Latest news with #Plymouth-based
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Lewis Pugh warns we must protect sharks as he completes swim to mark Jaws' 50th
Endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh said 'we must stop killing sharks' as he completed an 'exhausting' swim in the stormy waters where Jaws was filmed. The conservationist and UN patron of the oceans has launched a campaign to protect sharks, which are threatened by commercial fishing and what he describes as 'indifference' to the fate of an apex predator which helps keep the world's oceans in balance. The Plymouth-based swimmer has completed a 60-mile, 12-day swim around Martha's Vineyard, an island off the east coast of the US, where Jaws was filmed, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Hollywood blockbuster. He said the swim was a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity' to change the narrative around sharks, which were cast as the ultimate underwater villains in Jaws, terrifying generations of film fans. 'The movie Jaws was so effective, it shaped the narrative for the past 50 years. 'The aim of the swim was to change the narrative for a new generation, we need to change the narrative,' said Mr Pugh. 'Sharks are not monsters, they're magnificent, they're essential.' Mr Pugh's fight to highlight the overfishing, climate and pollution threats to the oceans and seek greater protection for the world's seas has previously seen him take the water in places ranging from the South Atlantic to the English Channel, up to the Arctic and Greenland's Ilulissat glacier. He said he knew conditions on his most recent swim would be tough before he took to the water, because of really cold temperatures, the length of the swim and the presence of great white sharks in an area which is a 'hotspot' for the fish. But he said: 'What I hadn't anticipated was just such bad weather. 'We had a beautiful day on the day I started and the day I finished, and in between just really difficult stormy conditions, especially along the south side of the island, which is exposed to the North Atlantic.' He told the PA news agency that windy conditions, big waves, and currents meant that on two days of the swim he could only cover a mile. 'I'm physically exhausted and then, mentally, getting into the water every day… we didn't see any sharks but we knew that they were there. That's mentally exhausting,' he said, adding that he was happy to have safely completed the swim. He went on: 'I felt this was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tell a story about sharks to a global audience.' He said the numbers of sharks caught each year are 'truly shocking', with 100 million killed annually – an average of 174,000 a day worldwide. 'The main direct threat is from commercial fishing, and we have to stop killing sharks. 'But I think there's another threat we have to work so hard to tackle, and that's indifference, it's the belief that sharks somehow don't matter, that the ocean without sharks is safer for all of us. 'It's not, it's really not,' he said. 'They are apex predators, they keep our oceans in balance.' Sharks eat fish which graze on ocean vegetation – and the loss of the predators would lead to overgrazing of seagrass meadows and kelp forests which are key habitats for numerous ocean species and a major carbon store. Migratory sharks also cycle nutrients through marine ecosystems, and help store carbon at the bottom of the ocean through their faeces and when they die and their bodies sink to the seafloor. While the swim has been completed, the 'real hard graft' of work to protect sharks comes next. Mr Pugh will now head to the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, early next month, which will be attended by heads of state and environment ministers, to call for an end to killing sharks and action to create effective marine protected areas across 30% of the world's seas by 2030, known as '30×30'. And at the end of the year, the campaign will focus on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) conference, where he says a number of shark species need to be listed for the highest level of protection. Mr Pugh said protecting sharks is a 'global responsibility' that has to be done. 'When you kill all the sharks it leads to ecological collapse, it's that simple,' he warned.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'Slowly fading away' - Living with young onset dementia
"The laughter is what I miss the most about Jacqui. She was a very able, confident person. [now] I see that slowly fading away."Paul's wife Jacqui was diagnosed with young onset dementia aged 57. He says it now "affects every single minute of every day".When someone develops dementia before the age of 65, this is known as young-onset dementia. According to the latest NHS figures, almost 1,000 people in Devon and Cornwall have a diagnosis, with over 3,200 in the wider South West region of and Jacqui have since sought support at a "wonderful" early onset dementia group run by Plymouth-based charity Memory Matters. Noticing the changes Paul said he started to notice Jacqui getting confused and forgetting things during a family trip away, just before his 60th birthday."Jacqui, who had always been exceptional at her work, and the go-to person, suddenly became the person who couldn't do her work. She was struggling, that was really alien to me."With Jacqui's symptoms initially thought to be due to the menopause, and after numerous medical tests, she was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer's dementia in June Plymouth couple have two sons and have been married for almost 40 years. 'Jacqui's still Jacqui' Paul said his wife was now much quieter than she used to be and her condition affected every moment of daily life."She moves and walks slower. You have to constantly provide support in every area of what she does," he he said they both remained pragmatic about the said: "The future is what it is. You just have to pick up the pieces and deal with it. "Jacqui's signed up to a drug trial and we're going to travel at every opportunity until the day when we can't anymore. "We'll make the best of it and enjoy while we can."Jacqui's still Jacqui. We can still have a good time, it's just different. You have to stay positive."Jacqui said she "can't wait" to meet her first grandchild, a baby girl, due in early June. The couple have sought help through Plymouth-based charity Memory Matters since February commissioned to run groups in Cornwall, it provides dedicated, age-appropriate support through its tailored services, access to expert information and on-the-spot drop-in dementia advice, helping people live the best life they said, "It's really useful. You can talk openly about anything, as [we're] all going through the same thing. Jacqui seems to love it." To access such support, a diagnosis is vital, something which can become more complicated in later life. The NHS estimates at least one third of people in Devon and Cornwall with such conditions do not have Robertson, from the Alzheimer's Society, said: "Sometimes women can be misdiagnosed with the menopause or other conditions, such as depression or stress. At that age, there is a lot going on. "So it's really important to seek support, to rule out other things that can be treated."The Alzheimer's Society highlights the six main symptoms of dementia by using its online checklist NHS said: "Anyone with young onset dementia symptoms - which can include behaviour and personality changes and a decline in language skills - should speak to their GP."Young onset dementia is much rarer than in you or someone you know has been affected by this topic, you can visit the BBC Action Line website.
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Brit swimming 60mi in shark-infested sea but is 'terrified' of something bigger
Lewis Pugh said he is frightened of sharks but more terrified of a world without them, and that's what the world could be looking at if we don't act now Endurance athlete Lewis Pugh is embarking on a swim in a great white shark "hotspot" for the 50th anniversary of the film Jaws, as he calls for action to protect them. The Plymouth-based swimmer started a 60-mile swim around Martha's Vineyard, an island off the east coast of the US where the blockbuster movie - which cast a great white shark as the ultimate underwater villain - was filmed. Pugh hopes his 12-day swim will change the narrative around sharks, as he seeks to educate people about the value of the apex predators that pre-date dinosaurs but are being pushed to extinction by humans. "It's the 50th anniversary of Jaws. It's such an important moment to stop and reflect and tell the full story of sharks for a new generation," said Pugh, 55. He added: 'I'm frightened of sharks. But I'm more terrified of a world without them, and that's what we're looking at if we don't act now. Without sharks to keep them in balance, marine ecosystems are unravelling at frightening speed. We need a new narrative about these magnificent animals because the one we've been hearing for the past 50 years threatens our oceans.' Since 1970, shark populations have plummeted by approximately 70% worldwide through overfishing and habitat destruction, the Lewis Pugh Foundation noted. Each year, an estimated 100 million sharks are killed — that's 274,000 every single day — for their fins, meat, oil, and sport. The result isn't just species loss; it's ecological collapse, with devastating consequences for ocean health and global food security. 'Sharks are integral to ocean health, and ocean health is integral to human survival,' Pugh continued. 'This is not just about future generations. We must learn to respect and protect sharks today, and this will be my key message.' Over the past few decades great white shark numbers have recovered around Martha's Vineyard thanks to conservation efforts. In addition, Pugh says, Massachusetts has recently taken efforts to protect white sharks from on-shore fishing. But this is not the case worldwide, where great white sharks are under increased threat. Pugh's fight to highlight the overfishing, climate and pollution threats to the oceans and seek greater protection for the world's seas has previously had him take to the water in places ranging from the South Atlantic to the English Channel up to the Arctic and Greenland's Ilulissat glacier. The 55-year-old added: 'When we damage the environment, we create conditions that are ripe for conflict. But when we protect the environment, we foster peace. For centuries we have not only been fighting over the environment, we have been fighting against it. We must learn to make peace with nature for the sake of future generations.' Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, said: 'Migratory species like large sharks are nature's messengers – they reveal the health of our oceans and, by extension, our planet. Their decline is a clear signal that we are pushing marine ecosystems to the brink. We need ambitious action to protect all marine biodiversity – and we need it now.' 'As a lifelong surfer and conservationist, I've seen first-hand how the ocean supports our communities,' said Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility. 'Apex species like sharks not only signal the health of our oceans, they help maintain it. When sharks are at risk, so are we. The GEF has advanced the protection of sharks and their ocean habitats for over three decades through investments in sustainable fisheries management and championing marine protected areas, including shark sanctuaries, around the world. "Lewis's shark swim and his 30x30 efforts are essential for our collective efforts to ensure the next generation of surfers, swimmers, and ocean conservationists can follow in our footsteps.'
North Wales Chronicle
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Lewis Pugh swims in great whites ‘hotspot' for shark protection as Jaws turns 50
The Plymouth-based swimmer is starting a 60-mile swim on Thursday around Martha's Vineyard, an island off the east coast of the US where the blockbuster – which cast sharks as the ultimate underwater villain – was filmed. He hopes the 'challenging' 12-day swim will change the narrative around sharks, as he seeks to educate people on the value of the apex predators which pre-date the dinosaurs but are being pushed to extinction by humans. 'It's the 50th anniversary of Jaws. It's such an important moment to stop and reflect and tell the full story of sharks for a new generation,' he said. Mr Pugh's fight to highlight the overfishing, climate and pollution threats to the oceans and seek greater protection for the world's seas has previously seen him take the water in places ranging from the South Atlantic to the English Channel up to the Arctic and Greenland's Ilulissat glacier. Speaking from Martha's Vineyard before his latest swim, he told the PA news agency: 'It's a really beautiful island. It's a small island unless you swim around it.' He said the swim would be challenging because of the cold seas, currents, the distance he will be covering, and because the area was a global hotspot for great white sharks, adding: 'this swim is going to test my body and my mind.' Everybody he spoke to in Martha's Vineyard had their own shark story, he said, and while he would be swimming with a support team and an electronic shark deterrent, it would not be risk-free. 'I'm a swimmer, I readily admit that I'm frightened of sharks. 'But I'm really frightened of a world without sharks, they're essential for a healthy ocean.' He pointed to what would happen if an apex predator was removed from the land, such as taking away lions from southern Africa's veld or grasslands. This would lead to a huge increase in species such as wildebeest that would overgraze the land and cause 'ecological collapse', he said. Sharks eat fish which graze on ocean vegetation – and the loss of the predators would lead to overgrazing of seagrass meadows and kelp forests which are key habitats for numerous ocean species and a major carbon store. Migratory sharks also cycle nutrients through marine ecosystems, and help store carbon at the bottom of the ocean through their faeces and when they die and their bodies sink to the seafloor. Fossil records for sharks date back 400 million years, before the time of the dinosaurs, but while there are more than 500 species of shark in the oceans many species are at risk, conservationists warn. Mr Pugh said: 'The main direct threat to sharks is simply overfishing, 100 million sharks are killed every year, so on average that's 274,000 every day. It's ecocide. 'But I think the greatest threat is indifference, it's the belief that sharks really don't matter, that this catastrophic crash in their numbers will not ultimately impact you. 'It will, because they're guardians of the oceans, and oceans are essential for all life on Earth,' he warned. Protection of great white sharks has enabled the recovery of the species in the US, but sharks are at significant risk globally, he said. 'The challenge with sharks is they have been the most vilified out of all predators, the most feared out of all predators, and so I want to carry this message to other countries, to other swims in other countries where populations are crashing,' he said. Mr Pugh is calling for an end to killing sharks, which are caught for their fins, oil, meat and sport, as well as 'bycatch' in fisheries targeting other species. And he is supporting the creation and enforcement of marine protected areas – ocean sanctuaries where nature is protected from harmful activities such as fishing – to meet the 30X30 commitment to fully protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030. The swim kicks off a three-year campaign to engage a billion people worldwide with science, education and advocacy. It comes before a key UN ocean conference in France in June, where governments are under pressure to ratify a global treaty to protect the high seas, end damaging fishing practices such as bottom trawling, and deliver on the 30X30 commitment to protect the world's marine environment. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, chief executive of the Global Environment Facility, which funds international work on biodiversity and climate, said: 'As a lifelong surfer and conservationist, I've seen firsthand how the ocean supports our communities.' 'Apex species like sharks not only signal the health of our oceans, they help maintain it. When sharks are at risk, so are we,' he warned.
Rhyl Journal
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Lewis Pugh swims in great whites ‘hotspot' for shark protection as Jaws turns 50
The Plymouth-based swimmer is starting a 60-mile swim on Thursday around Martha's Vineyard, an island off the east coast of the US where the blockbuster – which cast sharks as the ultimate underwater villain – was filmed. He hopes the 'challenging' 12-day swim will change the narrative around sharks, as he seeks to educate people on the value of the apex predators which pre-date the dinosaurs but are being pushed to extinction by humans. 'It's the 50th anniversary of Jaws. It's such an important moment to stop and reflect and tell the full story of sharks for a new generation,' he said. Mr Pugh's fight to highlight the overfishing, climate and pollution threats to the oceans and seek greater protection for the world's seas has previously seen him take the water in places ranging from the South Atlantic to the English Channel up to the Arctic and Greenland's Ilulissat glacier. Speaking from Martha's Vineyard before his latest swim, he told the PA news agency: 'It's a really beautiful island. It's a small island unless you swim around it.' He said the swim would be challenging because of the cold seas, currents, the distance he will be covering, and because the area was a global hotspot for great white sharks, adding: 'this swim is going to test my body and my mind.' Everybody he spoke to in Martha's Vineyard had their own shark story, he said, and while he would be swimming with a support team and an electronic shark deterrent, it would not be risk-free. 'I'm a swimmer, I readily admit that I'm frightened of sharks. 'But I'm really frightened of a world without sharks, they're essential for a healthy ocean.' He pointed to what would happen if an apex predator was removed from the land, such as taking away lions from southern Africa's veld or grasslands. This would lead to a huge increase in species such as wildebeest that would overgraze the land and cause 'ecological collapse', he said. Sharks eat fish which graze on ocean vegetation – and the loss of the predators would lead to overgrazing of seagrass meadows and kelp forests which are key habitats for numerous ocean species and a major carbon store. Migratory sharks also cycle nutrients through marine ecosystems, and help store carbon at the bottom of the ocean through their faeces and when they die and their bodies sink to the seafloor. Fossil records for sharks date back 400 million years, before the time of the dinosaurs, but while there are more than 500 species of shark in the oceans many species are at risk, conservationists warn. Mr Pugh said: 'The main direct threat to sharks is simply overfishing, 100 million sharks are killed every year, so on average that's 274,000 every day. It's ecocide. 'But I think the greatest threat is indifference, it's the belief that sharks really don't matter, that this catastrophic crash in their numbers will not ultimately impact you. 'It will, because they're guardians of the oceans, and oceans are essential for all life on Earth,' he warned. Protection of great white sharks has enabled the recovery of the species in the US, but sharks are at significant risk globally, he said. 'The challenge with sharks is they have been the most vilified out of all predators, the most feared out of all predators, and so I want to carry this message to other countries, to other swims in other countries where populations are crashing,' he said. Mr Pugh is calling for an end to killing sharks, which are caught for their fins, oil, meat and sport, as well as 'bycatch' in fisheries targeting other species. And he is supporting the creation and enforcement of marine protected areas – ocean sanctuaries where nature is protected from harmful activities such as fishing – to meet the 30X30 commitment to fully protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030. The swim kicks off a three-year campaign to engage a billion people worldwide with science, education and advocacy. It comes before a key UN ocean conference in France in June, where governments are under pressure to ratify a global treaty to protect the high seas, end damaging fishing practices such as bottom trawling, and deliver on the 30X30 commitment to protect the world's marine environment. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, chief executive of the Global Environment Facility, which funds international work on biodiversity and climate, said: 'As a lifelong surfer and conservationist, I've seen firsthand how the ocean supports our communities.' 'Apex species like sharks not only signal the health of our oceans, they help maintain it. When sharks are at risk, so are we,' he warned.
