In a ground-breaking development for marine conservation in Ireland, two rare angel shark (Squatina squatina) have been successfully tagged and released by scientists from the Marine Institute in Tralee Bay, County Kerry. This achievement marks a significant milestone as it is the first (and second) time ever that an angel shark has been fitted with an electronic tag in Irish waters. This marks a crucial step forward in the preservation and study of one of the most endangered shark species in Europe.
As Afloat reported in March 2023, the critically endangered species has been the focus of a research appeal in Ireland.
The tagging, carried out by the Marine Institute in collaboration with local fishers, is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the EU as part of the Biodiversity Scheme. Dr Ross O’Neill, a licenced tagger with the Marine Institute worked with local fisherman Michael Peter Hennessy on board the MFV Lady K to successfully tag a male and a female angel shark. The successful tagging represents a vital contribution to ongoing efforts aimed at understanding the behaviour, migration patterns, and habitat preferences of this elusive species. The invaluable data collected by the tags will provide researchers with information that will inform future conservation strategies, aiming to safeguard the survival of angel shark in Irish and European waters.
Dr Ross O’Neill expressed the significance of the achievement:"This is a landmark moment for marine conservation in Ireland. The angel shark is an incredibly rare species making this recent encounter and successful tagging of two specimens in Tralee Bay all the more important. The tagging will allow us to track their movements and better understand how we can protect this species from further decline. It’s an exciting development not just for Irish marine life but for global conservation efforts."
Angel Shark
Angel shark, also known as the “Devil’s Banjo”, is a slow growing, long lived and vulnerable species historically found in waters from North Africa to Norway. Catches of the species by commercial and recreational fishermen were common in the Tralee Bay area historically. Reported numbers, however, declined dramatically since the late 1960s and today encounters are extremely rare and the species is now listed as “Critically Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The success of the tagging operation in Kerry adds to the growing body of research focused on preserving these ancient creatures. These sightings also build on other recent observations of angel shark west of Clew Bay by the Marine Institute and last summer in inner Galway Bay beside the Marine Institute’s Headquarters at Rinville, confirming the importance of Ireland’s west coast as a critical refuge for this endangered species.
Tralee Bay
Tralee Bay has been confirmed as one of the last strongholds for the angel shark species in Irish waters. Tralee Bay provides a habitat for several other rare and endangered sharks and their relatives, including the undulate ray, sting ray and the extremely rare white skate.
Next Steps
The tagged angel shark were released close to their area of capture north west of the Maharees peninsula and swam away strongly. The tags will log and transmit information for the next year, after which they will automatically detach from the fish. Researchers in the Marine Institute hope these data will uncover critical information about the species' preferred habitats, migration timings and movement behaviour and thus allow for more effective conservation measures to be implemented. It is hoped that more specimens will be similarly tagged in the coming months with the assistance of the local fishing industry.
Community Collaboration
Collaboration between local fishermen, community and Marine Institute scientists is key to the success of conservation efforts.
Commenting Dr Rick Officer, CEO Marine Institute, said: “The tagging project has been made possible through the close cooperation between scientists, local fishermen and coastal communities, who have been instrumental in reporting sightings and providing assistance during the tagging process. Our successful tagging of these angel shark highlights the importance of collaborative community involvement in marine conservation efforts”.
Technology supporting science
The tagging of the angel shark was carried out as part of a broader initiative by the Marine Institute to monitor and conserve shark and ray populations in Irish waters. This research, involving acoustic tagging and tracking of common stingray (Dasyatis pastinaca) and undulate ray (Raja undulata) and additional Pop-up Satellite Archival Tagging (PSATs) of common skate (Dipturus complex) aims to accumulate data on migration, movement and habitat preferences for these vulnerable and endangered species. These data will contribute to the creation of more effective conservation strategies, including habitat protection and sustainable fishing practices, to ensure their survival in Irish waters. The initiative is part of a larger project to limit interactions between commercial fishing and protected and endangered species off the south west coast and is co-funded by the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture and Fund (EMFAF) and the Irish Government in a Biodiversity Scheme project of EU Strategic Importance.
