UK divers are being encouraged to contribute to shark conservation through citizen-science initiatives – and in particular to report underwater sightings of “mermaid’s purses”.
The plan was hatched when UK charity the Shark Trust and British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) representatives got together at the recent Go Diving Show at the NAEC Stoneleigh.
As a result the organisations have joined forces to shine light on what the trust describes as “one of the ocean’s best-kept secrets” – those places where sharks and skate lay their eggs.
The Shark Trust’s Great Eggcase Hunt asks people of all ages to search for shark and skate eggcases – or mermaid’s purses – on their local beaches. Their findings are recorded to help build understanding of the often-vulnerable species so that they can be better protected.
For many BSAC clubs, beach-based eggcase hunts fit naturally alongside beach-clean activities, supported by its Marine Champions network, says the Shark Trust. In addition, it is keen to boost the number of reports from divers witnessing sharks or skate still developing in their capsules under water.
More than 600,000 eggcases have been recorded during the Great Eggcase Hunt over the past two decades, but only 0.7% of these were from underwater observations – just over 4,000 cases.
“Eggcases seen developing under water are a crucial piece of the puzzle,” explains Shark Trust senior conservation officer Cat Gordon. “They help us link the areas where empty eggcases regularly wash ashore with the habitats that are important for this stage of the life-cycle.
“We’re asking divers and snorkellers to keep an eye out for eggcases seen attached to seaweed or seabed habitats. Recording these observations will help provide a valuable insight into the critical habitat used for the egg-laying process.”
Great Shark Snapshot
During this summer’s annual Great Shark Snapshot, from 18-26 July, divers are encouraged to report shark, skate and ray sightings from their dives in the UK and around the world.
The Shark Trust hopes not only that this will also serve to bring more eggcase reports from BSAC divers but that divers generally will get into the habit of recording relevant sightings year-round via its Shark Log Sightings Database.
BSAC is promoting the new campaign through its Marine Champions network, encouraging action weekends that include the activities, with data submitted via the Shark Trust’s online Recording Hub. The most active clubs and notable discoveries will feature on an online results dashboard and in project updates.
“This is the perfect opportunity for divers and snorkellers to use their unique perspective on the underwater world to fill an important gap in the data,” says BSAC environment committee chair Katherine Knight.
