Latest news with #CornwallMarinePathologyTeam
BBC News
26-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Stranded pregnant porpoise in Cornwall died in fishing nets
A pregnant porpoise found stranded in Cornwall died after being caught up in commercial fishing nets, a post-mortem examination has found. James Barnett, veterinary investigator for Cornwall Marine Pathology Team, described the examination as the "most distressing he has ever seen"."In nearly 20 years of undertaking this work, I have rarely seen a female so close to term. It was quite emotional for all of us," said Mr called on the government to provide access to acoustic deterrent devices, known as "pingers", which emit sounds to alert porpoises to fishing nets. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) said vessels over 12m (39ft) were required to use acoustic devices. The porpoise was found by trust volunteers on Good Friday after they were called to Pentewan Beach near St Austell.A post-mortem found the animal had been heavily pregnant with a near-term Barnett said the porpoise displayed "clear signs of entanglement" in monofilament fishing net, also known as gillnets – "a strong indicator of bycatch".Bycatch describes marine creatures trapped by commercial fishing nets during fishing for a different post-mortem was carried out as part of the government-funded Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme. Cornwall Wildlife Trust said increased sightings of small cetaceans, which are marine mammals including dolphins and porpoises, over the last nine years had coincided with more interactions with fishing was estimated to kill more than 1,000 harbour porpoises every year in UK waters alone, it Allen, marine conservation officer at the trust, said: "It's an agonising death for the individuals, and this level of loss is not sustainable for these populations."Urgent" government action was needed to work with fishers, many of whom were "ready" to use the devices, she said. However, the trust said fishers had reported difficulties obtaining licences to use the deterrent devices.A spokesman from the MMO said vessels over 12m (39ft) were required to use acoustic devices, and those outside that requirement must obtain a marine wildlife regard to fishers' difficulties obtaining licences, it said many applications came to the department anonymously without the required details, so they were unable to process said bycatch of porpoise was a concern and new management measures were being explored. 'Campaigned endlessly' Nick West, chairman of the Mevagissey Fisherman's Association, said a trial of the pingers had proven "undeniably effective", with no bycatch recorded on cameras installed on vessels using them West added said they had "campaigned endlessly" for the devices, which they had offered to MMO said options to manage bycatch could include expanding the use of the acoustic deterrent devices, spatial closures or voluntary options, but no decisions had been said it was discussing the options with experts and planned to involve industry leaders later this year to develop a formal proposal for consultation.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'Mysterious' 400-year-old sharks found lurking in the depths of British waters
Did you know the world's most mysterious shark' can be found in British waters? Greenland sharks are the second largest species of carnivorous shark after the great white. Greenland sharks, also known as the "sleeper sharks," are one of the longest-living vertebrate species known, with a lifespan of up to 400 years. While they can be found in deep waters around the UK, humans rarely encounter them and we know little about their life cycle, however, there have been confirmed UK sightings. With only a small handful of Greenland shark strandings previously recorded in the UK, this likely represents the first necropsy ever carried out on the species in this country. Exceptional opportunity to learn more about both the life and death of this deep-water shark. — Rob Deaville (@strandings_man) March 18, 2022 In 2016 a breakthrough was made when researchers at the University of Copenhagen found a way of accurately calculating the lifespan of a Greenland shark. Sometimes referred to as the world's most mysterious shark, footage of Greenland sharks swimming in their natural environment was not captured until 2003. The researchers used a radiocarbon dating technique to examine proteins which were found in the lens of the eyes of twenty-eight Greenland sharks and calculated that the largest shark was between 272 and 512 years old, with its most likely age being 390. This makes Greenland sharks easily the longest-living vertebrate in the world and means they may have to be around 156 years old before they are capable of reproducing. A 100-year-old, 13-foot-long female was found stranded near Cornwall's Newlyn Harbour. She was released back into the sea but was later found dead, sparking its autopsy by the Cornwall Marine Pathology Team. Rob Deaville, project lead, said: 'This unfortunate and extraordinary stranding has allowed us to get an insight into the life and death of a species we know little about. 'Discovering that this shark had meningitis is likely a world first, but the significance of this in terms of any wider stressors is unknown. Recommended reading: 40ft sharks may arrive in the UK as early as next month The types of sharks found in UK waters Great white sharks could migrate to UK waters by next year 'Ultimately, like most marine life, deep-sea species such as Greenland sharks may also be impacted by human pressures on the ocean but there is not enough evidence at this stage to make any connections. 'Huge thanks are owed to the volunteers of Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network and all those who spotted and brought the body to shore. 'This was an exceptional collaborative effort by all involved and was a unique opportunity to learn more about the life of this cryptic and endangered deep-water shark.'
