Major New Project to Help Protect English Sharks

The University of Exeter has been awarded £939,434 by Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme to lead a major new 3 year project investigating the movement, breeding grounds and conservation status of three of England’s most vulnerable shark species: blue shark, porbeagle and tope. These species are all found in English waters and tope and porbeagle are classified as vulnerable and critically endangered in Europe. The findings will feed into updated England Red List assessments for each of the three species, and provide best-practice guidance for anglers to help to improve post-release survival.

Led by Exeter’s Dr Matthew Witt and Dr Lucy Hawkes, the project – which runs from July 2026 to March 2029 – brings together the Angling Trust, the Marine Biological Association (MBA) and the Pat Smith Database in a partnership to combine cutting-edge tracking technology with extensive local knowledge held by recreational anglers.

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The project plan includes

• satellite tagging to reveal migration routes, home ranges and how sharks respond to catch and release
• non-invasive ultrasound scanning to identify pregnant sharks
• identification of pupping grounds
• workshops and interviews with recreational anglers to capture local knowledge

Dr Witt, Associate Professor, University of Exeter, said: “Coastal and open ocean sharks are among the most threatened groups of animals, yet they hold huge ecological, cultural and economic value.

“This project brings together anglers, the fishing sector and research scientists from across England to co-create real insight into the lives of sharks.

“By combining generations of angler knowledge with state-of-the-art animal tracking technology, we’re building the evidence needed to secure a future for these remarkable species.”