Shark & Skate Scotland – Discovering and Protecting Scotland’s Elasmobranch’s

Scotland’s seas are home to an extraordinary diversity of marine life, including some truly remarkable shark and skate species. Yet despite living in the waters surrounding us, these fascinating animals often remain largely unseen and misunderstood.

Shark & Skate Scotland was founded by marine biologists Chris Rickard and Lauren Smith, who share a passion for Scotland’s marine environment and have a particular interest in raising awareness of the sharks, and skates that inhabit our coastal waters.

Through education, public engagement and citizen science, our aim is to connect people with these incredible animals, improve understanding of their ecology and conservation needs, and encourage greater appreciation and protection of Scotland’s marine biodiversity.

Chris and Lauren at the European Elasmobranch Conference

Scotland’s Hidden Marine Wildlife

When people think of sharks, they often imagine large predators inhabiting tropical oceans. However, Scotland has its own fascinating populations of shark and skate species from the small and beautifully patterned small-spotted catshark to the enormous basking shark, the world’s second-largest living fish!

Our waters are also home to the flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius), the largest skate species in the world, which can reach lengths of over two metres. Once widespread in Scottish and Irish waters, this impressive species has experienced significant historical declines and is recognised as Critically Endangered, thankfully however, following the introduction of commercial fishing bans in 2009, localised numbers are starting to increase.

These animals are not simply fascinating species in their own right. They form an important part of Scotland’s marine ecosystems, occupying a variety of ecological roles and contributing to the complex relationships that sustain healthy marine environments.

Unfortunately, many shark and skate species – like many elasmobranchs, are particularly vulnerable to human pressures. They often have a slow growth rate, mature late and have few offspring, thus with low reproductive rates, populations can take a long time to recover from declines. Fishing pressures, habitat disturbance and destruction and wider environmental changes all present conservation challenges.

Protecting these species requires a better understanding of where they occur, the habitats they depend upon and the pressures they face.

Our Mission – Awareness, Education and Conservation

At Shark & Skate Scotland, we believe that meaningful conservation begins with information, education and understanding.

One of our primary objectives is to make information about Scotland’s elasmobranchs accessible to everyone, not just scientists and marine specialists.

We want to challenge misconceptions about sharks, celebrate the diversity of species found in Scottish waters and help people recognise the ecological importance of these often-overlooked animals.

By sharing knowledge and encouraging curiosity, we hope to inspire a greater sense of connection between people and the marine environment.

Our work is driven by a simple principle: the more people understand and appreciate the wildlife living in our seas, the stronger the collective motivation to protect it.

Flapper Skate Egg Case at Cairnbulg Fraserburgh

Community Science – Everyone Can Contribute

One of the most exciting aspects of marine conservation is that valuable observations do not always require specialist scientific equipment or formal training.

Community science offers an opportunity for members of the public to contribute to our understanding of marine wildlife, whether through observations made while walking along the shore, snorkelling, diving or spending time on the water.

Sharks and skates can be difficult to study because many species spend much of their lives beneath the surface. Consequently, observations from members of the public can provide valuable additional information about their presence and distribution.

Even evidence found washed ashore can tell us something about the animals inhabiting nearby waters. For example, the distinctive egg cases produced by several species of sharks and skates, often referred to as mermaid’s purses, can sometimes be found along the shore. Learning to recognise these egg cases provides a fascinating introduction to the reproductive biology of these animals and offers opportunities to participate in wider marine recording initiatives.

We want to encourage people to become more observant of their coastal environment, recognise the wildlife they encounter and understand how their observations may contribute to conservation knowledge.

Why Scotland Matters

The coastline of Scotland supports a rich variety of marine habitats, from rocky reefs and kelp forests to sandy seabeds, seagrass, mud and deeper offshore environments. These habitats provide feeding grounds, shelter and potentially important reproductive areas for a range of marine species, including sharks, and skates. Yet much of the biodiversity beneath our coastal waters remains unfamiliar to the wider public.

Through Shark & Skate Scotland, we hope to help bridge that gap, highlighting the extraordinary wildlife found in our local seas and demonstrating that marine conservation is just as relevant to our own coastline as it is to more distant parts of the world.

We are particularly passionate about encouraging people to look beyond the surface and appreciate the interconnected nature of marine ecosystems. Protecting sharks and skates also means recognising the importance of the habitats, food webs and wider ecological processes upon which they depend.

Small-spotted catshark © Lauren-Smith

How Can You Get Involved?

You can help us gather valuable information about our shark & skate species, regardless of your background or experience. You can use our website to identify species and their egg cases; you can then record observations and share accurate information with us to help us build a greater awareness and understanding of Scottish elasmobranchs.

Looking to the Future

Our ambition for Shark & Skate Scotland is to continue encouraging a community of people who are curious about, enthusiastic for and committed to protecting Scotland’s sharks and skates.

By combining scientific understanding with education, public engagement and opportunities for community science, we hope to help strengthen the connection between local communities and their marine environment.

Scotland’s elasmobranchs are an extraordinary part of our natural heritage. They deserve to be better known, better understood and better protected. And sometimes, the first step towards conservation is simply helping people discover what is living beneath the surface.

Find Out More

To discover more about Shark & Skate Scotland, please visit: https://www.sharkandskatescotland.org.uk/

Shark & Skate Scotland Previous Sightings Map