Saving Species

Our work helps to protect shark species, or populations, threatened with extinction.

This can involve:

Advocating for international protection
Engaging with wildlife conservation and trade bodies
Monitoring implementation and promoting enforcement of conservation commitments
Supporting appropriate spatial management initiatives (marine protected areas)
Developing conservation plans and driving research to address data gaps
Developing and sharing codes of practice and educational materials

Over the years we’ve helped to secure protection for several species in the NE Atlantic. These include:

Basking Sharks
Porbeagle
White Skates
Common Skates
Angelsharks

We maintain a “watching brief” on these species. Monitoring implementation of legislation and fisheries practice and providing up to date codes of conduct for stakeholders. Such as our Basking Shark Code of Conduct and Fisheries Advisories.

The most recent IUCN Red List analysis shows that around 24% of shark and ray species are threatened. It also highlights the extreme vulnerability of flat sharks and rays. For this reason, we're working on collaborative Angelshark and Sawfish programmes.

CMS

CMS is an environmental treaty of the United Nations. It’s a framework convention with legally binding treaties and Memorandums of Understanding for species that cross national boundaries. Read more

CITES

By regulating trade in species that cross international borders, CITES can be a valuable tool in reducing over-exploitation and driving national management plans for sharks. Read more

Angel Sharks

We’ve been working to better protect angelsharks - one of the most threatened family of sharks - for over a decade. Read more

Sawfish: See A Saw

Over the past century populations of all 5 species of sawfish have drastically declined. Find out more about these enigmatic species and our work to support their conservation. Read more

Latest

Arctic Shark Denied Protection

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization fails to agree Greenland Shark ban despite broad support
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Do Sharks Sleep? A great question! Especially considering many sharks have to keep moving to 'breathe'
Saving Sharks - saving ocean life

Always been fascinated by sharks, and only recently, since watching the Oscar winning documentary "Sharkwaters" have I understood what an important role sharks are playing to the ocean's/ earth's health and finally our survival. Overfishing and fin taking has to stop. It is a cruel massacre, yet not enough people are aware of this global tragedy.
Shark Trust to host 2022 Sharks International Conference

The 2022 Sharks International Conference is coming to Europe, and the Shark Trust are hosting it!

Most read

Shark Reproduction

Sharks invest a lot of energy into producing a few, well-developed young. There are 3 main methods of reproduction: oviparity (egg-laying), ovoviviparity and vivparity (live birth).
Male & Female Sharks

How do you tell the difference between a male and female shark? Click here to find out about physical and behavioural differences, as well as shark courtship...
Shark Anatomy

Sharks have a range of adaptations that make them perfectly suited to their environment. It's no wonder they've gained a reputation for being some of the most impressive and formidable predators on the planet!
Shark Senses

Many shark species have brains as complex as mammals, which enables them to process a wide range of senses. Sharks have the same 5 senses as we do plus a couple more...
Tonic Immobility

Tonic immobility is a reflex that causes a temporary state of inactivity in an animal. Similar to hypnosis. It occurs in a variety of different species, including many sharks and rays...
Shark Taxonomy

Taxonomy is a field of science that involves classifying and naming species. It's integral to wildlife conservation, providing the bedrock for our understanding of sharks.
Basking Shark Conservation

Today Basking Sharks are one of the most heavily protected sharks in UK and EU waters, but this wasn't always the case. From 1946-1995 they were heavily fished in the Northeast Atlantic, leaving populations on the brink.
Shark Evolution

Most scientists believe that sharks came into existence around 400 million years ago. That's 200 million years before the dinosaurs! Find out more about the history of sharks...
Adopt a White Shark

Adopt a White Shark today and you'll be supporting vital White Shark research in the USA.
Shark Shop

Check out our range of shark inspired gifts. From shark adoptions and gift memberships, to clothing and accessories... There's something for everyone.