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sharks in the uk

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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Not entirely true!! Zambezi sharks (bull sharks) get their name from the fact that they've been found in the Zambezi river. They are known to travel into freshwater and even live in freshwater (rivers and lakes).

Ok, Ok, --I didn't mention the bulls in freshwater because the poor guy seems terrified already!:naughty
 
stone_shot said:
Ok, Ok, --I didn't mention the bulls in freshwater because the poor guy seems terrified already!:naughty
Bulls in freshwater are no joke: years ago I was snorkelling in a river in Corsica, and just behind a curve i found a big black bull standing in front of me: not a bull-shark, but a bull-bull with horns and tail (and this is no bull sh§§t!!) rofl but a true story.
 
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omega3 said:
One of the platforms I go to occasionally has 3 porbeagles living there . They are about 8` long and come to check divers out within 10 mins of being in the water. They have lived there for years and can make anyone a bit cautious/ downright nervous when working with them around.

Another large predator while working is the Orca and as far as I know there has not been a recorded case of a person ever being attacked .....however, neither do I want to be the first and when they are spotted while working it is good idea to return to a safe refuge/abort the dive.

I find it amusing listening to folk telling all and sundry they have nothing to worry about as they are statisticly safe.....these are usually the same folk that end up as a statistic.

Common sense usually worksrofl

I heard of one supposed incident in California I think. A juvenile Killer Whale grabbed onto someone lifting them out of the water but immediately letting them go. Mistaken identity?:crutch
 
Those statistics about your chances of being attacked by a shark being a million to one, better chance of being killed by a falling coconut, or winning the lottery. Apply only to more "normal" ocean goers, such as occasional swimmers and vacation takers. For us divers and spearos the statitics are completely different because of the obvious amount of time we spend in the water, and the activities that we participate in. Spearing fish, blood in the water, twitching fish sending out disterss, floating on top of the water, splashing sometimes. We are definitely more at risk than the average person, but our chances of being attacked by a shark are still very remote. If you do look at the Shark attack file you will see that most shark attack victims survive the ordeal. If that makes anyone feel better.:)
 
Hi Spearheads,

For your info our waters (British) hold the following sharks:

Blue Shark
Smooth Hammerhead
Smoothhound
Starry Smoothhound
Tope
Nursehound
Small Spotted Catshark
Blackmouth Catshark
Iceland Catshark
White Ghost Catshark
Porbeagle Shark
Shortfin Mako
Basking Shark
Thresher Shark
Angelshark
Kitefin Shark
Sailfin Roughshark
Angular Roundshark
Greenland Shark
Knifetooth Dogfish
Longnose Velvet Dogfish
Portuguese Dogfish
Velvet Belly
Great Lanternshark
Black Dogfish
Birdbeack Dogfish
Leafscale Gulper Shark
Piked Dogfish
Bramble Shark
Sharpnose Sevengill Shark
Bluntnose Sixgill Shark
Frilled Shark

Great Whites have been recorded offically in UK waters but are to rare to be classed as a UK species shark.

The last time I can remember in your area (Torbay) a great white was reported was 2 summers ago. I came there for a week but didn't find it! Quite often mistakes are made reporting Porbeagles as Great Whites. They are of the same family and look quite similar if your encounter is brief.

UK Spearo... Cool, I have tried finding the Porbeagal sharks down your way but never get any joy. Maybe you'll be up for a hook up dive?
 
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glowworm said:
As with golf spearheads i've met my fair share of sharks on the golf course rofl rofl

quote]


WAHHHH HAHHHH HAH!rofl rofl rofl

Spearheads....I agree with all the possiblilities of extra-sharkerial activity in the UK...but never let that put you off, the UK is a great experience on its own. The scales are fairly weighted against you having a life threatening problem and as Miles mentioned, consider your sea-safety utmost (ie. marine conditions).
When in Durban (my actual hometown) I consider that my chances double by surfing when conditions do not allow for diving. These can most often involve murky/dirty water as the rivermouths normally burst and dirty the inshore waters when we have a good storm come through, hence giving us normally the best swell at the same time.

Enjoy.:wave
 
Soul Deep said:
Great Whites have been recorded offically in UK waters but are to rare to be classed as a UK species shark.
Interesting, have you any links to this information?
 
I went to a lecture a few weeks ago by the "Shark Conservation Society" or some such organisation. Can't remember their exact title but will find out tomorrow when I go to my "Marine Life" night-school.

From what I remember the opposite was true about GW's. They are regarded as a British species even though no official confirmed evidence of their presence in such waters exists.

The expert giving the lecture (forgot his name as well) told some compelling stories of sightings but no one has produced identifiable photo's or samples. Despite this he did say that they (GW's) were now listed as in UK waters. Forget which publication listed them but remember it was all very official.

Ed went to the lecture as well and he probably remembers more (less senile than me) but I can and will make enquiries and will post answers.

Sorry to be so vague but us oldies...........

Dave
 
Soul Deep said:
For your info our waters (British) hold the following sharks:

Blue Shark
Smooth Hammerhead
Smoothhound
Starry Smoothhound
Tope
Nursehound
Small Spotted Catshark
Blackmouth Catshark
Iceland Catshark
White Ghost Catshark
Porbeagle Shark
Shortfin Mako
Basking Shark
Thresher Shark
Angelshark
Kitefin Shark
Sailfin Roughshark
Angular Roundshark
Greenland Shark
Knifetooth Dogfish
Longnose Velvet Dogfish
Portuguese Dogfish
Velvet Belly
Great Lanternshark
Black Dogfish
Birdbeack Dogfish
Leafscale Gulper Shark
Piked Dogfish
Bramble Shark
Sharpnose Sevengill Shark
Bluntnose Sixgill Shark
Frilled Shark
*gulp* That's a lot...
 
Yep that is a lot of sharks which we should be proud of,but start to group them into bottom dwelling sharks along with sharks below 1.5 mtrs maximum length and most will disapear.If you see most of these sharks while on one breath in UK waters them i'm afraid to inform you that your air has run out and you are in fact drowning....

Go to this link to find out more about each species www.sharktrust.org.

Maybe we should start a new thread and post all shark sightings throughout europe while spearing and we will all see just how rare they are.
 
Maybe we should start a new thread and post all shark sightings throughout europe while spearing and we will all see just how rare they are.[/QUOTE]
good idea
 
20 species of that list are actually small sharks that live below 400m depth, and in fact the biggest danger concerning these sharks is Spanish Gillnet vessels.
I was involved in a project that was recently discussed at a EU level regarding Ghost Fishing(lost gear that continues to catch).
Many of these sharks are very long lived and slow growing and the pressure of heavy fishing is having a terrible effect.
Man eating shark? Very true, most likely grilled with a side salad.
I would not worry about being attacked, if you are sensible ie, don't keep a stringer of fish strung around your waist when spearing.You could as easily be mugged by a seal as a shark.
 
Your right about seals! I have been buzzed between Old Harry and Swanage. While they are breeding the seals get quite defensive so watch out! (i.e. Tilly Whim Caves has potential for that type of surprise)

Yeah Gloworm, we have a lot of sharks we will never have the fortune to see, but luckerly Blues, Makos, Threshers and Portbeagles are all asscessable to us, and in my book that makes us spoilt for choice!
 
There have been no 'officially' recorded GWS in UK waters other than all the c**p that surfaces every other summer i.e. the Padstow incident, and others which turn out to be Basking Sharks. Some teenage girl swore she saw one last year from some cliffs in Devon/Dorset and the media believed her because she was an amateur shark enthusiast. Having said all this, our waters have the right temperatures and the right prey for GWS so can't understand why they have not been recorded yet????????
 
Spaniard said:
There have been no 'officially' recorded GWS in UK waters other than all the c**p that surfaces every other summer i.e. the Padstow incident, and others which turn out to be Basking Sharks. Some teenage girl swore she saw one last year from some cliffs in Devon/Dorset and the media believed her because she was an amateur shark enthusiast. Having said all this, our waters have the right temperatures and the right prey for GWS so can't understand why they have not been recorded yet????????

there probly is gws but there is nt many in are waters copared to africa or some were. so they dont get reported.
 
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