GREAT WHITE SHARKS.... Are They Here Already ?
We finally need to discover the truth about these sharks, are they in UK waters or not....and do we need to be concerned !
There’s no getting around the fact is there..as water users there is no greater excitement and fear to us, than the topic of Great White Sharks ! For years us surfers and fishermen have had conversations about them, from off the cuff comments on the beach, to spooky feelings in empty line-ups, to full blown, heated pub debates. Every single one of us at some point has pondered the thought…are they already here ?!
Logically it makes sence that some have found their way here already. Lets look at some of the facts. Our water temps, especially in the summer and autumn, are perfectly suited for their living arrangements. We have a lot of seals around our shores too. For years we’ve heard the stories and rumours coming off the fishing fleets, I remember a fishing mag writing that 2 Great Whites were caught in fishing nets 70miles off Land’s End in the late 1970’s. There were also stories coming out of southern Ireland that big sharks were taking seals off the rocks…do any of our home species do that ? Porbeagle, Blue or Mako ?
With a little more digging we came up with some interesting findings, we seem to have had more shark activity in the UK than most of us know. Officially there have been 2 confirmed shark attacks here in the UK, amazingly the last one being in 1996 in the North Sea, neither were fatal. In 2007, film taken in the Sound of Harris of a shark attacking a seal was investigated, but deemed inconclusive as to whether it was a Great White or not.
On Jan 3rd 2008 the BBC reported on a 4ft Grey Seal being washed up in Norfolk with a large chunk of flesh gouged out of its flank. The bite radius measured over a foot across. Evidence was sent to the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton who later stated that the seal had distinct hallmarks of a Great White attack. Later that same year on the 4th July 2008, Simon Greenstreet was fishing with family and friends in his 19ft boat near Ullapool in Scotland, when a large shark nudged his boat repeatedly. The eye witness accounts say it was dark grey on top with a white belly. He seemed adamant it wasn’t a Porbeagle.
If you look at the facts about the Great White in relation to Europe, then you really have to open your mind to the idea that these fish are definitely here. The last confirmed sighting of a Great White in Europe was in 1997 in the Bay of Biscay. Great Whites that have been tagged have been proven to travel as much as 7000 miles in a 3 month time period….Cornwall is barely 250 miles from the Biscay. The last Great White caught and killed was at La Rochelle in Brittany in1977. The last fatal shark attack in Europe was in 1989, there have been 54 attacks between 1954 to the present, 18 fatal. On the 13 November 1999, the government of Malta protected the Great White by law. All of this tells us that without a shadow of a doubt we have Great White Sharks well within easy reach of us….
SO…are they here already ? I don’t think we can ignore the facts any longer
Logically it makes sence that some have found their way here already. Lets look at some of the facts. Our water temps, especially in the summer and autumn, are perfectly suited for their living arrangements. We have a lot of seals around our shores too. For years we’ve heard the stories and rumours coming off the fishing fleets, I remember a fishing mag writing that 2 Great Whites were caught in fishing nets 70miles off Land’s End in the late 1970’s. There were also stories coming out of southern Ireland that big sharks were taking seals off the rocks…do any of our home species do that ? Porbeagle, Blue or Mako ?
With a little more digging we came up with some interesting findings, we seem to have had more shark activity in the UK than most of us know. Officially there have been 2 confirmed shark attacks here in the UK, amazingly the last one being in 1996 in the North Sea, neither were fatal. In 2007, film taken in the Sound of Harris of a shark attacking a seal was investigated, but deemed inconclusive as to whether it was a Great White or not.
On Jan 3rd 2008 the BBC reported on a 4ft Grey Seal being washed up in Norfolk with a large chunk of flesh gouged out of its flank. The bite radius measured over a foot across. Evidence was sent to the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton who later stated that the seal had distinct hallmarks of a Great White attack. Later that same year on the 4th July 2008, Simon Greenstreet was fishing with family and friends in his 19ft boat near Ullapool in Scotland, when a large shark nudged his boat repeatedly. The eye witness accounts say it was dark grey on top with a white belly. He seemed adamant it wasn’t a Porbeagle.
If you look at the facts about the Great White in relation to Europe, then you really have to open your mind to the idea that these fish are definitely here. The last confirmed sighting of a Great White in Europe was in 1997 in the Bay of Biscay. Great Whites that have been tagged have been proven to travel as much as 7000 miles in a 3 month time period….Cornwall is barely 250 miles from the Biscay. The last Great White caught and killed was at La Rochelle in Brittany in1977. The last fatal shark attack in Europe was in 1989, there have been 54 attacks between 1954 to the present, 18 fatal. On the 13 November 1999, the government of Malta protected the Great White by law. All of this tells us that without a shadow of a doubt we have Great White Sharks well within easy reach of us….
SO…are they here already ? I don’t think we can ignore the facts any longer
The Great White shark is the last surviving member of the Carcharadon species, the rest have not survived the ravages of time, and have slipped into extinction. They primarily inhabit coastal waters where the temps range between 12 and 24 degrees C...sounds like our waters don't you think ? They are EXTREMELY sensitive to the electrical field emitted by living creatures,thanks to their Ampullae of Lorenzini. They can sence a half billionth of a volt emission ! They have been found in water 1metre deep, and as deep as 1270metres. The female generally gives birth to 7 - 9 pups, but only does this twice in her life. The sharks grow at a rate of 25 - 30cm a year and reach breeding maturity after 9 years. Generally they grow to between 12 and 15 feet in length, but have been confirmed as large as 21 feet and weighing 1900kg ( 4200lbs), in Cuba ! Their mouths harbour 3000 serrated, triangular teeth, and...if this makes you feel any easier, White Sharks are "ambush" hunters ! Typically, after the first "exploratory" bite, they either leave the victim alone or chow down, if they approve of the taste. Luckily, humans seem to not be on the Whiteys list of yummy foods. Unluckily, the "exploratory" bite is immense and inflicts massive wounds...most attack victims die from blood loss, not from being eaten.
This must be seen by us humans as a good thing. The Great White is not hunting us down, as depicted in 'Jaws', it's just investigating what we are and if we're edible. It doesn't have any hands, it's only form of tactile involvement is to bite and see what happens ? Just like a dog does. When it bites and doesn't like the taste, it lets go and leaves. Simple.
The only problem is that 3000 teeth on the end of a curious 2500lb shark pretty much makes us a minced up mess !
This must be seen by us humans as a good thing. The Great White is not hunting us down, as depicted in 'Jaws', it's just investigating what we are and if we're edible. It doesn't have any hands, it's only form of tactile involvement is to bite and see what happens ? Just like a dog does. When it bites and doesn't like the taste, it lets go and leaves. Simple.
The only problem is that 3000 teeth on the end of a curious 2500lb shark pretty much makes us a minced up mess !
OK, here's what we want you to do:
Click thru to the Blog page and leave us your stories, thoughts on this, or even just a message to say Hi ! Tell everyone you know about this page and let's get this project off the ground. The more people become involved, the more chance we have of truly finding out if this magnificent and beautiful creature really does inhabit our coasts and waters.
Click thru to the Blog page and leave us your stories, thoughts on this, or even just a message to say Hi ! Tell everyone you know about this page and let's get this project off the ground. The more people become involved, the more chance we have of truly finding out if this magnificent and beautiful creature really does inhabit our coasts and waters.
IMPORTANT : All species of Sharks are vitally important to our planet, as are all living creatures.
WE ARE 100% COMMITTED TO THEIR WELLBEING, PROTECTION AND SURVIVAL
WE ARE 100% COMMITTED TO THEIR WELLBEING, PROTECTION AND SURVIVAL
