SSACN success as shark tagging officer gets his skates on in Oban

The Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network deserves all the successit gets. It has been energetic, proactive and inventive in starting work itself on a project it has long campaigned to see happen – collecting data on the threatened populations of shark, skate and ray that are of concern to sea anglers.

It ran a Sharkatag event in the Solway Firth in 2009 that attracted UK nationwide television coverage. The sight of bright yellow sea kayaks setting off bravely with the day boats and RIBs to start tagging was an unforgettable image.

The professionalism of its data collecting and its organisation and coordination of major volunteer events like the Solway Firth Sharkatag won it widespread and well-earned respect as a serious and effective organisation.

It had won the argument and it’s been downhill since then.

In the latest evidence of SSACN success, a Shark Project Officer started work in Oban this week on a new project which the the organisation is running -  funded by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Leader.

James Thorburn will work closely with local sea anglers to set up and manage the new Scottish shark tagging programme.

It will focus on key angling species in Argyll and the west coast of Scotland that are considered endangered, such as spurdog, common skate and tope. James previously carried out a study analysing data on common skate in Argyll as part of his MSc thesis. The data had been collected by anglers since 1975 and stored in the Glasgow Museum.

He is thrilled to be returning to Argyll to carry on the work. He says: ‘We have such an amazing range of shark, skate and ray species off our coasts that most people aren’t aware of – this project is a great opportunity to show everyone the rich diversity of fish life out there’.

With the help of anglers, who will tag the fish before returning them to the sea, the project will collect useful data on their movements and life history, as well as highlighting conservation issues to the public.

James explains: ‘As their name suggests, species such as the common skate were once very common around the coasts of the UK but they are now restricted to one or two areas, one of which is off Argyll. There has been an impact on shark populations for a number of years through commercial fishing and fishing bycatch, when they are accidentally caught in fishing gear.

‘As sharks, skates and rays are relatively slow growing and late to mature it takes a long time for their numbers to recover. That’s why it’s important that we learn as much as we can about them so that we can look after our seas and conserve the sharks for the future’.

The project plans to run shark tagging training courses throughout Scotland, hold local events with schools in the run up to Easter and organise large scale tagging events. If anyone is interested in shark tagging or has any general enquiries, do get in touch with James at the SNH office, Cameron House, Albany Street, Oban Tel: 0300 244 9360 or email james.thorburn@snh.gov.uk

The photograph above – of James Thorburn with a Common Skate – is reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder, Scottish Natural Heritage.