Shark Focus

Shark Focuswww.sharktrust.orgTHE MAGAZINE OF THE SHARK TRUSTIssue 40 March 2011Charismatic or Anti-hero?Looking at Sharks in a New LightSharm el-Sheikh AttacksThe Shark Trust Looks at the Bigger PictureShark Conservation:Changing TimesThe Progression of Fisheries andConservation ManagementHardTalkTalks to the Head of theKwaZulu-Natal Sharks Boardplusall your Shark Trustand EEA newsshark trustmembershipcard insideSupporting the

CAMPAIGN CORNERthe latestIn February 2009 the European Council adopted thelong-awaited Community Plan of Action for Sharks(CPOA-Sharks), a document which provides a frameworkfor a wide range of shark conservation and managementmeasures. A priority action of the CPOA was to reviewthe 2003 EU Shark Finning Regulation (EC) 1185/2003,providing an opportunity for the conservation sector tomake a case for the strengthening of the ban through anend to Special Fishing Permits (SFPs): the permits whichallow the removal of shark fins at sea (see page 9 forexplanation of terminology).Meanwhile in the UK the Shark Trust led the campaignto tighten domestic application of the regulation. Andin January 2010 the UK ceased the provision of SFPsenforcing a mandatory requirement for sharks to belanded with their fins naturally attached.Since 2010 only two EU Member States, Spain andPortugal, continue to issue SFPs.The Review:The Commission presented three options forconsideration:Option 1: Maintaining the 5% fin:carcass ratioOption 2: Shift from the current limit of a 5% fin to liveweight ratio to a 5% fin to dressed weight (gutted andbeheaded) carcass ratio.Option 3: fins remain attached approach.HousekeepingWe should give as we would receive,cheerfully, quickly, and withouthesitation….Lucius Annaeus SenecaIn previous issues of Focus my grumbleshave covered the recession and how itaffects charities, inflation, fuel costs,taxes, VAT, the decline in charitable givingand many other very downcast subjects.Whilst nothing seems to be changing inthe wider world with the rise in VAT andpending interest rate increase, this time Ithought I would ring the changes and bepositive and upbeat, not something I amnoted for in the office.By now you will have all found your newmembership card. This was generouslysponsored by AP Valves. The card’s reallynice and we hope you will enjoy havingone in your wallet as a reminder that youare part of a very worthwhile charity, andyour support is very beneficial to our work.The Shark Trust submitted a comprehensive response tothe Commission on behalf of itself and other members ofthe UK shark conservation community. The Shark Truststrongly supported Option 3, stating:“We believe that requiring sharks are landed with theirfins naturally attached is straight forward to enforce andby far the simplest and most reliable method to ensurean end to shark finning. Requiring that sharks are landedin this manner is the basis of the finning regulationsin Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Oman,Panama, certain Australian fisheries and states, and theUS. ‘Fins naturally attached’ is also the original intent ofthe EU finning regulation, but currently undermined bythe derogation from Article 3. In addition, expert studieshave concluded that a fins naturally attached policywould result in:A reduced enforcement burden as there is norequirement for ensuring compliance with thefin:carcass ratio and the associated complicatedconversion factor calculations.The ability to secure the species-specificlandings data required for population monitoringand associated species specific managementmeasures.The removal of the opportunity for ‘high grading’.Maximised landing values: it is recognised that thereis considerable potential for improving fin cuttingMany of you will have seen Shark Baiton Channel 4, highlighting the barbaricpractice of shark finning. Thanks to theprogramme we have been inundated withletters, mail and phone calls from so manypeople wanting more information on howthey can help sharks and your generosityhas been phenomenal. We have gained350 new members since the programmewas aired and donations have poured into support our work. This has been trulyamazing and we extend very gratefulthanks to everyone, who despite theeconomic gloom, have felt compelled tohelp support the conservation of sharks.You have, as the quote said, given quicklyand without hesitation, thank you all. Ourwork remains as important as ever.Spring is upon us so this means it isLIDS time and we hope you will comealong to our stand, number 441, to seeus and talk sharks. It’s always nice to putfaces to names.Lastly, we now have members from58 countries and would happily come tovisit all of you! I was going to attempt“thank you” in 58 tongues but didn’t wantto embarrass myself or offend anyone!Please note….supporter number 2048 inFiji,…. I am happy to personally deliveryour next Focus, flip flops at the ready,“Vinaka”The removal of shark fins at sea © Anonymouspractices in European fleets. Improved cutting practicesshould result in the production of high quality productsmaximising landing values.Fins naturally attached has been implemented ina number of countries, with partially cut fins provinga practical solution to industry concerns regardingthe awkward handling of frozen carcasses with theirfins intact. The UK Government reports evidence ofcompliance with fins naturally attached: inspectionreports of UK vessels docking in Singapore reportedremoval of shark fins at port.”The consultation closed on the 21st February and theCommission will now consider the submissions. Updateswill be posted on the campaign pages of the Shark Trustwebsite and the Trust will be seeking public support forthe upcoming legislative phase.No membership card?-then become a memberGlenys Heafield,Financial Administrator &Company Secretary.www.sharktrust.org/joinusSupporting the European Elasmobranch AssociationThe Shark Trust4 Creykes Court, The Millfields, Stonehouse,Plymouth PL1 3JBTel: (+44) (0)1752 672008/672020 Fax: (+44) (0)1752 672008Email: enquiries@sharktrust.orgWebsite: http://www.sharktrust.orgShark FocusIssue 40 March 2011Features4 Looking at Sharks in a New Light6 Shark Conservation: changing times9 Shark Finning10 HardTalk15 Basking Shark Photo ID16 Sharm el-Sheikh AttacksRegulars8 Shark Trust and World Shark News12 Member’s Pages and Sponsored Events14 Junior Member’s Page18 EEA and Website NewsEdited by the Shark Trust©Shark Trust 2011Shark Focus is published three times a year in March, July and November. Copy datefor the next issue is 31st May 2011. 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), Grant Bates, George Bowser, Roger Covey, Paul Cox,Sarah Fowler OBE, Heather Koldeway, John Nightingale, Brian Phillips and Christopher Pringle.Patrons: Nick Baker, John Boyle, Leonard Compagno, Marc Dando, Bob Earll, Bernard Eaton,Ian Fergusson, Mariella Frostrup, Loyd Grossman, John Gummer MP, Monty Halls, Martha Holmes,Kate Humble, Sir David Jason OBE, Simon Rogerson, Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch, Michaela Strachan andRon and Valerie TaylorRegistered Company No. 3396164. Registered Charity No. 1064185.The Shark Trust is supported by: the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the Pew Foundation,the Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England, DEFRA, Seafish and Fondation Ensemble.Design: Fluke Art. www.flukeart.comInquisitive White Shark - Seal Island, South Africa. © Sean Sequeira.Inset pic: © Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch.EDITORIALWelcome to the 40th edition of Shark Focus magazine. Shark conservationhas moved on significantly since the first edition was presented to Trustsupporters in 1998. Despite all the positive achievements reported in thelast 39 editions, there remains much to be concerned over. The demand forshark fins is arguably higher than ever, and the need for public awarenessand support for anti-finning campaigns is more vital now than at any time.The airing of Shark Bait, part of Channel 4s Big Fish Fight, brought thematter of shark finning to a wider public audience. Having been integral tothe development of Shark Bait we were gratified by the subsequent weight ofpublic support. The Trust website received significant additional traffic andmany of you chose to express your concern by joining the Trust – thank youfor your support. We continue to lobby for an end to the fin trade with thisyear’s efforts focused primarily on the review of the EU shark finning ban –keep an eye on the website to see how you can help close the loopholes inEurope’s finning regulation and ensure the European fleet has no opportunityto fin sharks. As you may be aware in recognition of Shark Bait GordonRamsay was invited to become a Patron of the Trust.Since the first edition we have worked to improve the public perception ofsharks, often hampered by sensational newspaper headlines, although inrecent years there has been some improvement. However, the tragic eventsin Sharm el-Sheikh in early December generated a media storm, with graphicaccounts provided by the many eyewitnesses. The attacks, by a ShortfinMako and Oceanic Whitetip, were extremely rare and the culmination of arange of influencing factors (p.16), and saw many media outlets dusting offJaws-type headlines. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families affected.The winter is a busy time for sharks and the December Fisheries Councilmeeting saw further tightening of fisheries management with both Spurdogand Porbeagle now on a zero quota, and prohibited status for severalvulnerable species. Discards have been prominent in the media, and despitea discard ban having much merit the Trust must work to ensure sharks,which often survive release, are not unduly impacted upon.I am hoping to have the chance to see more sharks in the coming monthsand if you are privileged enough to have a shark encounter don’t forget toreport your sightings.Richard PeirceChairman2 www.sharktrust.org/campaigns Shark Focus 40 Shark Focus 40 www.sharktrust.org 3

Looking at Sharks in aNew LightCharismatic Species and Anti-heroesFound in almost every ocean and sea on Earth,sharks* evolved to dominate an environmentfar different to that transformed by the modernfishing industry. With evolutionary traits in-tunewith a more stable, predictable ocean mostsharks exhibit slow growth, late maturity, fewoffspring, longevity and low natural mortality.From the centre of the marine food-web, theseperfect predators dominate and regulate mostmarine ecosystems on the planet. But in the21st century that dominance is beginning tofade, as sharks face a barrage of threats rangingfrom overfishing and shark finning, to habitatdestruction and pollution.These threats are compounded by a largely negative,indifferent (or even non-existent) public perception.Central to this perception is the simple fact that sharks,skates and rays are generally regarded as just fish,viewed as a commercial resource subject to the veryquantitative field of fisheries management. Relatively fewfish have made the jump to wildlife – species managedand conserved for their intrinsic worth, be it theirimportance to biodiversity, a historical presence or foraesthetic reasons. Of the more than 1000 elasmobranchsfound throughout the world only a select few possess theright qualities to challenge this perception and make thejump: these species can be termed as charismatic. Putsimply, charismatic species possess an extraordinaryability to attract the attention of people. This attentioncan generate a degree of public empathy, particularly forthose species whose existence is threatened by humanimpact. This in turn can produce more tangible benefits- including research, management and protection – andfor some species, survival.Long overlooked in the charismastakes, but more people arebeginning to appreciate the BlueShark’s sleek fusiform shape,magnificent colouring and epic9000km migrations.© Suzan MeldonianWhat makes a shark charismatic?A mental list of charismatic terrestrial animals – oreven marine mammals – is easy to compose, but forsharks this takes a bit more time. In the UK only theBasking Shark Cetorhinus maximus is truly acceptedas a charismatic species. Key to this is the BaskingSharks ‘rank’ as megafauna – a grouping of highermarine predators including cetaceans, pinnipeds, seaotters, polar bears, seabirds, sharks, cephalopods, andpredatory fish 1 . Despite this impressive designationmegafauna often have vulnerable life histories and theirpopulations are often first to bear the brunt of humanimpacts 1 . This is certainly true of Basking Sharks whichwere once subject to extensive target fisheries and arestill at significant risk of accidental entangling, bycatch,boat-strike and harassment. This species observesthe conservative life history common to most sharks;fortunately for them their sheer size, visibility andreturn to the same ‘hotspots’ each year encourages amuch higher degree of public interest in their biologyand conservation (with the added attraction of injectingincome into local economies).Associated with this is that very human trait ofprojecting human characteristics onto animals – knownas anthropomorphism. With no visible teeth and slow,almost docile movement, Basking Sharks are seen asfriendly, gentle giants, and as victims of human activity.Indeed, the intense emotion many people experienceseeing a cetacean being hunted is replicated watching aBasking Shark being caught. This is indicative of a hugeshift in perception: from simply the target species of acommercial fishery (with over 105,000 Basking Sharkskilled in the Northeast Atlantic between 1947 and 1997)to being regarded and protected as wildlife – on a parwith the likes of badgers, dolphins and Golden Eagles.Interestingly, there are other avenues through whichsharks can come to our attention. Despite a ferociousimage and the fact the species can, on rare occasions,represent a genuine danger to humans, the White SharkCarcharodon carcharias has charisma in spades. As webegin to appreciate not only the evolutionary precisionof the White Shark, but also its critical importance in themarine food-web, this ‘super-predator’ reputation hasproduced what could be likened to an anti-hero status,generating a huge amount of passion and empathyamongst people.The target species of a commercial fishery right up until themid-1990s, the Basking Shark has emerged as an iconic,unmistakable ambassador for marine wildlife.© Andrew Pearson* All reference to ‘sharks’ should be considered to representall Chondrichthyan fishes (sharks, skates, rays and chimaera)unless otherwise stated.Being charismatic:the easy lifeThe benefits of being charismatic are significant.Basking Sharks have emerged as iconic, unmistakableambassadors of UK marine wildlife. They are one ofthe most heavily protected sharks in the world with theWildlife and Countryside Act (1981) providing solid legalprotection in UK waters, inclusion in the UK BiodiversityAction Plan encouraging greater funding and research, aProhibited Species to commercial vessels under the EUCommon Fisheries Policy while listings under CITES* andthe CMS provides a degree of international management.White Sharks have benefited in the same way – legallyprotected in the territorial waters of South Africa,Australia, New Zealand and the US (amongst others), aProhibited Species to fishing in EU waters, listings underCITES and the CMS, and a considerable body of researchand funding expended in our desire to understand andprotect this enigmatic predator.At the same time, it is worth bearing in mind that somespecies are almost too charismatic for their own good.The mounting pressures of tourism (eco and otherwise)on the natural behaviour and wellbeing of Basking Sharksin Cornish waters, on Whale Sharks in places such asthe Maldives and on White Sharks offshore from SouthAfrican cage diving centres has led to the developmentof schemes such as WiSe. These schemes focus onpromoting responsible commercial wildlife-watching withno negative impacts on the sharks themselves..The misfortune of beingnon-charismaticUnfortunately for shark conservation, the vast majority ofspecies attract very little of our attention or concern. Ofthe more than 50 species of shark found in the NortheastAtlantic nearly half are deep-water species; add to thesethe likes of the Smallspotted Catshark Scyliorhinuscanicula (also known as Lesser Spotted Dogfish),Bluntnose Sixgill Shark Hexanchus griseus and the SpinyDogfish Squalus acanthias and there is a large numberof unseen, unfamiliar and relatively unappealing sharksattracting little research, management or protection.Even the Greenland Shark Somniosus microcephalus, aformidable predator and megafauna contender at over 6metres total length, will not feature on most peoples listof charismatic species. For the majority of sharks, andmost of the 600 skates and rays found throughout theworld, this is the bleak reality.Does it really matter?That this huge gulf exists might not seem an issue, butfor elasmobranchs, a group with challenging PR at thebest of times, poor public perception has a significantflow-on effect on research, management and protection,and in some cases, survival. This gulf betweencharismatic and non-charismatic species is particularlypoignant in EU waters: in shark conservation terms, EUwaters have the worst track-record of any region in theworld, with the IUCN listing over 50% of British and 30%of European elasmobranchs in threat categories.Primeval and inscrutable, the White Shark has a different sortof appeal © Ofer KetterIt takes a special sort of person to consider the BluntnoseSixgill Shark charismatic, but at up to 4.8m total length, andfound down to 2000m, this species is anything but ordinary.© Simon RogersonDemersal and covered in a slimy film, few skates and raysmake it into the limelight – although their star is risingas more people appreciate their integral role in marineecosystems as well as vulnerability to over-exploitation.Blonde Ray Raja brachyura. © Sally Sharrock*AcronymsCITES: Convention on the International Trade inEndangered Species of Wild Flora and FaunaCMS: Convention on Migratory Species of Wild AnimalsIUCN: International Union for the Conservation of NatureTAC: Total Allowable Catch (fisheries management tool)WiSe: Wildlife Safe www.wisescheme.orgSpiny Dogfish © Marc Dando/Shark TrustThe Spiny Dogfish Squalus acanthias is a casein-pointof the misfortune of falling in the noncharismaticcategory. Like the Basking Sharkthis small, highly migratory shark exhibits all thehallmarks of a conservative life history, includingone of the longest recorded gestation periodsfor any vertebrate, at up to 22 months. Althoughnaturally abundant, Spiny Dogfish populations inthe Northeast Atlantic have demonstrated acutevulnerability to over-exploitation in commercialfisheries. Stock assessments report a declinein total biomass of >95% from baseline in theNortheast Atlantic with the Northeast Atlanticpopulation now listed as Critically Endangered onthe IUCN Redlist 2 . This catastrophic decline hasreceived scarce media coverage, let alone legalprotection for the species; only in the last 4 yearshas effective fisheries management (a catchlimiting TAC) been implemented for Spiny Dogfishpopulations in EU waters.Nevertheless, the tide is beginning to turn asother British sharks, skates and rays are viewedin a more positive light, and in the process attractmuch-needed public attention. Through the work oforganisations like the Shark Trust and its members,large keystone species such as the PorbeagleShark Lamna nasus, Blue Shark Prionace glauca,Shortfin Mako Isurus oxyrinchus, AngelsharkSquatina squatina, and the Common Skate Dipturusspp. are increasingly recognised as having asignificant importance beyond pure commercialvalue. Accompanying this is a growing raft ofmanagement and protective measures – welcomesteps in securing healthy, sustainable populationsand restoring historical ranges. Yet because the lifehistory traits of sharks are markedly different tothose of bony fish, the Shark Trust will continue topromote the substitution of fisheries managementfor wildlife protection, and the considerableconservation benefits that accompany thisperception shift.References1 Hooker, S.K. & Gerber, L.R. 2004. Marine Reservesas a Tool for Ecosystem-Based Management: ThePotential Importance of Megafauna. Bioscience,54 (1), 27-39.2 Fordham, S., Fowler, S.L., Coelho, R., Goldman,K.J. & Francis, M. 2006. Squalus acanthias(Northeast Atlantic subpopulation). In: IUCN 2010.IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version2010.4 www.iucnredlist.org4 www.sharktrust.org/sharks Shark Focus 40 Shark Focus 40 www.sharktrust.org/facts 5

Shark Conservation:changing timesChanges in Shark Conservationand/or Management1996Last remaining Basking Shark fishery in the UK closes1997UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) launchedThe Shark Trust is foundedEstablished in 1997, the Shark Trust was bornefrom a clear and urgent need for an independentbody dedicated to the conservation of sharks,skates and rays. However the Shark Trust was noovernight creation. Since the early 1990s, SarahFowler – Shark Trust founder and trustee – hadconsulted shark specialists and members of theconservation community to assess the need, andchance of survival for a science-based, publicmembership organisation, promoting awarenessand improving the conservation and managementof sharks in Europe and internationally. Early on,Sarah’s research identified a significant gap inthe promotion of shark research, conservationand management – and that addressing this wascertainly not going to be a short-term task!The publication of the 40th issue of Shark Focus providesthe ideal opportunity to look back at changes in policyand legislation that the Shark Trust has either led, orcontributed to, since the first issue of Shark Focus in1998. One thing is evident: from the 1997 baseline oflittle-to-no management, a ground swell of supporthas emerged. As Sarah put it in 2007, “One of our [theShark Trust’s] major achievements has been to increaseknowledge of sharks and the marine environment. Thishas, unfortunately, demonstrated that there is still agreat deal to do and that there will be some very seriousconsequences if we fail.”Focusing primarily on the UK, but with some internationalevents, the timeline (p.7) illustrates a changinglandscape of shark conservation and management.From the closure of the UK Basking Shark fishery in1996, through to the protection of the species underSchedule Five of the Wildlife and Countryside Act just twoyears later; the adoption of the first, albeit ineffective,management of commercially targeted elasmobranchsunder the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), to the recentclosure of target fisheries for Porbeagle, Spurdog andCommon Skate; and culminating in the 2011 publicationof Defra’s Shark, Skate and Ray Conservation Plan.The last six months…TACs and QuotasThe December Fisheries Council brings the EuropeanCommission and EU Member States together to agree ona wide range of fisheries TACs (total allowable catches)and quotas (the amount of the TAC attributed to eachMember State), under the auspices of the CFP. TheseTACs relate to EU boats fishing in EU waters, althoughProhibited Species designations are applicable to both EUand third-country vessels in EU waters.In 2010 the Shark Trust had high hopes for retentionand reinforcement of existing elasmobranch TACs, withthe possibility of further management measures beingintroduced. Key results from the 2010 Fisheries Councilincluded:Porbeagle: Maintained their zero TAC and ban onthe retention and landing of bycatch.Spiny Dogfish: came into line with Porbeagle, witha zero TAC and a ban on bycatch.Angelshark, Common Skate, White Skateand Undulate Ray: maintain their position on theProhibited Species list alongside the Basking Sharkand White Shark.Skates and Rays: some fishing areas saw areduction in the overall TAC.Guitarfish: secured Prohibited Species status.Wildlife and Countryside ActEvery five years the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981)is reviewed, with an opportunity to amend the specieslisted (the Basking Shark and Angelshark are the onlyelasmobranchs currently listed). In 2008 the SharkTrust proposed five additional species (Porbeagle, SpinyDogfish, Common and White Skates and the UndulateRay) and requested an extension of range for theAngelshark, from 6nm to 12nm. A public consultation[for England and Wales] was held in spring 2010 andthe announcement of results is now overdue – a matterwhich the Trust has taken up with Defra. A consultationfor listings in Scottish waters is imminent.Above: Porbeagles Lamna nasus on market. © Rory Goodall.Inset: defra’s Shark, Skate and Ray Conservation Plan. © defra.Defra’s Shark, Skate and RayConservation PlanIn January 2011 Defra released their Shark, Skate andRay Conservation Plan, committing to a suite of bespokeconservation and management measures. The Planstates: “This work will contribute to Defra’s key aimsby ensuring the maintenance of our marine biodiversityand allow us to spearhead international progress onconservation/endangered species protection.”The overall aim of Defra’s work through the Plan is:to manage elasmobranch stocks sustainably so thatdepleted stocks recover and that those faring better arefished sustainably. To achieve this Defra have identifiedfour key outcomes:make all catches of sharks, skates and rayssustainable and prioritise action to protect andrestore the species most at risk;improve our knowledge of shark, skate and rayfisheries through better data collection and scientificresearch and to use this information to improvefishery management;encourage international conservation bodies to adoptand promote effective conservation measures forsharks, skates and rays; andincrease understanding, education and awareness ofshark, skate and ray issues, working in partnershipwith the fishing industry and NGOs.The Shark Trust welcomes the Plan as a comprehensiveframework with an ambitious schedule, a significantmilestone in the UK’s efforts to deliver meaningful sharkmanagement and conservation.1999Basking Shark and Common Skate listed in the UK BAPUN adopts International Plan of Action for SharksWhale Sharks listed in Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)20002003EU Shark Finning Regulation 1185/2003 passed, prohibiting the removal ofsharks’ fins at sea; UK is one of five member states to issue Special FinningPermits allowing removal of fins at sea using a fin:carcass ratio2004White Sharks listed in Appendix II of CITESApplication for Porbeagle and Spiny Dogfish to be listed under Appendix II ofCITES rejected2007Angelsharks protected under Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981)13 additional elasmobranchs added to the UK BAPApplication for Porbeagle and Spiny Dogfish to be listed under Appendix II ofCITES rejectedAll sawfish species listed under Appendix I of CITESBasking and White Sharks designated ‘Prohibited Species’ for all vessels in EUwaters2008Protective measures for Tope introduced in English and Welsh watersSpecies-specific landings become mandatory for all skates and rays caught inEU waters100,000 EU citizens (including 20,000 in the UK) sign petition supportingadoption of the EU Community Plan of Action for SharksShortfin and Longfin Mako’s, Porbeagles and Spiny Dogfish (NorthernHemisphere populations only) listed under Appendix II of the CMS2011DEFRA release UK Shark, Skate and Ray Conservation PlanEU shark finning regulation 1185/2003 review goes to public consultationZero TAC upheld for Spiny Dogfish in EU waters (no bycatch allowance)Guitarfishes designated ‘Prohibited Species’ for all vessels in EU waters1998Basking Shark protected under the UK Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981)First TACs introduced for Spiny Dogfish and ‘Skates and Rays’(implemented January 1999)20012002Whale Sharks and Basking Sharks listed in Appendix II of theConvention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)White Sharks listed in Appendices I and II of the CMS2005Basking Sharks listed under Appendices I and II of the CMS2006Europe-wide Shark Alliance is launched2009Closure of Porbeagle target fishery in EU waters; zero TAC implementedEU adopts Community Plan of Action for SharksUK Marine and Coastal Access Act passedAngelshark, Common Skate, White Skate, Black Skate and Undulate Raydesignated ‘Prohibited Species’ for all vessels in EU watersZero TAC implemented for deepwater sharks in EU watersGlobal Shark Alliance is formed2010Zero TAC implemented for Spiny Dogfish in EU waters (with bycatch allowance)EU Common Fisheries Policy under reviewCessation of Special Fishing Permits for UK commercial fishing fleet – all sharkslanded by UK vessels anywhere in the world must have fins naturally attachedEU Shark Finning Regulation 1185/2003 under reviewPorbeagles designated ‘Prohibited Species’ for all EU vessels in internationalwatersDevelopment of network of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZ) continues:MCZs to be operational by 2012Application to add Porbeagles, Oceanic Whitetips, hammerheads andSpiny Dogfish to Appendix II of CITES is rejected6 www.sharktrust.org/rsharktrust Shark Focus 40 Shark Focus 40 www.sharktrust.org/downloads 7

NEWSNEC Dive ShowJohn Nightingale receiving the Great Swim 2010 donation at the NEC DiveShow. © Shark TrustIn the last weekend of October 2010 the annual NEC Dive Show returnedto Birmingham. As usual the Shark Trust stand was colourful andinformative – complete with inflatable palm tree and seagulls! Suuntokindly donated a D4 dive computer which, through the raffle, generatedin excess of £2000 for the Trust. As usual the Dive Show was a great wayto raise the Trust’s profile with staff and an excellent crew of volunteersspeaking to hundreds of people over the course of the two days, raisingawareness of shark conservation and the work of the Trust.Blue Sound ProjectBeginning in December and running through to February, as part ofthe Blue Sound Project Shark Trust staff attended viewings of SharkWater and Q & A sessions as well as a seashore-day and eggcase huntwith young people from the Plymouth area. The Trust was on hand toanswer questions on the issues of shark fishing and finning, as well asencouraging kids to consider marine science as a career option. Based inPlymouth, the Blue Sound Project is a major public outreach programmedesigned to engage local people with their marine environment.South West Marine Ecosystems (SWME) ConferenceAlso in December the fourth annual SWME conference was held atthe Marine Biological Association in Plymouth. Shark Trust staffwere amongst about 40 attendees including scientists, students,conservationists and volunteers. SWME 2010 highlighted the huge effortbeing undertaken by volunteer observers for conservation projects – witha notable focus on Basking Shark observations. Presentations coveredoceanic processes and plankton monitoring, marine invertebrates andfish, marine megavertebrates and marine wildlife surveys.HLF WorkshopIn February the Shark Trust attended the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)Investing in the Future of Biodiversity workshop. The workshop provedan excellent opportunity to showcase Shark Trust projects – includingthe Angler Recording Project – to other conservation groups and fundingorganisations, as well as assessing the current funding ‘climate’ forcharitable organisations.EU Shark Finning Regulation reviewAlso in February the Shark Trust co-ordinated a UK-wide submission tothe review of EU Shark Finning Regulation 1185/2003. This joint responsebought a wide range of NGOs and conservation organisations together insupport of Option 3: Fins naturally attached. See p.2 for the full story.November 2010WORLD SHARKNEWSNews since last FocusEuropean Commission Releases Shark Finning ConsultationA consultation document was released by the European Commission, proposing three options to amendthe current EU finning ban. The Shark Trust is supporting Option 3, which requires fins to remainnaturally attached to shark bodies until fishing vessels return to port.Great White Walkabout: How Aussie Sharks Became Mediterranean MigrantsAstonished researchers from the University of Aberdeen have found the Great Whites of theMediterranean share the same DNA as those in Australia. It is believed a few pregnant females made a“navigational error” about 450,000 years ago.How Shark Scales Give the Predators Deadly SpeedNew research has revealed that the flexible scales covering a sharks body reduces water drag, providingstreamlined movement. The phenomenon has been compared to the dimples on a golf ball, which enablethe ball to travel further in the air.DecemberEgypt Shark Attack: Experts Claim Attacks Are UnprecedentedA series of five shark attacks occurring in the waters off Sharm el-Sheikh, on Egypt’s Red Sea coast,resulted in tragedy. To find out more about these unprecedented attacks and the possible causes for theshark’s abnormal behaviour turn to page 16.Teenage Great White Sharks Are Too Weak to Stalk Big PreyA new study has revealed that juvenile Great Whites are unable to hunt large prey due to their soft jaws.Scientists in Australia have discovered that it takes over 15 years for a Great White’s jaw to harden,leaving them reliant on a diet of smaller fish.New Legislation Places US at Forefront of Shark ConservationThe US Senate has taken a positive step in securing a better future for sharks. The Senate has passedthe Shark Conservation Act, which will serve to enforce the current shark finning ban by implementing a‘fins attached’ policy for most sharks caught in US waters.January 2011Defra Bites down on Threats to SharksThe Shark Trust welcomed the release of Defra’s Shark Conservation Plan. The plan outlines how Defrawill continue to work nationally and internationally to allow threatened stocks of sharks, skates and raysto replenish and to ensure that healthier stocks are fished sustainably.Sharks Are Colour-Blind New Research FindsAustralian researchers have discovered that some species of sharks are colour blind. The study wasconducted on 17 species of sharks including, Bull Sharks, Tiger Sharks, reef sharks and Port JacksonSharks.Two-Headed Shark Embryo FoundA pair of sharks, both with two heads, have been discovered in a private collection. It is unclear whatcaused the foetuses to develop in this way, however parasites, poor nutrition, genetic disorders andpollution could all be to blame.FebruaryShark Inspires A Better Water TurbineA product-design student from Michigan has developed a new method of harnessing power from rivers,inspired by the Basking Shark’s filter-feeding process. The Strait Power Turbine is twin-bladed andreplicates the way the shark compresses and accelerates water flow out of its gills.Whale Sharks: Biggest Fish Could Be Even BiggerA new method of measuring the world’s largest fish, developed by scientists in Mozambique, hasmade it possible to acquire more accurate records. Previously estimated at up to 20 metres in length,researchers have discovered that the size of some individuals has been underestimated by as much as50cm.Gujarat Whale Sharks May Be NativeThe endangered Whale Sharks that are seen in the waters off the Gujarat coast may be native tothe Indian Ocean and not migrants from Australia as is commonly believed. Recent genetic samplescollected from Whale Sharks off Gujarat did not match those from Australia, suggesting that thispopulation could be distinct.Shark finningJanuary 2011: The Big Fish Fight (Channel 4) attracted the attention of the nation andchampioned sustainable seafood. The global shark fin trade is far fromWesustainable; top chef,doandnot serveShark Trust patron, Gordon Ramsay made his contribution to the Big Fish Fight by investigating theshark fin trade in the programme Shark Bait.The Shark Trust has been at the forefront of the fight to ban shark finning for the past 14 years. Instrumentalin the campaign to secure a European shark fin ban in 2003 and the 2010 ban on the removal of fins on allUK vessels worldwide, the Shark Trust is now advocating for the EU finningsharkban to be tightened and enforcedfin soup haccording to its original intent – that no shark fins are removed at sea.The European Commission is currently reviewing the EU Shark finning regulation (see page 2). Overthe next two editions of Shark Focus we will explore the facts associated with the on-going issue of sharkfinning, detail the trade that fuels the practice and indicate what you can do to help the campaign.This is because we have not been able to identify supplieShark Finning – the basicsguaranteed to be sourced from responsibly managed, suWith the fins of up to 70 million sharks passing through the fin trade on an annual basis shark finningis currently the greatest threat to sharks. However, the issue is far more complicated fisheries. than an We easy are media extremely concerned about the global deheadline would have you believe.populations and the reportedly widespread practice of sShark fins are worth significantly more than the meat, and this disparity creates an economic incentiveto retain shark fins and discard the carcass – this is ‘shark finning’. The fins are easy to store, requiring norefrigeration, and the demand for fins is higher than ever.Trading in shark fins is legal. But the act of shark finning – keeping the fins but discarding the carcass atsea – is prohibited in many countries and by about half of the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations(the bodies which have the remit to manage areas of the high seas). However, many of the finning ‘bans’are weak, often permitting the removal of shark fins at sea under the proviso that the carcass is retained inaccordance with a fin:carcass ratio which is usually set at around 5%. But, depending on which legislationyou are governed by this ratio could be set at 5% of the whole or live weight (LW) of the shark, or 5% ofthe dressed weight (head and organs removed). European legislation currently allows 5% LW. Researchsuggests the fins of an ‘average shark’ are ~2% of its LW. So 5% LW is a very ‘generous’ ratio and couldenable less scrupulous operators to land two to three times the amount of fins to carcasses.Now considering many finning bans also allow the landing of fins and carcasses in separate ports and,as for trying to identify the finless, headless trunk of a shark… well the enforcement nightmare begins. Itis no real surprise then that there are three to four times more fins on the market than can be accounted forthrough FAO fisheries statistics.So how can this be resolved?Sharks will be caught in fisheries – this is an unavoidable truth. But the wasteful and unsustainable practiceof shark finning must be addressed and an effective first step would be to ensure all finning bans areupheld, that shark fins are not removed at sea under any circumstance – that sharks are landed with theirfins naturally attached. And why the emphasis on naturally? Well there have been cases where sharks wererequired to be landed with their fins simply ‘attached’ and sharks were then landed with fins attached tocarcasses with rope, fins which seemed significantly larger than the carcass.Prohibiting the removal of shark fins at sea seems the obvious way forward – no need for complicatedrules or ratios. Enforcement would be simplified – any fins found on a vessel without a carcass wouldbe illegal, and the ability to identify the species landed would aid data collection and species specificmanagement. An increasing number of countries are adopting this option.What can you do?Shark Bait stirred the interest of many members of the public and the Trust has been contacted bymany people wanting to add their weight to the campaign. Some supporters have provided very personalinsights, such as Wendy Huang, a Taiwanese national living in the UK who wrote: *Shark “The degree finning of Taiwan’s is the practice of cutting off a shark’s fins andinvolvement in the world’s shark fin trade was a massive shock to me. I was equally ashamed by my own remainder of body back into the sea.and the Taiwanese public’s ignorance of the source of shark fins and the ruthless finning methods.”Above A finned shark © Henry WolcottThe Shark Trust focuses much of its efforts in securing improved legislation (page 2), and thus reducing theopportunities for unscrupulous fishers to fin sharks. However, many Trust supporters are keen to see an end Below Shark fin soup © Takoradee The Shark Tto restaurants selling shark fin soup – especially restaurants in their own neighbourhood. The back coveradvancing the worldwide conservation ofof this edition of Shark Focus carries a poster which encourages restaurants to recognise the unsustainableand unmanaged nature of the shark fin trade and stop selling shark fin products. www.sharktrust.orgFor other resources andfurther information please visit the Shark Trust campaign pages www.sharktrust.org/campaign.8 www.sharktrust.org/news Shark Focus 40Shark Focus 3? 39 Send in your stories www.eggcase.org to enquiries@sharktrust.org 40 9

SharkhardtalkBy Richard PeirceInterview withGeremy CliffRichard Peirce talks to Geremy Cliff ofthe KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Sharks Board inSouth Africa.Geremy Cliff. © KZN Shark Board.The nets and drum lines of the SharksBoard catch on average 600 sharksannually. The mortality rate is around85%. Among the sharks killed are GreatWhites which are protected in SouthAfrica. Conservationists are often critical,accusing the Board of unnecessary andindiscriminate killing of sharks.Richard Geremy what’s your position at the SharksBoard, and when did the Board come into being?Geremy I head the research department. TheSharks Board was founded in 1964 initiallyas an organisation advising local authoritieshow to protect against shark attacks. Our firstdirector realised we could play a bigger role byrunning the whole shark control programme,which is what we now do.Richard When did Durban first install nets?Geremy In 1952 and then other beachesfollowed.Richard Was there a specific event or trigger thatcaused the nets to first be installed?Geremy Yes, Durban had 17-20 shark attacksin the 1940’s, and a significant number werefatal, I think it was 5 deaths. That’s whattriggered it. The next trigger was a spate ofattacks at other beaches which became knownas the “Black December” of 1957. Touristspacked up and left. It was this economicimpact which forced the authorities to dosomething about it. If the attacks had not hadthat economic impact we wouldn’t be here.Richard What are the aims of the Sharks Board?Geremy Primarily to protect the touristindustry by reducing the chance of sharkattacks at 38 locations on the KZN coast.Richard There is criticism of the nets not onlydue to the number of sharks caught but also thenumber of other animals getting caught. Is thiscriticism fair?Geremy The criticism is fair in that the netsare not selective. The problem species hereare the Great White, the Bull Shark and theTiger. These are responsible for nearly all thelife threatening or fatal attacks. We would liketo target these species but we end up catchingother sharks like Ragged Tooth Sharks,Spinners, Blacktips, and hammerheads.Unfortunately we also catch dolphins, turtlesand rays. So the criticism is justified.Richard I believe you are using electronic devices– pingers – to try to reduce the by-catch and theshark catch?Geremy In the last three decades we have beentrying to reduce catches. In 1989 we decidedthat all live sharks would be released. Beforethat we only released sharks we didn’t regardas dangerous. This didn’t reduce catches, butit reduced mortality. We’ve also reduced thenumber of nets, some beaches no longer havenets, and on other beaches we have reducedthem because there was net overkill. Reducingthe nets from 44 kms to about 23 kms hasbrought the shark catch down hugely.During the sardine run we take the nets outfor up to 2 weeks at a time. Mostly the sharksfollowing the sardines are Spinners, Blacktips,Duskys and Copper Sharks. We have reducedthe catch associated with the sardine run fromabout 300 to less than 50 sharks per year.These initiatives have considerably reducedthe shark catch. We also deploy acousticdeterrents, like dolphin pingers and whalealarms. Although I am a little disappointedwith the results.Richard Are pingers more successful for somespecies more than others?Geremy Our main dolphin catch is Bottlenoseand these commercially manufactured alarmswere designed for Harbour Porpoises. One ofthe manufacturers now has a pinger operatingat a different frequency which they hope willwork better for Bottlenose Dolphins. We onlycatch Common Dolphins in the sardine runand removing the nets has helped with this.Whales can be a problem but usually theybreak free.Richard Do nets work?Geremy Yes, many people are shocked todiscover the nets are not a barrier. They thinkthe nets are like a fence separating sharksand people. They are only 6 metres deep,sharks can swim under them, over themand around them. What the nets are doing isfishing for sharks. One of the reasons theyhave been successful is that most sharks areactive at night. If we did more swimming atnight we might have had more attacks. A sharkthat moves into the area for a brief periodmay not get caught, but if a shark spendstime inshore at a protected beach there isa high chance of it getting caught. The netskeep shark numbers down, we have only had 2attacks on netted beaches in the last 30 years.Richard How long do sharks survive once caughtin nets?Geremy Difficult to say. We keep data whichshows survival rates vary from species tospecies. It’s high for Tigers and Raggies ataround 40%. For hammerheads survival iszero and for White Sharks it is 15% - 20%.Richard Are nets the most effective way of keepingbeaches safe. What about lookouts which don’thave the same by-catch problems?Geremy Cape Town had a series of attackssince the late 90’s including a couple whichwere fatal. They hosted a workshop in 2006to look at what could be done, one optionwas fishing devices like nets and baitedhooks (drum lines). Cape Town has lots ofGreat Whites but no Bull Sharks or Tigers.The Great White is now a protected speciesand fishing devices would obviously catch alot of them including mature animals whichwould affect the breeding stock. So whatwere the alternatives? They have clean water,high vantage points, and Great Whites oftenspend time on the surface. They introduceda spotting system which has been verysuccessful. Here in KZN the water is oftendirty, we have lots of surf, very few calm days,and Bull Sharks mostly swim near the bottom,so spotting systems would have limitedeffectiveness.Richard What about drum lines. They target Tigers,Bulls, and Great Whites which means you aretargeting a protected species?Geremy Yes, but drum lines are more selective.Unlike nets they don’t catch dolphins, turtles,whales, and lower risk sharks. I don’t think youare ever going to come up with a perfect sharkfishing system.Richard With drum lines what is the survival rate?Geremy It’s comparable, and in some casesslightly higher than nets.Richard How long is the drum line leader?Geremy About 15-20 metres.Richard So they can keep moving?Geremy To a certain extent yes. The downsideof drum lines is that they don’t catch as manyBull Sharks as nets. The concern is that ifwe said drum lines are more effective andselective, and took up the nets, we would stillhave a problem with Bull Sharks, so the futurewill be a combination of the two.Richard So the White Shark will continue to betargeted even though it is protected. What aboutTiger Sharks, are they protected?Geremy Only in marine protected areas.Richard Do your drum lines and net systemsextend into marine protected areas?Geremy Yes in a couple of places, but the netswere installed 40 years ago, and the marineprotected areas were only declared 5 or 6years ago. I can’t see that we would go into anew protected area and install nets or drumlines.Richard Do your nets and the nets in Australia andthe U.S. work the same way?Geremy Yes generally, but in certain shelteredplaces there are net barrier systems asopposed to fishing systems.Richard If you removed the nets and drum lineswhat would the public’s reaction be?Geremy I think opinion would be divided, theconservationists, anglers and divers wouldwelcome it, but the surfers and parents ofyoung surfers and swimmers would be againstit.Richard How many drum lines are there?Geremy We have 79 drum lines and 23 kms ofnets. We would like to reduce the nets to about15 kms, and increase the drum lines to about240.Richard How many sharks of what species arebeing caught each year?Geremy It’s about 600 and 15% are releasedalive. The common species are Dusky Sharks,Scalloped Hammerheads, Spinners, Raggiesand Blacktips. Great Hammerheads, makosand threshers are very rare. Probably 20 GreatWhites are caught in a year. Three decadesago our catches averaged 1400 a year, so Ithink we have done well to come down to 600.I hope we can reduce it further.Richard Peirce surmises:“In conversation before our interview Geremy Cliffsaid that in many ways the Sharks Board walks atightrope - indeed it does. Pro shark activists wouldlike all the nets and drum lines removed, this wouldbe where my vote would go, and although he didn’tsay so, I got the impression that, on a personallevel, Geremy Cliff might have some sympathy forthis view.However the Sharks Board is paid for by localand provincial government, this means politics,and politicians are not noted for taking positionswhich might upset the majority of their electorate.If following the removal of the nets and drum linesthere was a shark incident, let alone a fatal attack,at a beach which hitherto had been ‘protected’, thepublic outcry would be huge, and the nets and drumlines would be reinstalled immediately.I am afraid they will stay, hopefully theinstallations will reduce in size, and hopefully thereduction in catch will continue but I believe theyare here to stay.”Drum linesA drum line consists of a large, anchored float(originally a drum) from which a single baited hookis suspended. The drum line leader is the lengthof line between the float (drum) and the hook. Likenets, drum lines are not physical barriers that keepsharks out of a bathing area. Instead, they fish forpotentially dangerous sharks.Find out more about the KwaZulu-Natal SharksBoard at www.shark.co.zaFrom top to bottom:The KwaZulu-Natal Shark Board office.Launching from the beach through the surf.Checking nets.KwaZulu-Natal beaches protected by nets and drum lines.All photos and map © KZN Shark Board.10 www.sharktrust.org/hardtalk Shark Focus 39Shark Focus 39 Send in your stories to enquiries@sharktrust.org 11

MEMBER’S pagesShaken, But Not Stirred!Growing up, I remember sharks being negativelyportrayed in the media and by everyone I spoke to.The movie JAWS made sharks look like ‘Jack theRipper’ with a sanguine addiction, killing innocentpeople who enter open waters. Now that I thinkabout it, sharks have far more reason to fear us thanwe have to fear them. As of 2009, the InternationalShark Attack File recorded a total of 2,251 attacksworldwide since 1580 with 464 attacks being fatal.On the other hand, research indicates that humansroughly kill around 60 million sharks each year.According to scientists sharks may not even likehow people taste, in most cases sharks often leaveafter just one bite. Of course, even a single bite canbe lethal. Studies have shown that shark attacksmay be a case of mistaken identity. To a shark, aswimmer (especially a surfer in a wetsuit) can looklike a seal and many sharks eat seals.Recently I went shark diving in the Bahamaswhich is by far the most exciting dive of my life. Itwas a two-tank dive where the first dive was at the‘Shark Wall Reef’ where sharks curiously followedus as this dive site is close to the feeding site.There was no bait exposed on this dive and theshark encounters were very natural as in the wild,kind of like a safari.The second dive was at the ‘The Arena’ andunlike an ordinary dive I spent this dive kneelingon the ocean floor where the divers form a semicirclein front of a professional shark feeder witha bait box. The shark feeder uses the bait box anda pole spear to control the release of food whichdramatically influences the shark’s behavior. Oncewe settled in and the shark feeder opened the baitbox, the frenzy started.Ryan HoePretty maids all in a row. © Bobby Thota.Bobby ThotaVery soon I was surrounded by 20 to 30 sharks allaround me and they came very close to me. Thefirst time I had eye contact with a shark swimmingtowards me, everything surrounding it blurred outand my heart sank. It gracefully swam towards myright and the dorsal fin slapped my face as it swamaway and suddenly there was a sense of serenityin my mind. At that point I realized the sharks weremore interested in the bait than me.After the dive there was a paradigm shift in myoutlook towards sharks. They are no different fromthe graceful terrestrial wild animals like the lionsor tigers. Most countries have forest reserves toconserve and protect endangered species and otherwild animals but sadly the laws aren’t strict enoughto protect aquatic animals which play a huge role inour ecosystem.With a little awareness and the right mindset wecan all live and let live, making this a better worldfor generations to come.Ryan Hoe was a junior member of the Shark Trust.Ryan passed away on December 20th 2010 aged12 following a short illness. Ryan loved the oceanand was passionate about marine biology, and hisfamily, wishing to honour his memory, is supportingthe Great White research program in the FarallonIslands. We send our deepest sympathy andsincere condolences to all of Ryan’s family at thissad time.The Last Shark“A shark? Are you sure?”Kai could hardly believe what he washearing.“Are you absolutely sure?”Li Ying said he was. It looked abouttwo metres long, he said.It was incredible news: not only hadthe fishermen caught a shark, but it wasstill alive and being held in a tank at thedocks.“What species?” asked Kai, high andexcited. He was perched on his chairlike a hungry crab at the edge of a rockpool.Li Ying said he thought it was a BlueShark. The image he emailed over a fewmoments later confirmed it.Kai smiled as wide as the ocean.“I knew it!” he said, “I knew there’d stillbe one out there!”And if there was one, then there couldbe more; and if there were more, theycould be breeding. Perhaps the BlueShark was not extinct, after all.The year is 2061 and Earth ishome to 17 billion people, placingunprecedented pressure on theoceans.Shark Trust member and authorPJ Vanston’s poignant short-story,The Last Shark, considers a futurewithout sharks. Read the full story atwww.sharktrust.org/membersPJ Vanston. © C. T. Wu.The opinions expressed on theMembers Page do not necessarilyreflect those of the Shark Trust.Basking Shark awareness from the West Country© Rory Goodall.Well folks, it’s almost that time again, when thoseenigmatic giants of the deep, the Basking Sharks,wend their way back to their surface feedinghot-spots around our Western Seaboard, as theyhave done for countless millennia.I saw my first Basker back in 1972, a very large oneoff the coast of Sark in the Channel Islands and wasimmediately smitten. I have seen hundreds since thenbut I still get an amazing thrill every year as they startappearing out of nowhere sometime in April, building innumbers daily, creating a fever pitch amongst humanobservers, and reaching a crescendo of dark fins slicingthe surface around the coast for most of June. Thengradually sightings tail off, most individuals disappearingto planktonic pastures new, leaving a few solitaryoutriders for the rest of the summer; until, if we arelucky, there could be a second or even a third coming,sometimes in quite large numbers in September or evenOctober, as last year, before vanishing yet again.Without a doubt this migration of ancient sharkwanderers is one of the finest spectacles of nature still tobe encountered on this wildlife-denuded planet of ours.Sponsored Events and DonationsSince the airing of Gordon Ramsay’s documentary SharkBait in January, The Shark Trust has been overwhelmedwith donations and emails from individuals planningevents to raise both funds and awareness for the ‘StopShark Finning Campaign’. The Trust has been amazedby the sheer volume of public support and would liketo sincerely thank everyone for their kind contributions.With the generosity of so many individuals, groupsand organisations, we don’t have enough room to listeveryone on this page but you know who you are and yourcontributions will go far towards securing a better futurefor sharks.As well as donations and funds raised through sponsoredevents, the Trust has also been approached by anumber of organisations wishing to become commercialsupporters. We feel privileged to have such a largeand expanding network of commercial supporterswhose valuable donations and gifts contribute towardsconservation and outreach work. All The Shark Trust’scommercial supporters can be viewed at:www.sharktrust.org/commercial.Hunted for hundreds of years, it’s a wonder they survivedat all. There are other threats now. Some modern fishingpractices such as gill and tangle netting, and trawlingcreate bycatch issues for the sharks. Another problemis the rise in high-speed boat traffic, with injuries frompropeller and keel strikes, along with harassment byleisure craft.As more and more people take to the sea for theirleisure, naturally some want to encounter the amazingwildlife that dwells there. Basking Sharks are large,relatively slow moving, often close to the surface andcan occur in large numbers, making them relatively easyto spot and possibly injure. Human interaction can becompletely benign, but often the sharks are subjectedto intense harassment as they try to feed, or interactin courtship and mating behaviour. Most people whoapproach the sharks are not purposely setting out to scareor harm them, but in their excitement, this can occur.Boats driven too fast, and moving amongst the sharks,can risk propeller strikes or simply disturbing importantfeeding and breeding times. This can even happen when© Rory Goodall.Upcoming EventsThe Great North SwimRory Goodallengineless craft, like the ever-growing fleets of kayaks,surround the animals, or paddle right through them.As is often the case with wildlife, calm and patiencereaps rewards. Keep your distance and as the sharks relaxthey may well swim right under a boat of their own volition.If you want to find out how to interact and view Baskerssafely, and maximise enjoyment, there is no better waythan to download the Basking Shark Code of Conduct!Whether onshore, or out on the water, if you see a livestranded or injured Basking Shark, or one entangled innets, call British Divers Marine Life Rescue on 01825765546 nation-wide.For dead stranded Basking Sharks in Devon and Cornwallcall 0845 2012626; nation-wide call 020 79425155.So have a great summer everyone. Let’s hope it’s a goodone for us and the sharks too. Rory Goodall.Rory is a long-time member of the Shark Trust, and theowner-operator of Elemental Tours, based in Penzancewww.elementaltours.co.uk.The Great North Swim is the UK’s largest outdoorswimming event, which takes place in Windermere,Cumbria. This year a group of passionate sharkenthusiasts of all ages and abilities will be participatingin the event to raise money and awareness about sharkfinning. The group, who have called themselves ‘TheGreat North Swim Shark Style’, will take to the water onSaturday 18th June 2011 to swim the one mile wave, withshark fins on their backs. The group aims to get as manypeople as possible in the water wearing fins and welcomeothers to join them. If you’re interested in taking part in‘The Great North Swim Shark Style’ then please contact:greatsharkswim@aol.com for more information.Great Shark swim. © The Great North Swim Shark Style.12 www.sharktrust.org/members Shark Focus 40 Shark Focus 40 Send in your stories to enquiries@sharktrust.org 13

JuniorMEMBER’S pageShark Finning is a Terrible ThingBy Ben HalpernSixth Grade Student, Eastshore Elementary SchoolBasking SharkPhoto IdentificationSnap! Shark cartilage snaps as shark fins are sliced off, and the shark is leftto die. Shark finning is a terrible thing. Fishermen slice off the fins of innocentsharks, leaving them helpless and toss them back into the ocean to die a slowdeath. The fins are used in a soup called shark fin soup. All the shark fins do inthe soup is add texture. If it doesn’t add any flavor why do sharks die for thissoup?Shark fin soup originated in Asia and recipes go back about two thousand years.The soup was once a rarity available only to the aristocracy, primarily becauseit was so difficult to make. Shark fin soup is now much more common as wealthincreases. If shark fins were removed from shark fin soup it would basically be achicken or pork based soup.Sharks aren’t as scary as they seem as most sharks only eat fish. Less thanfive species of sharks are known to attack humans. Did you know that morepeople die from a falling vending machine than people die from shark attacks?In the media, sharks have often been portrayed as the enemy. There are a fewexceptions like in “Finding Nemo” where they show that sharks aren’t portrayed asevil. When sharks are seen on film, the music is dark or low adding to our fears.Dolphins eat the same fish many sharks eat, and they’re loved by people. Theyaren’t hunted down for their fins. They too are carnivorous creatures. Why aredolphins so special? They might look cute but dolphins have been known to attacksharks. Do you judge a book by its cover? Then why do we do judge sharks anddolphins that way? All those movies about sharks attacking might trick us intothinking that they are to be feared, but they are not.Look at the facts. Less than five people die from shark attacks every year, butover 40,000,000 sharks are killed each year for their fins. From now to 2018 about320,000,000 sharks will die if this continues, and by 2040 many species of sharkswill become extinct which will change the health of the ocean forever. Since sharksare at the end of the food chain, they reproduce much more slowly than other fish.You have the power to stop it. My classmates have a website, www.ilovesharks.org,dedicated to saving sharks. On the website you can pledge to help stop sharkfinning, and there are lessons to learn about sharks, too. With your help we willbe able to stop shark finning, for good. Remember, you can make a difference bysigning our pledge.Eastshore sixthgraders standing inthe life-sized WhaleShark they paintedin the school’sdriveway they dubShark Alley.© EastshoreElementary School.The EastshoreTeam stocking ‘ILove Sharks’ shirtsin Girl in the CurlSurf Shop in DanaPoint, California.© EastshoreElementary School.Cade Turner sellingour ‘I Love Sharks’t-shirts.© EastshoreElementary School.The team meetingwith AssemblymanDonald Wagner onAB 376 California’sBill to ban sharkfins in the state.© EastshoreElementary School.Basking Sharks Cetorhinus maximus are seasonal visitors to the UKcoastline during the spring and summer months, with the vast majority ofsightings reported along the UK’s west coast. This charismatic species isthe second largest fish in the sea, weighing in at seven tonnes and reachinglengths of ten metres. Between April and October, Basking Sharks can oftenbe seen feeding on plankton at the sea surface, which gives researchersand members of the public the perfect opportunity to take photographs ofthe sharks. Typically, you would see the caudal (tail) fin, dorsal fin andPhoto-identification (photo-ID) is a non-invasive field technique for studying live sharksin their natural environment. It helps researchers understand life histories and sharkmovements, which is especially important for a vulnerable and highly migratory specieslike the Basking Shark as it can provide us with an estimate of population size.A Basking Shark Photo-ID Handbook has been developed by The Shark Trust topromote ‘best practice’ while viewing these spectacular animals, with the added intentionof increasing the flow of data submitted to the project. This handbook has been designedto engage interested parties in the photo-ID project and is aimed at owners of chartervessels, private vessels, researchers and members of the public. It provides informationon Basking Shark biology, conservation, the Code of Conduct for boat handlers andswimmers, the use of photo-ID along with how to take a good photograph and where tosubmit records.A number of research groups use photo-ID and are collaborating to try and mapmigration routes and attempt to estimate population size. A ‘community’ database iscurrently under construction to store photo-ID images from associated projects suchas Marine Conservation International, the Irish Basking Shark Study Group and ManxBasking Shark Watch. With good quality photographs, some individual sharks will berecognised using re-sighting and matched on this database.So if you’re going to be out and about along the coastline or on the water this BaskingShark season, why not drop the conservation team a line at cat@sharktrust.org torequest one of the best practice handbooks! It is easy for everyone to get involvedand make a significant contribution to the greater understanding and conservation ofBasking Sharks. By taking photographs of the fins (or any other characteristic features)and submitting them to the project you are taking an active role in an on-going sharkconservation effort.Recording your images is easy, all you need to do is:Visit www.baskingsharks.orgClick on the ‘Record Sightings’ tab at the top of the pageComplete the form and tell us about your sightings in as much detail as possible!Please include date, time, location, an estimated shark size along with any othercomments you may have and of course, upload your photos.nose emerging above the water surface, although they have also beendocumented breaching – possibly part of courtship activity. Many of thesharks display significant and recognisable markings on their fins, eitherin the form of natural pigmentation or acquired markings, often from boatpropellers or fishing nets but also from parasites such as lampreys andcopepods. These markings will be unique to individual animals and ifrecorded, can be used for identification purposes.IntroductIonThe Basking Shark Cetorhinus maximus is the second largest fish in thesea after the Whale Shark Rhincodon typus and is a seasonal visitor tothe United Kingdom coastline during the spring and summer months.Feeding only on plankton, Basking Sharks can grow up to 10 metres inlength and weigh up to seven tonnes!This handbook has been designed for charter vessels, private vessels,researchers and members of the public and hopes to engage more peoplein Basking Shark conservation. It provides information regarding:Basking shark BiologyConservation, protection and man’s impacts on this speciesCode of Conduct for boat handlers and swimmers/diversUse of photo-identification, how to take a good iD photographand how to submit itOther British shark speciesSo next time you go to the coast, keep your eyes peeled for the fins ofBasking Sharks breaking the sea-surface; you may be lucky enough tosee Britain’s largest shark!iBasking sharkPhoto identificationThis project is funded by the :save Our seas FoundationUsing money raised through the National Lottery, the HeritageLottery Fund gives grants to sustain and transform our heritage.From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology,natural environment and cultural traditions they invest in everypart of our diverse heritage.www.saveourseas.comThe shark TrustEstablished in 1997, the Shark Trust is the UK registeredcharity which works to advance the worldwide conservation ofsharks through science, education, influence and action.www.sharktrust.org.ukSupported by:Text © Shark Trust. Illustrations © Marc Dando.Design by Fluke Art.1 metreName: Basking Shark - Cetorhinus maximus. Cetorhinus is derivedfrom the Greek, “ketos” meaning a marine monster or whale and“rhinos” which means nose, while the species name maximus isLatin, meaning “great.”Size: The average adult length is around 6.5 to 9 m, however it isbelieved that Basking Sharks can grow over 10 metres in length. Upto one quarter of this weight comprises of their liver which is verylarge and rich in oil.RepRoductioN: There is limited information on the reproductivestrategy of Basking Sharks, however they are believed to lay eggsin the womb that hatch internally, the shark then gives birth to liveyoung. It is unclear exactly what size juveniles are at birth but it isestimated to be between 1.5 and 2 m.Food: Basking Sharks are one of only three filter feeding sharkspecies, the others being the Whale Shark Rhincodon typus andthe Megamouth Shark Megachasma pelagios. Basking Sharksfeed passively on zooplankton (such as small copepods, barnacles,decapods larvae, fish eggs, and deep-water oceanic shrimp) and arethought to be capable of filtering over 1800 tonnes of water per hour,resulting in them having, on average, half a tonne of food materialpresent in their stomach. They are a very slow moving species andordinarily cruise at around 2.5 – 4mph.diStRibutioN: Basking Sharks have a circumglobal distributionand can be found in cold to warm temperate waters. Studies havedemonstrated trans-atlantic and trans-equatorial migrations byBasking Sharks. Movements of Basking Sharks are driven byzooplankton, satellite tracking of sharks has demonstrated thatBasking Sharks are able to locate plankton ‘hot spots’ over rangesof about 500 km.BaskIng shark FactsbehaviouR: Basking Sharks are a pelagic species that are oftenseen singly or in groups of up to 100 feeding at or below the surface.Despite their size, Basking Sharks can leap clean out of the water,in an act known as breaching. This seems to be most common whenin large groups and is may be courtship activity. Breaching occurswithout warning and can occur three or more times on a 30secondbasis. For this reason it makes sense for any observer on a boatto move away quickly but carefully, keeping an eye out for sharksswimming below the surface, when sharks start to breach in theirvicinity. (Please read the Code of Conduct on page 6).taggiNg: You may spot a Basking Shark with a red, yellow or whitetag attached to its dorsal fin, there’s a good chance that shark wastagged as part of a conservation project - please let the Shark Trustknow and we will pass your sightings on to the relevant group!iiWe are all looking forward to the 2011 Basking Shark season starting upand can’t wait to start receiving photos and sightings information to addto our growing database. Happy Basking Shark watching!14 www.sharktrust.org/members Shark Focus 40Shark Focus 40 www.baskingshark.org 15

Sharm el-Sheikh AttacksUnder the SpotlightThe FactsBetween November 30th and December 1st fourswimmers – tourists from Russia and the Ukraine –were attacked in quick, unprovoked strikes, resultingin severe injuries, including the loss of parts oflimbs. Prior to the first attack a large female OceanicWhitetip with a distinctive kink in the tail fin wasphotographed in the vicinity by divers, and was seento approach one of the swimmers.Immediately after the attacks Egyptian authoritiesclosed all beaches around Sharm el-Sheikh and beganhunting for the sharks responsible. Two individuals– an Oceanic Whitetip Carcharhinus longimanusand Shortfin Mako Isurus oxyrinchus – were caughtin near-shore waters and widely publicised as thesharks responsible; although at the time local marineconservationists noted the Oceanic Whitetip killedwas not the individual identified in the photograph(later analysis linked the caught mako to two attacks,with a clear correlation between bite wounds anddentition 1 ). Despite this, local authorities decided thenegative publicity of curtailed or cancelled holidays(some 3 – 4 million tourists visit Sharm el-Sheikheach year, primarily for the beaches and water-sports)outweighed potential risk and reopened the beaches.Water activities then resumed for two days before afifth attack in the early afternoon of December 5th leftan elderly German tourist with fatal injuries to her legand arm. All attacks took place in relatively shallow reefwaters between Ras Nasrani and northern Na’ama Bay.In late 2010 a series of shark attacks in the waters off Sharm el-Sheikh, on Egypt’s Red Sea coast,were almost unprecedented in their intensity. Five tragic attacks on swimmers in the space of sixdays resulted in one fatality and left four others with serious injuries. Equally as unprecedented wascoverage of the attacks by global media. Lurking in the background of many media stories, opinionsand comments were relics of the bloodthirsty headlines sharks seemed to effortlessly attract upuntil very recent times. In this article the Shark Trust presents a fact-based summary of the attacks,identifying potential causative factors and triggers – in the process providing a counterbalance to themassive coverage and increasingly sensational angle pursued by sections of the media.The MediaFew current events are as alluring to the media as ashark attack, and as events unfolded only a minorityof news and media outlets could resist Jawsparallels. With modern communication technologymedia coverage can be immediate, intense and,through the use of social networking and mobilephone cameras, personal and emotionally charged.And when five serious attacks take place in six daysmedia coverage can become distorted. Headlines onthe Egyptian attacks ranged from purely informative:Egypt shark attacks: Red Sea resorts seekexplanationBBC OnlineSharm el-Sheikh tourist killed in new sharkattack... to increasingly sensational and ‘citizenjournalism’-based:Is this ‘Jaws’? Grainy image of the sharkthat ‘killed one person and attacked four’ astourists are told: Stay out of the waterJaws in real life: As terrifying tale of Egyptianshark attacks grips the world, what REALLYhappened at Sharm El Sheikh?I saw shark chewing on my severed handI saw killer shark tear Mum apartIn all, coverage of the attacks continued for overtwo weeks; during this time the Shark Trust fieldedconstant enquiries and conducted interviewsfor a wide range of media outlets. Perhaps theculmination was the rapid production of Red SeaJaws 1 – a popular-culture analysis of eventsbroadcast on UK television in January 2011. Incontrast, albeit a grim one, during the same periodnine people were tragically killed in a single roadaccident in England; wider media coverage of thisaccident ceased after 2 days.The InvestigationFollowing the attacks Egyptian authorities engagedshark attack experts, including Dr George Burgess,Director of the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), toidentify the species responsible and possible triggersfor what was an extraordinary set of events. Evidencecollated – including examination of bite radius anddentition along with eyewitness descriptions of theattacks – indicated that two of the attacks, includingthe fatality, were by Oceanic Whitetips, two by a makoand the fifth by an unidentified requiem shark 2 . Allspecies are large, active predators already representedin ISAF statistics. However, they are also pelagic sharkswhich feed primarily on bony fishes, and are seldomencountered in such shallow water. The involvement oftwo sharks, of different species, immediately ruled outsuggestions of a ‘rogue’ shark.TriggersIn his analysis Burgess identified a number of factorswhich may have attracted pelagic sharks into theshallow near-shore waters off Sharm el-Sheikh. Ona wider scale, pelagic sharks may be pressured intomoving further inshore in search of prey as overfishingin regional fisheries depletes conventional food stocks 2 .As they move out of deeper water the bathymetry of thenear-shore waters of Sharm el-Sheikh brings them intoclose proximity with humans. Here, there is a relativelyabrupt transition from deep-water, the preferredhabitat of larger sharks, to warmer shallow reef waterspreferred by swimmers and bathers. Burgess alsohighlighted unusually high sea temperatures which mayhave had a disorientating effect on some species 2 .More specifically, the illegal feeding of reef fishesby tourists is known to take place from beach piersand jetties around Sharm el-Sheikh. This practiceencourages concentrations of smaller reef fish, which inturn can draw in sharks, attracted by the intense feedingactivity 2 . Similarly, Egyptian authorities confirmed thatdead sheep were (illegally) jettisoned from live-transportships offshore, washing up along the Egyptian RedSea coastline. Both mako and Oceanic Whitetip sharkswould instinctively follow this food source – more so ifusual food stocks are much depleted 2 .Furthermore, the attacks themselves mayhave been triggered as individual sharks becomeconditioned to illegal feeding by some dive and touroperators. Burgess suggests these activities couldencourage sharks to approach any humans in thewater, expecting food 3 . If the expectation is notfulfilled, the shark – a large ‘wild’ predator – is fullycapable of causing serious or even fatal injuries tohumans involved in the interaction.Shark Trust PositionThe Shark Trust is very conscious of the potentiallydevastating nature of shark attacks. At the same time,the Trust endeavours to present events in a factualand rational light – balancing the sensationalism andany knee-jerk suggestions of culls or netting programsthat can follow some attacks. As the Sharm el-Sheikhcase has highlighted, human activities can play asignificant role in increasing the likelihood of attacks,disrupting marine ecosystems and the naturalbehaviour of large pelagic sharks. There are, however,a number of ways people can minimise (though nevereliminate) the risk of attack, including following localadvice 4 . Above all, the risk should always be keptin perspective: in 2010, with six fatal shark attacksrecorded globally the chance of being attacked by ashark remains statistically low.References and further reading1 Red Sea Jaws, 2011. Documentary. UK: TigressProductions (broadcast: Channel 5, Jan 25 2011)2 Boan, C. 2011. When sharks attack. BLUE e-magazine:Egyptian Chamber of Water Sports, 8 (Jan – Feb2011). Available from: http://www.cdws.travel/Default.aspx [Accessed 25 Feb 2011].3 Diver, 2011. HEPCA reports reprisals against sharks followingSharm attacks. Diver. February 2011, 56 (2) p10-11.4 Visit the ISAF website: www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/isaf/isaf.htmOceanic Whitetip Shark Carcharhinus longimanus3Lateral view 1Ventral view 2Scientific namecommon nameCarcharhinus longimanus (Poey, 1861).Oceanic Whitetip Shark, Brown Milbert’s SandbarShark, Brown Shark, Nigano Shark, Whitetip Whaler,diStributionRequin Océanique (Fr), Tiburón Oceanico (Es).Worldwide in tropical and warm temperate waters. EastAtlantic from Portugal to the Gulf of Guinea, possibly including identificationthe Mediterranean Sea iii . Single record from Sweden.1 Stocky with short, blunt snout.2 Long, broad, paddle shaped pectoral fins.3 High first dorsal fin with rounded tip iii .colourFirst dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and caudal fins withobvious white tips.Shortfin Mako SharkIsurus oxyrinchusGrey bronze to brown dorsally.White with yellow tint ventrally ii .biology and Size3Born: 60–65cm. Mature: ~180–200cm ,Lateral view C175–198cm . Max TL: 350–395cm i .No RecordsOccasional Gestation period ~12 months, litters of 1–15 haveRangebeen recorded.Feeds primarily on pelagic teleost fish andcephalopods, although sea birds, turtles and cetacean1carrion have all been recorded.32As with other pelagic sharks, can be very persistent inMap base conforms with ICES grid squares.investigating potential food iii .43Ventral view CScientific namecommon nameIsurus oxyrinchus (Rafinesque, 1810).Shortfin Mako Shark, Mako, Short-finned Mako, BluePointer, Mackerel Shark, Blue Dynamite, Taupe Bleu (Fr),diStributionMarrajo Dientuso (Es).Circumglobal in temperate and tropical seas.East Atlantic from Norway to South Africa, including the identificationMediterranean Sea iv .1 Streamlined with pointed snout.2 Large first dorsal and pectoral fins.3 Tiny second dorsal, anal and pelvic fins.4 Lunate caudal fin with single keel ii .colourMetallic blue dorsally.Ventrally white, including snout and mouth.Distinct demarcation line along flank iii .biology and SizeBorn: 68–70cm. Mature: 275cm C, 200cm iv .Max TL: 394cm ii .No RecordsMaintains its body temperature through a heat-exchangeOccasionalsystem allowing it to range into temperate regions iii .RangeExtremely fast, feeding on pelagic species such astuna, bonito and billfishes. Take a wide variety ofteleosts, elasmobranchs, cephalopods and somemarine mammals iii .Litters of 4-25 pups have been reported, possibly to 30 ii .Map base conforms with ICES grid squares.Sma Vune atl medocS Vu ne atlEGYPTGulf ofSuezSINAIGulf ofAquabaSharmel-SheikhShark attack: the resort killer with chillingechoes of Jaws. A shark that has acquired ataste for human flesh struck for the fifth timein a week off Egypt’s most popular Red Searesort, killing a German womanAbove: Another pelagic wanderer, the Oceanic WhitetipCarcharhinus longimanus is known for its curiosity andpersistence. Evidence suggests this species was responsible forat least two of the Sharm el-Sheikh attacks, including the fatalattack. © Jeremy Stafford-DeitschBelow: Shortfin Mako Isurus oxyrinchus – a usually pelagicspecies responsible for two of the non-fatal attacks © JoeRomeiro.16 www.sharktrust.org Shark Focus 40 Shark Focus 40 www.sharktrust.org 17

Scyliorhinus canicula © Dave PeakeGaleorhinus galeus © Marc Dando/Shark TrustPorbeagle SharkLamna nasusUndulate RayRaja undulataJoin the Great Eggcase huntRaja clavata variants© Marc Dando/Shark TrustTop: Isurus paucus, bottom: I. oxyrinchus© Marc Dando/Shark TrustSharks, Skates and RaysTop to bottom: Centroscyllium fabricii, Centrophorus squamosus andCentroscymnus coelolepis © Marc Dando/Shark TrustSquatina squatina © Marc Dando/Shark TrustSKAtE And rA Y MorpHoLoGYSkate and Ray Eggcase Identification GuideBlonde Small-eyed ThoRnbacKcaTShaRKSUndUlaTESpottedS t a RRycUcKooThe Shark Trust Attends the14th EEA Conference in IrelandEEA group photo ©EEA.The 14th European Elasmobranch Association (EEA)Conference was hosted by the Irish Elasmobranch Group(IEG) from the 10th – 12th November. The conferencewas held at the Marine Institute in Galway, Ireland.A non-profit organisation, the EEA co-ordinates the activities of all Europeanorganisations dedicated to the study, management and conservation ofelasmobranchs.The EEA Conference provided an excellent opportunity for the SharkTrust to forge links with a wide range of organisations and researchers, as well asassess shark, skate and ray conservation efforts around the world. Approximatelyninety delegates from around Europe, and as far afield as Oman, the United ArabEmirates, Reunion Island and Canada, attended the conference with thirty speakerspresenting. Due to the high number of attendees the Shark Trust was unable topresent, however a poster was displayed highlighting key work and resourcesdeveloped by the Trust.The Keynote Speaker – Dr Nicholas Dulvy of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group –opened proceedings with a presentation detailing threats and extinction risks insharks, rays and chimaeras. Sessions on Day One also included presentationson the Porbeagle Shark Lamna nasus, a Critically Endangered species in theNortheast Atlantic, molecular studies, with a focus on the use of genetic sampling,and fisheries. Presentations on Day Two reviewed research into management andconservation, biology and tagging studies – with an emphasis on Basking SharksCetorhinus maximus and Common Skate Dipturus spp.Conservation Officers John Richardson and Cat Gordon attended the conferenceon behalf of the Trust, which also included secretarial and financial duties for theEEA’s Board Meeting and Annual General Meeting. A charitable auction during theconference raised Є600 which will be used to fund student bursaries to attend the2012 EEA Conference.The 15th EEA Conference will be hosted by the German Elasmobranch Society(DEG) in Berlin – check the EEA website (www.eulasmo.org) for key dates andregistration details as they become available.www.eulasmo.orgTHE IMPORTANCE OF SPECIES-SPECIFIC IDENTIFICATION AND RECORDING:Improving the Knowledge-Base in the Commercial and Recreational Fishing and Enforcement Sectors.INTRODUCTIONThe Chondrichthyes are an extremely diverse class, with the batoids in particular displaying someof the greatest intra-species variation of all marine species. One characteristic shared by allcartilaginous fish is an inherent vulnerability to overfishing, a situation further compounded byinadequate and inaccurate recording of catch, discard and landing data. One reason for this isthe absence of readily accessible, detailed identification materials – including demonstration ofintra-species variation – hindering efforts to assess remaining shark, skate and ray populationsand make sustainable management recommendations. At the same time, the recent profusion ofEU and UK commercial fisheries legislation continues to complicate the jobs of both fishermen andenforcement officers.The Importance of Species-Specific IdentificationIn order to slow global declines in shark, skate and ray populationswe must increase and refine knowledge and data on their distribution,abundance, movement and catch-levels. Unfortunately, the protectionand management of cartilaginous fish is many years behind that for themore commercially important bony fish; in fact, until 2008 commercialfishermen in Europe were not required to land most shark, skate and raycatches by species. For example, in the UK prior to 2008 separationswere made only into dogfish, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, unidentified dogfish,Spurdog, Tope, sharks and skates and rays. Datasets based on thisinformation are of very limited use in fisheries management; for instancethe make-up of the skate and ray catch before 2008, covering around 20species, is impossible to work out.Species-specific identification is vital as different species of sharks, skates and rays have very different life histories. Forexample, the Spotted Ray Raja montagui is a small, relatively fast growing and fecund species; however it was combined inlandings data with the Common Skate Dipturus flossada/intermedia – much larger, slower-growing species’ that lay few eggsand are large enough to be caught from birth. One is obviously more vulnerable to commercial fishing than the other but it isimpossible to determine how their populations have changed over time from the landings data alone.Benefits for Fisheries Management and LegislationImproved species-specific identification andrecording can improve the performance ofexisting fisheries legislation and managementat all levels. At a UK level, improvedidentification and recording can complementand enhance initiatives aimed at managing andconserving key species – such as English and Welsh restrictions on Tope Galeorhinus galeus landings; as well as more localisedregulations set by Sea Fisheries Committees. At an EU level, since 2008 the recording of shark, skate and ray landings by specieshas become mandatory for most elasmobranchs – closing the gap between the management of bony fish and the historically lessimportant cartilaginous fishes. The flow-on effect is the refinement and more efficient use of the TACs and Quota system, a keycomponent of the Common Fisheries Policy framework.Resources Developed by the Shark TrustShark and Skate and Ray Identification GuidesThe Shark Trust’s Shark and Skate and Ray Identification Guideswere developed to provide rapid and accurate identificationkeys for the 35 species of shark and 21 species of skate andray encountered in UK and Irish waters. The guides weredesigned for use by commercial fishermen, enforcement officers,conservationists, recreational fishers and divers. Each guidehighlights intra-species variation, morphology and dentition, lookalikespecies, distribution and biology, as well as conservationstatus and fisheries information. Full ID Guides are availableonline www.sharktrust.org/idCommercial Fisheries AdvisoriesSpecies-specific landings can create additional responsibilitiesfor enforcement officers already negotiating ever-changing UKand EU regulations for bony fish. At the conclusion of the 2009EU December Fisheries Council the Shark Trust produced anddistributed Commercial Fisheries Advisories to assist enforcementagencies and the commercial fishing industry in providing rapidaccess to the legislative status of sharks, skates and rays in UK/EU waters. At present the Advisories focus on 25 shark, skate andray species, highlighting ‘Prohibited Species’ status and key TACrestrictions. Advisories will be produced at the conclusion of futureDecember Fisheries Councils. All Advisories are available onlinewww.sharktrust.org/downloadsIdentification DifficultiesSome batoids display a high level of intra-species variation;in British waters this is particularly evident in the ThornbackRay Raja clavata. For this species, colour, patterning andmorphology (thorns) can vary dramatically across geographicrange and lead to confusion with look-alike species such asthe Blonde Ray Raja brachyura or Starry Skate Amblyrajaradiata. Thornback Rays are a commercially importantspecies targeted across much of their range and taken asbycatch in multispecies fisheries. Thornback Rays have alsobeen assessed as Near Threatened (IUCN Redlist) and arecurrently subject to a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) in EU waters;as such, accurate interpretation of intra-species variation iscrucial for sustainable management.Similar confusion can also arise amongst the deep-sea sharks– which have historically been subject to target fisheries ormade up important components of deep-sea longline andtrawl fisheries. However they have also displayed an acutevulnerability to commercial exploitation, with life historiescompletely incompatible to sustained fishing pressure. Thisvulnerability is amplified by a general lack of information ondeep-sea species, including confusion arising from similaritiesin colouration and morphology amongst key species –including lanternsharks (Etmopterus spp.), gulper sharks(Centrophorus spp.) and dogfish.Larger pelagic sharks generally presentless of a problem to experienced marinebiologists, fishermen and enforcementofficers. However some commerciallyimportant species – including Shortfinand Longfin Mako Isurus oxyrinchus andI. paucus, as well as the Porbeagle Lamnanasus, Blue Shark Prionace glauca andmembers of the hammerhead family(Sphyrna spp.) can be difficult to separate,particularly under operational conditions at sea.Benefits for Conservation LegislationJohn Richardson – The Shark TrustImproved identification skills can strengthenconservation legislation under which asmall number of shark, skate and rayspecies are protected. The availability ofidentification guides allow a wider range ofsectors, organisations and individuals likely to encounter legally protected species to correctly identify them, as well as the legalramifications of knowingly injuring or harassing protected species. In the UK, the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) provideslegal protection for the Basking Shark Cetorhinus maximus and Angelshark Squatina squatina, while the Convention on MigratorySpecies (CMS) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) provide a small number of threatenedChondrichthyans with differing levels of protection and conservation management.Angler Recording ProjectThe Shark Trust is asking recreational anglers to record theircatches of all sharks, skates and rays – detailing information onspecies and number of fish caught, geo-references, fishing effortand personal details. Data collected from this project will increaseunderstanding of inshore elasmobranch populations, includingabundance and distribution as well as monitoring populationtrends. This information will feed into fisheries management anddevelopment of marine protected areas. The Shark Trust hasproduced a ‘best practice’ handbook and DVD for the project alongwith identification guides and recording forms. All resources areavailable online www.sharktrust.org/hlfGreat Eggcase Hunt Identification GuidesSpent eggcases of some 8 species of skate and ray and 2 species ofoviparous shark (Scyliorhinus spp.) are commonly found on UK and Irishbeaches. In conjunction with results from scientific trawls, significantnumbers of eggcases found along a coastline may indicate the locationof shark, skate and ray populations, as well as the presence of nurserygrounds. The identification of these critical areas may in turn supportconservation measures and improved fisheries management. As notall records submitted as part of the Great Eggcase Hunt Project can beverified (actual eggcases sent to the Shark Trust or reports submittedJoin theG REaTwith photos), occasional outliers do emerge in the eggcase distribution EGGcaSEmaps. However, with greater publicity and improved identification hUnT!keys, eggcase identification throughout the UK and Ireland continues tobecome more accurate. Visit www.eggcase.orgThe Shark Trust issupported by: Advancing the worldwide conser vation of sharks www.sharktrust.orgPoster displayed at the conference ©Shark Trust.www.irishelasmobranchgroup.orgAnglers Recordingour Natural HeritageSelfridges and Shark TrusttackleMarine Conservation IssuesThe Shark Trust is working with Selfridges to raisepublic awareness of the plight of the oceans andhighlight the potentially disastrous consequencesof continued over-fishing. The Shark Trust willbe among the partners working with Selfridges toeducate consumers about marine conservationissues. Project Ocean will run in May and Juneand include use of the Oxford Street store’s iconicfaçade and internal spaces, as well as a series ofspecial events. The Shark Trust is looking forward toraising public awareness of the plight of sharks, withexhibits, talks and multimedia displays.Where: Selfridges, Oxford St, LondonWhen: May 20th from 9:30amThe Shark Trust supports theSave Bantamsklip CampaignDyer Island in South Africa’s Western Cape is familiarto shark enthusiasts all over the world due to thelarge numbers of White Sharks found there, and thecage diving tourism that has sprung up because ofthem. A massive 10,000 megawatt nuclear powerstation is now planned on the shore at Bantamsklip,less than 7 km’s across the water from Dyer Island.The effects on the island and the surrounding WhiteShark Sanctuary are certain to be negative. Anyonewishing to add their name to the campaign to savethis valuable marine habitat and its sharks shoulde-mail their name to info@savebantamsklip.organd they will be listed as supporting the campaign.Find out more about the SaveBantamsklip Campaign atwww.savebantamsklip.orgUpcoming EventsSelfridges, London: Oceans Project20 May 2011 – see above for details.Polzeath VMCA Marine Discovery DayJune 2nd 2011The Shark Trust will be attending the Polzeath MarineDay, run by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust. This promisesto be a fantastic day celebrating our marine andcoastal environment, with rock-pooling, eggcasehunts, marine life rescue demonstrations and heapsmore – as well as experts on hand for any questions.Check sharktrust.org/events for details.Great Eggcase HuntsAlready a number of eggcase hunts are locked infor spring and summer 2011 – including hunts inAnglesey, Cornwall, North Wales, East Sussex andDorset…and many more in the pipeline! Check theEvents webpage on eggcase.org to find an eggcasehunt in your area and get involved in one of the UKslargest marine volunteer recording programmes!Website NewsSocial NetworkingWe are very pleased to announce The Shark Trust’s Facebook page has now reached the maximum capacityof friends allowed by Facebook. With over 5000 friends and 1072 friend requests pending, we also have 2583members on our group page!We are delighted to have so many individuals interested in supporting the work of the Trust and in responsehave created a Shark Trust community page, which allows all our Facebook friends and members to unite asone big shark community.To become a fan of our new community page, and to keep up to date with all the latest news in sharkconservation, visit: www.facebook.com/thesharktrust. We look forward to sharing posts and debating sharkrelated issues with you there.Gordon Ramsay – Shark BaitOver the past few weeks, The Shark Trust has received overwhelming public support in response to GordonRamsay’s documentary, Shark Bait, which was aired as part of Channel 4’s The Big Fish Fight. Thisdocumentary, produced in collaboration with The Shark Trust, has significantly increased public awarenessand has generated a staggering 32,000 visitors to The Shark Trust website. The Shark Trust strongly believesthat raising awareness about this issue is crucial to strengthening the ‘Stop Shark Finning Campaign’ andsecuring a brighter future for sharks.To find out more about shark finning and how you can get involved with the campaign, please visit:www.sharktrust.com/sharkbait.Unfortunately Shark Bait is no longer available to view on 4OD, however the Trust is currently seekingpermission to make this documentary available online from the The Shark Trust YouTube account at:www.youtube.com/user/sharktrustUK.The Great Eggcase HuntSpring has arrived and hopefully with it, some much missed sunshine will make an appearance, providingperfect seaside weather and an excellent opportunity to hunt for any eggcases that may have washed ashoreyour local beach. All eggcase findings are extremely important to the Trust as they help us identify potentialshark nursery grounds, which will greatly aid shark conservation. To help you with your search the Trust hascreated the Great Eggcase Hunt Newsletter, providing useful tips and information about how to conduct yoursearch and identify your eggcases. You will find your copy of the newsletter in this edition of Shark Focus;however an online version is also available to download at: www.sharktrust.org/greateggcasehunt.Meet the TeamIf you’ve ever wondered about what goes on behind the scenes at The Shark Trust, you can now meet the teamonline by visiting our staff page at: www.sharktrust.org/team.Coming soon…The Shark Trust is currently working on a new ‘Shark Conservation’ section for the website, which will includeinformation detailing the current conservation status of sharks around the world, as well as exploring humanand environmental impacts.Members AreaLogin DetailsUsername: Pyjama, Password: SharkPlease Note: These membership login detailsare shared by all Shark Trust members, thereforewhen logged in under these details no itemsshould be purchased from the Shark Shop,username and password details should not bechanged, and the shark forum shouldn’t be used.(Please note the Shark Trust takes noresponsibility for the content of third party blogs.)In the next issue of Shark FocusGreat White WalkaboutThe Facts Behind the GlobalTrade in Shark FinsSmoothhound SecretsRevealedDon’t forget to submit yourshark experiences!18 www.sharktrust.org/EEA Shark Focus 40Shark Focus 40 www.eulasmo.org 19

We do not serveshark fin soup here.This is because we have not been able to identify supplies of fins that areguaranteed to be sourced from responsibly managed, sustainable sharkfisheries. We are extremely concerned about the global depletion of sharkpopulations and the reportedly widespread practice of shark finning*.Photo: © Matt Oldfield , ScubaZoo*Shark finning is the practice of cutting off a shark’s fins and discarding theremainder of body back into the sea.www.sharktrust.orgThe Shark Trustadvancing the worldwide conservation of sharks