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Undulate Ray Monitoring in South West England
Understanding Undulates - using angling records to learn more about Undulate Ray populations
The Shark Trust has long acknowledged sea-anglers are in a unique position to record a range of information on shark, skate and ray populations. With this in mind the Trust is asking anglers to open up their catch logs and share information on Undulate Ray catches on the southern and southwest coasts of England and Wales over the years.
As part of the second round of Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) designations, 37 new sites are to be assessed as potential candidates. The Shark Trust is requesting angling records for the Undulate Ray - a species listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and known to be a feature at two English south coast candidate MCZ sites. The inclusion of angling records will ensure all sources of information available are included in the MCZ designation process. Undulate Ray populations could benefit significantly from MCZ protection, particularly those areas crucial to stationary phases during the the ray's lifespan - such as egglaying and nursery grounds (during the juvenile phase).
The objective of the Understanding Undulates project is to improve the resolution of our knowledge – or ‘zoom in’ on – Undulate Ray populations around the southern and southwest coasts of England and Wales.
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS USEFUL:
❶ Number caught
❷ Location (specific marks not essential)
❸ Tide state/time
❹ Date
❺ Size and sex of fish
❻ Photos HOW TO SHARE YOUR CATCH RECORDS:
Visit the Trust’s Angler Recording Project and complete the online catch form.
Email your catch records directly to the Shark Trust at [email protected]
Phone the Shark Trust on 01752 672020.
Feel free to forward this information on to club members, or anyone else who may be interested. If you'd like more information please contact the Shark Trust.
No fishing marks will be exposed by this project. All marks submitted will remain 100% confidential.
John Richardson Conservation Officer The Shark Trust 4 Creykes Court, 5 Craigie Drive, The Millfields Plymouth, PL1 3JB
+44 1752 672020
http://www.sharktrust.org/en/undulate_ray
Registered charity number: 1064185 Registered company number: 3396164