United Kingdom

Updated February 6, 2021

Overview

The UK has more than 40 species of shark either living in, or regularly visiting, its waters at different times of the year. Most famously, basking sharks can be seen off the coast of Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Western Scotland between May and October. Unfortunately it is estimated that around half of the shark species found in UK waters are now under threat.

Large numbers of sharks are caught in UK waters by European fishing vessels. In July 2019 The Independent reported on an investigation by Greenpeace UK, which found that the majority of sharks landed in UK waters were caught by Spanish ships. Spain is one of the World’s biggest exporters of shark fins to Asia. Greenpeace found that more than £300,000 worth of shark fins were sent from the UK to Spain between 2017 and 2019, prompting The Independent to declare: ‘many people will be gobsmacked to hear Britain is fueling this controversial global trade’.

There is also the issue of some species of shark such as spiny dogfish being mislabeled as ‘rock salmon’ or ‘rock eel’, and sold in fish and chip shops across the UK as well as elsewhere in Europe. While fishing for spiny dogfish was made illegal in the North East Atlantic Ocean in 2011, large numbers of the fish are caught as accidental ‘bycatch’ by fishing trawlers and can then be sold legally in the UK under European Union law.

Laws & Loopholes

There are a number of UK laws which cover sharks and rays, though as mentioned above the biggest issue seems to be surrounding ‘bycatch’ and how this can be used as a loophole to land otherwise protected species like spiny dogfish. 

Some species, like basking sharks and angel sharks for example, are offered a higher level of protection in UK waters under the following laws:

  • Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
  • Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985
  • Countryside Rights of Way Act 2000
  • Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004

Thanks to these laws, harming or killing a basking shark can result in a heavy fine or up to 6 months in prison.

Proposed Legislation

While there is currently no pending legislation, the departure of the UK from the EU, gives the UK the opportunity to consider further controls. The UK is “strongly opposed” to shark finning and was instrumental in pushing the EU to ban the practice.

Environmental groups are concerned that current EU rules do not do enough to prevent shark finning. They are calling for regulations to be tightened and for the introduction of catch limits for sharks that are based on scientific advice. 

EU laws permit individuals traveling to Europe to carry up to 20kg of dried shark fins. Investigations by Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation suggest that shark fins arrive in the UK via this loophole and are then sold on the black market to the restaurant trade. 20kg produces over 700 bowls of shark fin soup and over 25 dead sharks.

Actions to Take

Residents

  • Take part in beach clean-up operations to help remove rubbish such as plastic bottles and fishing nets to reduce the risk to ocean life. 
  • Avoid consuming shark by being aware of product labelling. Fish and chips often contain shark under the labels of “rock lobster,” “rock salmon,” or “rock eel.” 
  • Though rare, there are still some restaurants that serve shark fin soup. Choose to dine elsewhere.
  • Lobby your local Member of Parliament and let them know how important shark protections are to you as a constituent. The more often this happens, the more likely these issues are to be debated and addressed in Parliament in order to bring about changes in the law and strengthen the protections available to sharks in the UK.
  • Sign the Bite-Back petition to end the 20kg personal import allowance of shark fins. 

Visitors

  • Many tourists want to sample real British fish and chips, but fish and chips often contain shark under the labels of “rock lobster,” “rock salmon,” or “rock eel.”
  • Though rare, there still some restaurants that serve shark fin soup. Choose to dine elsewhere.
  • Support responsible shark ecotourism in the U.K. help the local economy by reinforcing the fact that sharks are worth more alive.

Places To Dive With Sharks

  • Cornwall, England- Basking sharks, blue sharks, porbeagle sharks (Summer months)
  • Hebrides, Scotland– Basking sharks (April-October)
  • Dorset, England– Blue sharks, basking sharks, thresher sharks 
  • Isle Of Man– Basking sharks (May-August)
  • Cardigan Bay, Wales– Basking sharks, thresher sharks (April-October)