Kent’s shark secrets discovered in new project
A new initiative called Sharks of Kent, run by Kent Wildlife Trust with marine partners Adonis Blue, is gathering data on sharks along the Kent coastline to better understand their movements and behaviour. Sharks are caught, measured and weighed before some are tagged and released, with local anglers and boat skippers also being trained to take part, expanding the pool of people who can contribute data to the research.
Project manager Max Renton highlighted the ecological importance of sharks, noting they have existed for 400 million years and play a key role as predators in regulating marine ecosystems, with Kent's waters thought to be a significant nursery and pupping ground. On a day the BBC observed the work, 31 smooth hound sharks were caught, of which 11 were large enough to be tagged, allowing scientists to later gather data on growth and movement if the sharks are recaptured. The project also links to wider efforts to secure UNESCO Global Geopark status for the cross-Channel area, with an announcement expected next year, according to Kent Downs National Landscape manager Greg Taylor.
- New Kent Wildlife Trust project tracks and tags local sharks
- 31 smooth hound sharks caught, 11 tagged in one day
- Kent's waters seen as key shark nursery, tied to Geopark bid
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Sharks of Kent is a research project run by Kent Wildlife Trust, working with a marine partner called Adonis Blue, to study sharks living and passing through waters off the Kent coast. Researchers catch sharks, measure and weigh them, and tag some before releasing them, so they can track how they move and grow over time. Local anglers and boat skippers are also being trained to help collect data, widening the number of people involved.
The project's project manager, Max Renton, points to sharks' long evolutionary history and their role as predators that help keep marine ecosystems in balance. Kent's coastal waters are thought to serve as an important nursery area where young sharks are born and develop, which is part of why the region is of scientific interest.
The work also feeds into a separate, longer-running bid to have the cross-Channel area recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark, a status tied to an area's geological and natural heritage, according to Kent Downs National Landscape manager Greg Taylor. That decision is expected next year.