News

Overfishing is driving the sharks based on coral reefs towards extinction faster than previously realised, with the five main species so familiar to scuba divers – grey reef, blacktip reef, whitetip reef, nurse and Caribbean reef sharks – already having declined globally by an average of 63%.

The Shark Fins Bill completed its passage through both Houses of Westminster today – with the Third Reading in the House of Lords led by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, and supported unanimously by Peers from all sides.

In Baja California Sur, Mexico, an ecotourism guide captured an unusual whale shark behavior on film and sent it to researchers for analysis. A 16.4 foot-long (5 meters) juvenile whale shark was seen sucking at the sand, gulping whatever it was finding.

Gillnets are set to be completely banned from the Great Barrier Reef by mid-2027, the federal and Queensland governments have jointly announced. The government has also announced plans to make all hammerhead sharks a no-take species for commercial fishers in all Queensland waters.

In the Canary Islands, endangered angelsharks and European tourists are attracted to the same habitat which, for once, isn’t bad for the wildlife.

Scientists in Galway have described a sighting of a rare shark off the west coast of Ireland as hugely significant. Video footage of an angel shark was recorded by a team of kayakers at Galway Bay Sailing Club, near Rinville.

Today, the government has launched the national Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code, offering guidance to help people visit the coast responsibly. It includes advice for walkers as well as for those taking part in water-based activities such as kayaking, paddleboarding or jet skiing. The Shark Trust is pleased to have offered input in respect to sharks, skates, and rays that frequent British waters. We hope this guide will encourage people to help protect vital species and habitats, while enjoying our spectacular marine and coastal environments!

Tasmania's Maugean skate has been around since the dinosaurs but it could become the first ray or shark in the world to become extinct in modern times as a direct result of human activity, after a new study found their population has plummeted in recent years.

Researchers at The University of Western Australia and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) tracked 72 whale sharks in WA’s Ningaloo Reef region over six years and found the ‘copepod’ parasite acts like a black box of stored information about the species’ diet and energy flow.