Latest news with #Lamna
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Massive shark spotted prowling waters just 30ft off UK holiday hotspot
The shark, believed to have been a porbeagle, was seen circling Southborne beach in Bournemouth for up to 25 minutes a matter of days after its typical feeding season began A massive shark was spotted prowling the shallow waters of a seaside hotspot, leaving beachgoers in shock as it circled a matter of feet off shore. Photos captured the large porbeagle, a relative of the great white known to live in waters off the UK's south coast, around 30 feet (just over nine metres) off the coast of Southborne beach in Bournemouth. The predator's fin was seen characteristically protruding above the water's surface as it lingered in the area for around 25 minutes as it fed in shallow waters, where the sharks tend to hunt small fish and shelled sea dwellers before moving on. Pictures posted from the scene show the dark fin emerging above the clear blue water before it swam onwards without incident, despite having caused a stir. Onlookers suggested the shark was about five feet (1.5 metres) in length. Porbeagles are one of the most common shark types in the UK, far from the usual breeding grounds of their close relative the great white. The sharks, which have the scientific name Lamna nasus, are usually seen in the summer months, between June and September, when they venture out for feeding. They usually search for fish like mackerel, whiting and herring, and other sea dwellers like octopi, squid and cuttlefish, in deep water, meaning the latest sighting was closer to the coast than the sharks would usually venture. The fish tend to stay away from humans, but have attacked in the past, notably in 2018 when a porbeagle inflicted one of the worst shark attacks in half a century on a Cornish man. Records obtained by Cornwall Live at the time documented Angler Max Berryman as having suffered horrific leg wounds after a 7ft specimen savaged him around 12 miles off Land's End. Max Berryman, 21, said the shark bit him after it was pulled aboard his trawler, telling The Sun the attack left blood "everywhere" on the vessel. He said: "It landed on the floor of the boat right next to me and was thrashing around wildly. There was blood everywhere. The shark had bitten straight through my oils, straight through my jeans and into my right leg." The fisherman added: 'Blood was pouring down my leg and the pain was so intense. I was in absolute agony.' The May attack was the fourth ever recorded involving a porbeagle injuring a human in history, with the injuries believed to be the worst suffered by a Brit since 1968. A blue shark sunk its teeth into Roy Cloke's arm as the fisherman sailed in waters just off the UK coast in June that year, with the incident described as "unprovoked".
Wales Online
06-05-2025
- Science
- Wales Online
Two-metre long shark spotted in shallow waters at Welsh beach
Two-metre long shark spotted in shallow waters at Welsh beach A large shark was spotted close to the shore at a beach in mid Wales A juvenile Porbeagle shark was seen at Aberystwyth's north beach on Friday evening (Image: Craig Roberts ) A two-metre shark was spotted swimming in the sea near beach in Wales. The juvenile Porbeagle shark was seen at Aberystwyth's north beach on Friday evening, May 2. A crowd gathered between the pier and the bandstand to watch the shark which was reported to wildlife rescue teams as it appeared to be ill or injured, and in danger of beaching itself. Craig Roberts was at the beach at the time of the shark spotting as he was visiting his son who goes to Aberystwyth University. "We were on the pier and saw a bit of a commotion so went to have a look. Kids were jumping in the water just before it was spotted - they soon got out though," said Craig. When most people imagine sharks, their minds race to the warm, tropical waters of exotic places. Few would expect one of the UK's native sharks - the porbeagle - to be a close relative of the fearsome great white. Yet the porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus) quietly prowls the chilly waters around the British Isles. Article continues below The porbeagle shark belongs to the same family as the great white and Mako sharks. These are fast-swimming, powerful hunters, perfectly adapted to life in the open ocean. Shark Spotted On Aberystwyth Beach Porbeagles are instantly recognizable by their streamlined, torpedo-shaped bodies, large black eyes, and a short, conical snout. Their dorsal side is a sleek bluish-grey, contrasting with a snowy white belly—classic countershading that helps them ambush prey. One tell-tale feature for identification is a distinctive white patch at the base of their dorsal fin, a marker that sets them apart from similar species. Porbeagle sharks are currently listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN globally. In the UK, they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and it is illegal to intentionally catch or kill them in British waters. Historically targeted for their meat, fins, and sport (particularly during the 1950s–70s), porbeagles were once a common trophy in offshore game fishing. Today, those practices have largely ceased, but their populations have yet to fully recover. Article continues below HM Coastguard Aberystwyth said they were received a request from the Milford Haven Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre to assist the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDLMR) charity. "The coastguard rescue team were tasked to provide safety cover for BDMLR and also to provide a bit of crowd control to ensure no members of the public put themselves in harm's way, or inadvertently caused the shark further distress," HM Coastguard Aberystwyth said. "After low tide and no further sightings, 'mini jaws' had seemingly made it out of the bay and so the coastguard rescue teams were stood down."
