A crack team of marine biologists from the US will arrive just off UK waters this September to search for Great White Sharks raising the terrifying possibility the colossal beasts could be swimming amongst us.
White shark experts Ocearch have announced they will be chumming the waters off the coast of Ireland claiming they have recieved ‘credible accounts of observations made along the southern and northern extents of the United Kingdom.’
The expedition is part of the group’s Save the Med campaign which will also see them travel over 4000 miles around France, Ireland and Spain seeking proof of the area’s ‘critically endangered white shark population.’
There have already been a spate of shark sightings across the UK this summer with experts theorising that an increase in sea temperatures due to global warming is drawing the creatures here.
Residents in the popular holiday resort of Ilfracombe on the North Devon coast say they have seen an increase in sightings of native sharks as well as large populations of seals and bluefish tuna that white sharks feast on.
White shark experts Ocearch have announced they will be chumming the waters off the coast of Ireland
The expedition is part of the group’s Save the Med campaign which will also see them travel over 4000 miles around France , Ireland and Spain
Scientists believe rising water temperatures and a plentiful food supply could be tempting critically endangered Mediterranean white sharks to come to the UK
Residents in the popular holiday resort of Ilfracombe on the North Devon coast say they have seen an increase in sightings of native sharks
Dan Hawkes who runs Reel Deal Charters and provides shark tours from Ilfracombe has already been contacted by the marine biologists tracking great whites.
He said: ‘There’s got to be some in UK waters, I think. There’s a very high possibility.
‘We see an increase in (native) shark species every year but the bluefin and seal populations are very high at the moment and that wouldn’t be the case if there were lots of great whites around.
‘I’d love to be the first person to catch one in British waters.’
Scientists believe rising water temperatures and a plentiful food supply could be tempting critically endangered Mediterranean white sharks to swim 4,000 miles north during the summer and autumn months to hunt around the UK, Ireland, France and Spain.
Asked whether they would pose a risk to humans, Dan said: ‘I wouldn’t say people are safe near great white sharks. If you see a dangerous dog sign, you’re not going to play in that backyard.
‘They are just another species that live in the sea, if you agitate anything enough they’re going to bite.
‘In 99% of cases it’s because of mistaken identity and they think you’re a seal.’
Scientists fear the sharks use the summer and autumn months to hunt around the UK, Ireland, France and Spain
Sea captain Paul Simons has noticed an increase in the number of sharks around
Paul Simons (pictured) with a thresher shark he caught in the area in 1987
Paul Simons, 53, who is skipper of the Carick Lee told MailOnline: ‘We’re seeing more and more sharks in recent years. A few miles down the coast there are porbeagles, thresher sharks and blue sharks.
‘More and more sharks are turning up and we’re seeing more and more fish species from the Med in the last couple of years.
‘I think the researchers will definitely find great whites. We’re catching fish now that we’ve never caught before.
‘But I don’t think it will change anything, we’ll carry on using the waters, you’re not talking one the size of Jaws but maybe 1,000 lb and about 10ft long.’
Ilfracombe teenager Stuart Burton, 14, added: ‘When I saw a thresher shark it just kept popping up out of the water, it’s amazing how close it got to the boat.
‘I reckon there are already great white sharks here and that number will massively increase in the next few years.’
On the beach, holidaymakers said they would think twice about going for a dip if they knew great whites were nearby
On the beach, holidaymakers said they would think twice about going for a dip if they knew great whites were nearby.
Mary Clarke, 57, who was on holiday with her family from Runcorn, Cheshire, said: ‘It’s a scary thought that there are great whites in our waters.
‘I don’t think it would put me off swimming, people in Australia and South Africa still swim in the sea, but as soon as there was any sign of one around I would be out of that water like a shot.’
It’s a similar story in the West Wales surfing village of Newgale, where beachgoers are keeping a look out for a dark fin coming towards them but say it’s more likely to be a dolphin than a Great White Shark.
Holidaymakers in this area have traditionally been told to watch out for jellyfish and the tiny weaver fish which can deliver a painful sting if trodden on.
Kite suffers Glenn Den Boer, 33, and hid girlfriend Sofie Lembrechts had come all the way from Antwerp, Belgium to take advantage of the Pembrokeshire surf.
Physiotherapist Glenn said: ‘Hopefully we will be a bit safer kitesurfing – if there are any signs of great whites we can fly out of their way.
‘I’ve surfed in Australia where it’s a bit scary but we don’t think of Great White Sharks here.’
Sofie, 30, a real estate photographer, said: ‘I’m a bit scared but I will remind myself that normal sharks don’t harm people. They prefer seals to humans.
‘But if I see a fin I would expect it to be a dolphin , we’ve seen lots of them since we’ve been here.’
Dr Norbert Bruckner, 66, on holiday from Bavaria, Germany, said: ‘Sharks? The only thing that stops me from swimming is how cold the water is. Fifteen degrees, much too cold for me, maybe with a wetsuit.
‘I used to live in South Africa, there were lots of sharks there but in Wales, I’m not so sure.’
Mother of-two Jane Norris, 45, from Greater Manchester, was about to go body-boarding with her family when she learned of the possible presence of Great White Sharks in the Irish Sea.
She said: ‘It won’t put us off, we will be surfing in quite shallow waters.
‘I guess it depends on how far out you go but in wasn’t aware that there may be Great whites out there. Do the lifeguards have any concerns?
RNLI lifeguards were more concerned with riptides dragging swimmers out of the safety zone between two waning flags than Jaws turning up in St Brides Bay, Pembrokeshire.
Alice Holmes, 52, who runs an ice cream van in one of the villages four seafront car parks says it would take more than a shark to scare tourists away from Pembrokeshire.
The said: ‘I’ve not heard of any sightings here so there’s no need to worry. People don’t just come to Pembrokeshire for the beaches, they come to see the whole area,
‘There are worries about all sorts of things in the water, not just sharks.’
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Sharks in British waters: MailOnline reveals which species are living around the UK and how deadly they can be – as scientists warn Great Whites could soon head our way due to climate change
By Shivali Best
MailOnline has delved into which species are living around the UK, and how deadly they can be.
While the most fearsome sharks – great whites – are not currently found in British waters, scientists have warned that climate change could soon force the species our way in search of cooler waters.
MailOnline has delved into which species are living around the UK, and how deadly they can be. Around 40 species of shark can be found in British waters, of which 21 live in our seas all year round
Which species live around the UK?
Around 40 species of shark can be found in British waters, of which 21 live in our seas all year round.
‘As well as the 21 resident sharks, there are at least 11 deepwater shark species including the Portuguese Dogfish, Black Dogfish, Kitefin Shark and Gulper Shark,’ The Sharks Trust explains on its website.
Smooth hammerhead shark
The Smooth Hammerhead Shark has a broad distribution worldwide but prefers temperate waters.
It’s a very rare sight in British waters, but if one does appear, it will most likely be in the North Atlantic, off the coast of the western tip of Cornwall.
The hammerhead shark family is made up of nine species, which all have distinctive hammer-shaped heads.
As its name suggests, the smooth variety has a more rounded head shape than other species.
In 2019, a smooth hammerhead shark was spotted in the Celtic Sea, about 100 miles south west of Ireland – the furthest north the species has ever been seen in British waters.
Experts say the lone specimen could have been lost but probably ventured further north than normal due to the oceans getting warmer.
Dr Paul Connolly, director of fisheries and ecosystems services at the Marine Institute said: ‘This is an exciting encounter, especially since a rare deep-water shark nursery, 200 miles west of Ireland, was discovered by Irish scientists last year.
‘This sighting of a new shark species, shows the importance of our fishery surveys to monitor our marine environment, and to observe changes in our oceans and marine ecosystems.’
According to experts, there have been no known fatalities from hammerhead sharks anywhere in the world to date.
The Smooth Hammerhead Shark has a broad distribution worldwide but prefers temperate waters. It’s a very rare sight in British waters, but if one does appear, it will most likely be in the North Atlantic, off the coast of the western tip of Cornwall
Blue shark
Blue sharks – like those involved in last week’s attack – are often spotted off the southern coast of Cornwall during the summer months.
In the Atlantic, blue sharks appear to follow a clockwise route, following the Gulf Stream to the UK from the Caribbean and returning there following the Atlantic North Equatorial Current.
With a torpedo-like appearance, blue sharks are active predators and mainly feed on small fish and squid, although they have also been known to take seabirds and other small sharks too.
They even feed on fish that live near the seabed and have been recorded at depths of up to 350m.
The largest blue shark ever caught in UK seas weighed a whopping 256lbs (116kg) and measured over 9ft (2.74m).
Blue sharks – like those involved in last week’s attack – are often spotted off the southern coast of Cornwall during the summer months
Thresher shark
In summer, thresher sharks are known to pass through the English Channel off the Devon Coast, and have even occasionally been seen to fully breach the water.
A spokesperson from The Wildlife Trusts said: ‘The thresher shark spends most of its time in the deep waters of the open sea, rarely straying into coastal areas.
‘To survive in these colder waters, they have evolved to be endothermic.
‘This means that they can keep their body temperature higher than the temperature of the surrounding water.
‘If you’re lucky, you might see this magnificent shark jump high out of the water in to the air.’
Thresher sharks are known to grow up to 19ft (six metres) long and weigh up to 750lbs (340kg), and are regarded as a threatened species.
Thankfully, thresher sharks are safe and there has only been one known attack from a thresher shark to a human, which was a provoked attack.
Shortfin mako shark
Nicknamed the ‘cheetah of the ocean’, the shortfin mako is one of the world’s fastest sharks, reaching impressive speeds of up to 45mph.
While the species is very rare in British waters, it has previously been spotted in the Bristol Channel and off the coast of Wales.
‘These sharks are apex predators, sitting right at the top of the food chain, and their speed enables them to catch fast-swimming prey such as tuna and swordfish,’ the Marine Conservation Society explains.
‘As well as being able to dive to depths of more than 400ft, they can jump as high as 20ft out of the water.’
According to International Shark Attack File, there have been nine shortfin attacks on humans, three of which were fatal.
Nicknamed the ‘cheetah of the ocean’, the shortfin mako is one of the world’s fastest sharks, reaching impressive speeds of up to 45mph
Porbeagle shark
Measuring up to 12ft (3.6 metres) long and weighing up to 507lbs (230kg), the porbeagle shark is often mistaken for the great white shark.
But while great white sharks are yet to be spotted in British waters, porbeagles are found around all UK coasts – most commonly on the south coast, but occasionally in the waters off North Yorkshire and Pembrokeshire.
This species is a brilliant ‘mackerel’ blue, with a white belly and characteristic white mark at the rear base of the dorsal fin.
‘They are strong swimmers and tagging studies have shown that they can travel huge distances,’ The Wildlife Trusts explains.
‘One porbeagle shark tagged in Irish waters was later found as far away as Newfoundland in Canada!
Despite being related to the great white shark, the porbeagle is not known to be dangerous.
There are three recorded shark attacks involving porbeagles, two involving boats and another which did not result in serious injury.
Measuring up to 12ft (3.6 metres) long and weighing up to 507lbs (230kg), the porbeagle shark is often mistaken for the great white shark
One of the surprising sharks to roam British waters is the basking shark – the second largest fish in the world. Basking sharks can reach a whopping 39ft (12 metres) in lenght, and can weigh a staggering 19,800lbs (nine tonnes)
Basking shark
One of the surprising sharks to roam British waters is the basking shark – the second largest fish in the world.
Basking sharks can reach a whopping 39ft (12 metres) in length, and can weigh a staggering 19,800lbs (nine tonnes).
Between May and October, basking sharks can be found on Scotland’s west coast, in the Sea of the Hebrides.
Thankfully, basking sharks are passive and no danger to humans in general, although caution is urged during any encounters due to their enormous size.
Have there been any shark attacks in the UK?
According to The Sharks Trust, attacks in the UK are exceptionally rare, with no unprovoked shark bites in British waters since records began in 1847, until last week’s incident.
But the official classification used by global experts states that ‘bites on people attempting to feed sharks’ are classed as provoked as ‘the shark may bite a person by mistake during the frenzy for food’ .
Most documented shark attacks in the UK occur on fishermen who are attempting to land one – or release one.
A blue shark attacked fisherman Stephen Perkins in 2008, as he hauled the fish into his boat for a photograph off Lundy Island, Devon.
Bleeding profusely, his life was saved by being airlifted by RAF helicopter to hospital.
Last week’s attack is thought to be the worst on a swimmer in British waters since 1922, when an assistant schoolmaster was killed off the coast of Hornsea in East Yorkshire.
Worldwide there have only been four documented fatal attacks by blue sharks and 25 non-fatal attacks.
In August 2012 a beach in Ceredigion, Wales was closed to bathers due to the presence of a blue shark.
And in 1937 a basking shark overturned a boat off Kintyre, resulting in three men drowning.
Britain’s only suspected fatal shark attack victim was assistant schoolmaster Mr P H Lee – killed in September 1922 off Hornsea, East Yorkshire.
He had been paddling with his wife and their friend Beatrice Appleton when the tide swept him a way out. Bank clerk Miss Appleton saw him throw his hands up and shout, but thought he was laughing.
From the beach, his wife saw he ‘had been overcome – and he sank’.
His body was recovered at low tide with a large ragged wound, with toothmarks, on his left side.
A Dr John told an inquest he believed Mr Lee had been bitten twice while alive – with the suspect a powerful dog fish, or a shark. The doctor claimed there had been a similar case during the war.
It was reported at the time: ‘The tragedy has caused a slump in bathing in the East Yorkshire resort.’
What about great whites?
Great white sharks – the species depicted in the movie Jaws – have never been reliably documented in UK waters.
The nearest one has been spotted has been 168 miles off Lands End, in the northern Bay of Biscay in 1977, according to the Sharks Trust.
But a warming climate may see more sharks from warmer areas attracted to UK waters.
In 2018, a study commissioned for Nat Geo WILD’s Sharkfest, revealed 11 species of sharks found in warmer parts of the world, such as hammerheads and blacktips, may be swimming in British seas within 30 years as the climate changes.
Meanwhile, Dr Ken Collins, of the University of Southampton, said that by 2050 British waters could become an ideal hunting ground for the great white.
He said: ‘Great whites will wander hundreds, if not thousands of miles and are already in the Mediterranean.
‘It would not take much of a change in water temperature, maybe less than one degree, for them to come here.
‘And they have their favourite food source, seals, in areas such as the Cornish coast.’
HOW SHARKS EARNED THEIR RUTHLESS REPUTATION
Sharks are the most efficient predators on earth and have long terrified humans.
Their basic design has never really changed over the course of 200million years and they are considered to be complex and intelligent.
Their teeth are fear factor number one, with the great white’s teeth growing up to two-and-a-half inches in length.
Their prey are impaled on the pointed teeth of the lower jaw where they saw away sections of the flesh. The serrated edges of the teeth help with this process.
Their teeth are brittle and are constantly breaking off but are also constantly regrowing and on average there are 15 rows of teeth present in the mouth at one time.
Sharks are the most efficient predators on earth. Their basic design has never really changed over the course of 200million years
Their speed is fear factor number two.
They are very fast in the water compared to humans with the mako shark able to reach an incredible 60mph in bursts.
The great white can reach speeds of 25mph.
By comparison, 5mph is the fastest a human being can reach.
A shark’s power and size terrifies us, too.
The great white shark can grow up to 20 feet and while it has no particular taste for humans even an exploratory bite is enough to cut a man in half.
Most sharks release a human after its first bite but sometimes, that’s all it take to kill a person.
However, sharks have far more reason to be afraid of humans. We kill up to a million of them a year, often just cutting off their fins to make into soup and throwing the rest of the shark back into the water, where it starves or drowns.
