, they were forced toabandon their ascent.At the time of writing the trio were set to re-attempt the summit. We wishthem luck!Sea Serpent?Daniel Hood(age 9):Whilst eggcasehunting on ChesilBeach with hissister Katharine(age 11) and Grandparents, Danielstumbled upon his very own sea serpent!Dried out by the sun and the wind, thisSmallspotted Catshark has twisted into anamazing shape.Visit the website to see how you could help raise money for theTrust or support other members’ activities.Introduction.Text.Torbay Half Header MarathonCompetitionThe Shark Trust has five copies ofMad About Sharks (see page 19) togive away to Shark Trust members.To enter the prize draw simply tell us,in no more than 50 words, why youare mad about sharks! Send youranswer to the Shark Trust, with madabout sharks written on the outsideof the envelope. Get your entry to theTrust by the 30th September and thewinning entries will feature in the nextedition of Shark Focus!Tom Sizer with his Shark Trust customised running vest.Tom Sizer and his two team mates took part in the Torbay Half Marathon. The triotrained hard for the Text. event which started from Paignton Seafront on 22nd June.Supporter swims, cycles and runs for theShark TrustNatalie Tilsey a 20 year old veterinary science student will be competing in theLondon Triathlon on 9th August to raise money for the Shark Trust. She will haveto swim 750m across Victoria Dock, cycle 20km and then run 5km. She hasnever done a triathlon before so this is a big challenge for her.14 www.sharktrust.org/campaigns Shark Focus 32Shark Focus 32 www.sharktrust.org/getinvolved 15

Flying Sharks:a captive shark’s taleJoão CorreiaFlying Sharkswww.flyingsharks.euI was recently having dinner with my 10 year old cousin, who suddenlyshouted “Did I hear you order the Cod?? Are you insane?? Don’t youknow those things are nearly extinct??”. You will be glad to know mycousin’s rage wasn’t targeted at me but to a rather flushed mother,who suddenly realized her evil ways and quickly changed her order toa much more respectable steak. Well done.I laughed at the scene and asked mycousin where she heard about Cod beingnearly extinct, to which she replied “Well,at the Oceanário, of course, dummy. Youshould know better, you do work thereafter all…” I couldn’t help smiling whenI heard that. Indeed, the Oceanário’sexhibits, as many other fine public aquariaaround the world, have a strong emphasison education and conservation, and it’salways nice to see environmentally-soundadvice at work.But the public need to be going through theadmission gates if we are to educate thatpublic. And that’s where animal collectorscome in. Between 1999 and 2005 I hadthe privilege of being Oceanário’s curatorof collections, and bringing in interestinganimals was my number one priority. Isubsequently became a consultant forthe Oceanário and started my own privatecollections and consulting business,which allows me to dedicate some time toteaching as well, one of the best jobs youcan possibly have.Typically animals will arrive under thefollowing circumstances:Collections from the wildThis is probably the most enjoyable part of acollector’s job. You prepare a (very) long checklist,revise your equipment, revise it again, make sure allthe legal aspects and permits are in order, you hopon a van, or plane, and go in the water to collect theanimals. The job took me to the Algarve (Portugal’sSouthernmost region), Cape Town, Baja California,Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Key West, Key Marathonand other amazing places, where we would rendezvouswith the guys who did the collecting and set uphuge operations whereby the animals would be flownin to Lisbon.I use the word ‘huge’ because I can’t think ofanother adjective to describe an operation thatinvolves putting together forty or fifty 1.6 ~ 2.4 mdiameter transport tanks (including filtration), ensuringthey are 100% leak proof, loading them with water andanimals, and placing them inside cargo Boeing 747s.If you’re ever given the chance, make sure you don’tpass out on the opportunity of flying inside a largecargo aircraft. Who knows, you might be lucky enoughto fly across the Northern lights on an MD11 loadedwith Chimaeras, Ratfish, a large Giant Pacific Octopus,countless invertebrates and two Oystercatchers.Santiger Shark in a public aquarium. © Andy McClenaghan.Or maybe you get to do a straight-in approach toa small runway in northern Spain in zero visibilitythrough a blazing hailstorm. I guarantee the trails of iceparticles hitting the cockpit at 250 knots is the closestyou’ll ever get to feeling like Han Solo whenever hepunched the hyper-drive on the Millennium Falcon.Above: SAA staff loads a tank filled with small Catsharks into aBoeing 737 in Durban, South Africa, February 1998. These fishwould later be transferred to a Boeing 747 Combi, which aregreat for the folks accompanying the animals, who get to watchmovies and order cocktails in between checks of the animalsand equipment, safely stowed in the cargo compartment. Theair stewardesses also tend to pay particular attention to the nicebiologists travelling with the sharks and will often display a keeninterest in their husbandry techniques!Mail order collectionsThose who aren’t familiar with this field would besurprised to know that some distributing companiesoffer a wide range of live animals in stock. Theseare imported from collectors around the World andtypically offered in a ‘catalogue’ format. The collectionmanager’s job is as simple as selecting speciesfrom a list and faxing an order. Provided all the legaland formal veterinarian aspects are duly accountedfor, the animals will show up at your doorstep a fewdays after ordering. But beware of cheap prices,traditionally associated to shady characters whouse cyanide, explosives and other nasty collectingmethods. Make positively sure that your distributorworks exclusively with reputable collectors, preferablyMAC (*) certified.Below: Ensuring the filtration systems of the 60+ roundtransport tanks loaded inside the cargo MD11 are fullyoperational.Exchange programsModern facilities focus their animal procurementstrategy on this method. Collecting from the wildis minimized and, whenever possible, captive bredindividuals are exchanged or donated amongstinstitutions. During my tenure as collections managerwe shipped out captive bred baby Sea-otters,Magellanic Penguins, Coral cuttings, Jellyfish andCuttlefish juveniles, as well as Catsharks fromPortuguese and South-African waters. We alsowelcomed captive bred Inca Terns, Pot-belliedSeahorses and Coral cuttings from species differentfrom those that we already had on display. Exchangeprograms are a common practice in zoological parksand are likewise becoming increasingly common inpublic aquariums too.So, what do you do with these animals once theycome through the door of the institution? Well, youprovide them with the best possible care moneycan buy and make absolutely sure that they aremaintained in a proper environment, as close totheir natural surroundings as possible. Becausethese animals are the reason hundreds of millions ofpatrons purchase tickets to see public aquariums allover the world every year. And that is a monumentallyhuge responsibility, split two-fold:1: Animal welfare and good husbandry must be atthe forefront of a public aquarium’s philosophy;2: Educating the public that comes through thegates is the very reason why these institutionsare created.Long gone are the days when public aquariums werelittle more than a gigantic fish bowl, where familieswould promenade on a Sunday afternoon and simplylook at sharks, rays and other marine creatures. The newMillennium brought a massive flood of environmentalawareness to the public eye and large aquaria areexceptionally good at harnessing that public’s interestin an engaging and fascinating way. Place 500 peoplein front of a 15 m wide x 7 m tall acrylic panel with reallive beautiful Sandbar Sharks swimming behind it andtell them how sharks are being slaughtered for their fins.I can pretty much guarantee not one of them will everorder shark fin soup again in their lives.Above: Sandbar Shark Carcharhinus plumbeus inside sharkbox used to move it from Marathon Key to Lisbon, in August1999. Shark boxes are fitted with pumps that filter the watercontinuously and also drive clean water directly into the shark’smouth, assisting its breathing. Sharks are mildly sedated in transitand can be transported in this fashion up to approximately 48hours. Check out www.flyingsharks.eu for multiple publicationson live marine animals transportation techniques.JoÃo’s final thoughtsWords and pictures will neverreplace the awe that strikes a crowdwhen they see a Great White Sharkswimming past them behind awindow, as they do at the MontereyBay Aquarium. Or spark what goeson inside a child’s psyche when a 3.5metre wide giant Manta Ray blocksthe sun as it gently glides behind thetransparent wall their tiny hands arepressing on. Live animals touch youemotionally in a way that posters orgraphics never will.So, people often ask me if I amcomfortable catching sharks, raysand other fish for a living. After havingdinner with my 10 year old cousin,how could I not be?(*) MAC: Marine Aquarium Council,www.aquariumcouncil.orgFour sharks seen in public aquariums in this country.From the top:Leopard Shark Triakis semifasciata.Port Jackson Shark Heterodontus portusjacksoni.Epaulette Shark Hemiscyllium ocellatum.Nurse Shark Ginglymostoma cirratum.© Marc Dando.16 www.sharktrust.org Shark Focus 32Shark Focus 32 www.sharktrust.org 17

Web UpdateS:Shark TrustThis summer marks the launch of some exciting new online applications which we hope will heighten yourexperience as you browse the Shark Trust website. The following new toys are now available for you to playwith:NewsletterBy registering on the Shark Trust website you can subscribe to a selection of newsletters that will be sentregularly to your email account. Pick and choose from the following newsletters to keep up-to-date with theshark world:Shark Trust CampaignsShark Trust ProjectsMembers – Receive exclusive Shark Trust news and events.Subscribing to our newsletters is easy, simply visit www.sharktrust.org/newsletter and fill in your details toregister and receive your own username and password which will also give you access to the Shark TrustForum (www.sharktrust.org/forum) and Shark Sightings Database (www.sharktrust.org/sd). Pleasenote that access to the member’s area will still require the login details found in the latest Shark Focusmagazine.RSS news feedsFor your browsing convenience we are trialling RSS news feeds, an application which allows you to quicklykeep up-to-date with your favourite parts of the Shark Trust website. By clicking on the RSS buttonyou can subscribe to our news feeds which are updated regularly and display a list of recently publishedbulletins. Simply click on a bulletin that you’re interested in and you’ll be taken straight to the article. TheRSS feeds can be viewed on your internet browser even when you’re not on the Shark Trust website givingyou more surfing freedom.BookmarkingKeep a record of your favourite Shark Trust online content by bookmarking it. If you’ve read somethingof interest that you’d like to reread later, choose one bookmarking application from the selection foundat the bottom of the webpageto add it to your favourites. Once added you’ll be ableto access your favourites from any computer on the web and share them with your friends, family andcolleagues. You can even browse and search the application to discover other useful bookmarks that otherusers have saved by browsing tags.Shark Sightings DatabaseThe Trust welcomes your shark sightings and it is now even easier to do so as the sightings database hashad a revamp. The new improvements to user profile and search engine applications mean it’s simple tocustomise your profile and search for other shark sightings.To record a sighting visit www.sharktrust.org/sdMembers details: Username: Greenland, Password: SharkEEAThe new European Elasmobranch Association (EEA) website is now full of content that you can access anddownload on a number of topics concerning chondrichthyans (sharks, skates, rays and chimera) in Europe.You can:Find out more information on the EEA and its member organisations throughout EuropeView and download a number of documents that relate to the plight of chondrichthyans in EuropeSearch news and get involved in events across Europe.The EEA holds annual scientific meetings that are open to both professionals and interested members ofthe public. The abstracts, scientific resolutions and images from each of the meetings are now available todownload. This year the meeting will be held by APECE in Lisbon, Portugal from 14th – 16th November. Ifyou would like to join us, follow the link on www.eulasmo.org for more information.Once again I would like to request content, this can be in any form, from images to relevant documents, totranslations of existing web pages. Please email info@eulasmo.org with your contributions.12shark REVIEWSSharks of the Open Ocean3 Mad About SharksGood news: Sharks of the Open Ocean has finally beenpublished! This book followed on from the InternationalPelagic Shark Workshop held in February 2000, and sothis tome has been several years in the making. The bookitself contains 38 chapters (divided across five Parts).The 76 authors reflect a number of disciplines, includingbiologists, assessment scientists, fisheries managers andconservationists, and include scientists from a numberof countries, including the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil,Uruguay, Australia, New Zealand South Africa, Japan, UK,Portugal (Azores) and Norway.Part I of the book (three chapters) provides a generaloverview of the diversity and reproductive biology of pelagicsharks. Part II, with 10 chapters, then summarises the lifehistoriesof the main pelagic species, with good overviewsof the biology and ecology for each of the main pelagicspecies/genera, including Thresher, White, Shortfin Mako,Salmon, Porbeagle, Silky, Oceanic Whitetip and Blue shark,and pelagic stingray.Part III then describes trends in catches and the abundanceof pelagic sharks, with the 11 chapters in this sectionincluding general overviews of commercial and recreationalfisheries, with several case-studies detailing the pelagicsharks taken in commercial, recreational and fisheryindependentsurveys in various parts of the world, includingthe NE and SE Atlantic, and Indo-Pacific.Part IV includes eight chapters reviewing methods toimprove the assessment and management of pelagic sharks,including studies on comparative life history, demographics,genetics, stock structure and Bayesian methods. The finalpart of the book (Conservation and management outlook forpelagic sharks) contains six chapters reviewing conservationinitiatives and fisheries management tools, bycatchmitigation, and data requirements.Overall, this is a well-constructed book, and will be aninvaluable reference work for scientists working on pelagicshark fisheries. Given the increasing publicity on the poorstatus of many pelagic sharks (Dulvy et al., 2008), therewill be an increasing requirement for national fisherieslaboratories and other bodies (e.g. ICCAT and ICES) to providescientific advice for the improved management of fisheriestaking pelagic shark stocks. This volume brings together awealth of information on our current knowledge, but alsoreiterates the requirement for better data, which are neededto properly assess and manage this remarkable group of fish.Sharks in British Seas“An incredible achievement! Richard has written abook that is packed full of interesting information andfascinating stories. This book will inform, entertain andappeal to everyone from the shark buff to those with ageneral interest”Stuart Nicholls, (Shark enthusiast, Shark Trust memberand volunteer presenter).In a book that’ll prove a very popular and informativeread, Richard manages to cut-through tabloid hyperboleand put many myths Copyright firmly to bed. Rachel One Ball/Liverpool of the UK’s leading MuseumThe obvious criticism of this book is the price. At a RRP of£99.50, this book will unfortunately not attain the wide anddiverse readership it deserves. What is particularly strangeis that the previous volume in this excellent series (PItcheret al., 2007), on the ecology of seamounts (themselves animportant habitat feature for some elasmobranchs) retailed atonly £29.95 - a third of the price of the current volume!References:Dr. Jim Ellis Shark Trust Scientific CommitteeCamhi, M.D.; Pikitch, E.K. and Babcock, E.A. (Eds.) (2008). Sharksof the Open Ocean: Biology, Fisheries and Conservation. Fish andAquatic Resources Series, 13. Blackwell, 536 pp.Pitcher, T.J.; Morato, Y.; Hart, P.J.B.; Clark, M.R.; Haggan, N. and Santos,R.S. (Eds.) (2007). Seamounts: Ecology, Fisheries and Conservation.Fish and Aquatic Resources Series, 12. Blackwell, 536 pp.Dulvy, N.K., Baum, J.K., Clarke, S., Compagno, L.J.V., Cortés, E.,Domingo, A.S., Fordham, S., Fowler, S., Francis, M.P., Gibson,C., Martinez, J., Musick, J.A., Soldo, A., Stevens, J.D. And Valenti,S. (2008). You can swim but you can’t hide: the global statusand conservation of oceanic pelagic sharks and rays. AquaticConservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, In press.Book Offer!Wiley-Blackwell are pleased to announce a special offer toShark Trust members. To redeem your 15% discount pleasequote ‘A9138’ when ordering either online orby phone +44 (0) 1243 843 291.You can also email cs-books@wiley.com.advocates for shark conservation, Richard has work tirelessly to combat theirill-deserved bad press and this book reflects well on his keen knowledgeand efforts championing our toothy friends. It’s a well balanced blend ofscience and environmentalism and some marine mystery… for example,investigating if Great White Sharks occur off our shores. I really enjoyed it.Ian Ferguson Shark Trust Patron*To order Sharks in British Seas call or email Shark Cornwall(01288 352608 rpaconsult@ukonline.co.uk ) and quote SharkTrust. This will result in a generous donation of 15% to the Trustfrom each book you purchase.I have a shark-mad two year old and as a primary school teacher I am alwayspleased to find a new book on sharks, especially one written in proper English!Mad about Sharks features a great diversity of sharks – way beyond the usualsuspects. The layout is very engaging with fact boxes and annotations backedup by a glossary which gives the book a sense of being grown-up whilstremaining accessible to children. The illustrations are child friendly, but notbabyish and the images are dynamic, bringing the facts to life.The text should appeal to a wide range of ages – the main text accessibleto younger children, with the detailed information excellent for those olderchildren able to read alone. Mad about Sharks also addresses conservationissues which are often missing from children’s texts.I think this is a fantastic book and I’ll be looking out for others in this series.Kate Lyon Primary School Teacher*Win a copy of Mad about Sharks – see page 15.4 The WiSe way to watch wildlife DVD.Ever increasing levels of boating activity in our coastal waters is leading tomore and more reports of disturbance and harassment of wildlife. Whilst it hasalways been recognized that most incidents are caused by over enthusiasm,the question has been what to do about it?In an effort to answer this question, a new DVD has been launched targetingthe boat owning public, entitled “The WiSe way to watch wildlife”. Frontedby TV personality Ben Fogle, the DVD features advice on safe and respectfulwatching of a range of wildlife, including cetaceans, basking sharks, sealsand seabirds, using a combination of graphics and film footage from aroundthe UK. It has been produced by the team at the WiSe Scheme, who train andaccredit commercial boat operators in safe wildlife watching practices, and isdeveloped from that experience.Information on where to obtain a copy can be obtained by e-mailinginfo@wisescheme.orgColin Speedie Marine Consultant* For your free copy of the WiSe DVD send a self-addressed A4 envelop with46p stamp to: Lauren Davies, Flat 1, 35 Pennsylvania Road, Exeter, EX4 6DB.Limited availability, while stocks last.Top Ten Shark BooksWhat are your favorite shark books? Whether fact or fiction email us yourwith your reading recommendations and we’ll compile a top ten. Email yourchoices to enquiries@sharktrust.org with ‘Book’ in the subject line.In the next issue ofSharkFocusFreshwater SharksMercury – could heavy metalcontent have a conservationvalue?European Shark WeekSummer’s shark sightings18 Sign our petition at www.sharktrust.org/petitions Shark Focus 32Shark Focus 32 Sign our petition at www.sharktrust.org/petitions 19