Conservation


Western Ecology Tour

I am delighted to be joining an awesome expedition team this June, developed and led by professional diver Andy Clark (https://andythenortherndiver.com/). The UK’s marine environments are under more pressure than ever before. From the plastic pollution littering our beaches to the damage done by discarded fishing gear and intensive or sometimes illegal fishing practices. It […]

Shark DNA Zip-coding; a way to identify the origin of sharks caught for the international fin trade.

In February 2016 I was in Hong Kong looking into the shark fin trade, it was a couple of days before the Chinese New Year and there were fins everywhere, to suit all types of consumer. You could buy them in general food stores, pharmacies and fishing villages. You could buy small ones in plastic […]

Two new species of saw sharks discovered

The newly discovered Pliotrema kajae and Pliotrema annae six-gill saw sharks, were discovered during research investigating small-scale fisheries operating off the coasts of Madagascar and Zanzibar. The discovery of these two new sharks highlights how little we still know about life in the ocean and the impact we are having on it. Read more here: https://biomeecology.com/news/2020/04/two-new-species-of-saw-sharks-discovered/

The 3.2 million year history of Great White Sharks in the Mediterranean Sea

Read more about the incredible evolutionary history of the Great white in the Mediterranean in my latest piece for BiOME Ecology webzine here: https://biomeecology.com/news/2020/03/the-3-2-million-year-history-of-great-white-sharks-in-the-mediterranean-sea/

Basking Sharks; Genetic Tagging, Gene Flow & Migration Routes

New research sheds light on the migration routes of basking sharks and outlines their vulnerability to environmental change. Check out my latest piece for BiOME Ecology webzine here: https://biomeecology.com/news/2020/02/basking-shark-genetic-tagging-gene-flow-migration-routes/

Fish Free February

This February I supported a new campaign; ‘Fish Free February’, founded by marine biologist Simon Hilbourne in collaboration with Ocean Festival UK founder Jasmine Tribe. Find out why here: https://biomeecology.com/conservation/2020/02/fish-free-february-campaign/

ICCAT 2019 Mako Shark Protection thwarted by EU & US

Back in June 2019, a report showed that the overfished North Atlantic shortfin mako shark population was continuing to decline and needed not only immediate protection but would take several decades to recover. To read my full write-up for BiOME Ecology webzine please follow the link: https://biomeecology.com/marine-biology/2019/11/iccat-2019-mako-shark-protection-thwarted-by-eu-us/

Egg(case) Hunting this Easter

Are you heading to the beach this Easter? If so forget the chocolate eggs – shark & skate eggcases are where its at! Some species of sharks and skates found around the UK coastline lay eggcases, this is a method of reproduction known as ‘oviparity’. Skates will lay their eggs on the seabed, with sharks […]

Call of the Blue

On the 19th of November i headed down to the Natural History Museum in London, i was attending a book launch party and would be doing a Q&A session on sharks whilst there. The book by Philip Hamilton is entitled “Call of the Blue” and tells the story of positive, focused people who are working […]

Investigating Shark Cage Diving

My blog for The Guardian online, following the decision to ban cage diving in New Zealand : https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2018/sep/17/is-banning-cage-diving-actually-bad-for-sharks