About Sea Deep

Yes, there are at least twenty sharks and rays in our local seas, from the Common Skate, the largest in the world reaching three meters in length, to the Spurdog which can live for up to 70 years. Some species live here all of the time, while others pass through on a longer migration. Our seas also contain important spawning areas and nursery grounds for young shark pups.

Sharks have picked up a bad reputation over the years! Our local sharks and rays enjoy a diet of fish like herring, mackerel and whiting, as well as octopus, shrimps and crabs. However, like with any wild animal, we need to be careful when working closely with them at sea. That’s why our tagging techniques prioritise the safety of both the angler and the fish.

Unfortunately, some of our local species are now classed as Threatened, Endangered or Critically Endangered, meaning that there are very few left in our seas. These include Tope (Threatened), Spurdog (Endangered), Common Skate (Critically Endangered) and Porbeagle (Critically Endangered). The conservation status of these animals has been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species. A specific assessment for the sharks, skates and rays around Ireland was published in 2016 

Sharks, skates and rays are some of the most vulnerable animals in our seas. They are typically long-lived, slow to mature and have a low reproductive rate which reduces the capacity of the population to recover if damaged.

For example, our local Spurdog can live up to 70 years old but females don’t begin to reproduce until they are at least 15. When they do, they have relatively small litters of pups which take between 18 months and two years to develop within the mother. This is one of the longest pregnancies known for any animal in the world! The females tend to stick together in packs, which means that a large number can be lost from the local population at one time if they are damaged by human activities at sea, such as being accidentally caught in fishing gear.

Our egg-laying species, like the Bullhuss shark, or the Blonde Ray, Cuckoo Ray and Thornback Ray, deposit their eggs in shallower coastal waters. These areas are also used as nursery grounds for young shark pups and juvenile skates and rays. Unfortunately, our inshore waters and sea loughs are also some of the busiest areas in our seas, with dredging for shipping channels, fishing grounds and underwater cables. These areas are also the most likely to be affected by pollution from land run-off.

Currently, there is very little protection for the sharks, skates and rays around our coasts. This is largely due to the lack of information we have about our local species. We need more records on their presence and movement to be able to implement management measures that will help them to recover. There are currently three species - the Basking Shark, the Common Skate and the Angel Shark - included in the NI Wildlife Order which makes it an offence to target them without a license.

We use best practice methods that have been developed over years of conservation tagging work with sea anglers in Scotland and England. These focus on correct handling and tagging techniques to ensure the animal is not unduly stressed and returned to the water quickly. We never tag an animal that is in poor condition or pregnant.