Sign of hope for Wales’ Critically Endangered shark
Previous estimates for declines of Critically Endangered angelsharks in Wales may have been overestimated, suggests ZSL-led study, identifying how changes to fishing practices have decreased chances of fishers encountering native species.
Published today (9 June 2025) in People & Nature, a paper from international conservation charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London), Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Welsh fishing organisations reveals how a series of changes within the Welsh fishing sector – such as reduced angling efforts and decreased overlap between fishing activities and angelshark habitats – have led to a decreased likelihood of fishers encountering the threatened angelsharks.
This finding comes as the team confirm how new techniques could help them build a more accurate picture. Monitoring the DNA left by angelsharks in their environment could revolutionise their ability to understand how these Critically Endangered fish are faring by reducing reliance on chance encounters.
Using the expertise of fishers who have been working across the country’s coastline for over half a century, the paper’s authors sought to examine previous estimates of angelshark populations. Previous studies suggest that angelshark numbers have declined by 70% since 1970 – however challenges with monitoring the rare, hard-to-spot species mean that much of our current scientific understanding comes from fishing reports of accidental catches.
With the study finding that the chances of fishers encountering angelsharks has decreased due to changes in fishing practices since the 1960s, these estimates could be a reflection of the challenges involved in monitoring angelsharks in Welsh waters, which are believed to be one of the last strongholds in the north east Atlantic for the vulnerable species.
Francesca Mason, lead author and ZSL researcher at the Institute of Zoology’s Ocean Predator Lab, said:
“This finding offers hope for this Critically Endangered native species. Angelsharks globally have been pushed to the brink of extinction due to damage to their underwater habitat – and although once widespread in waters around the British Isles, this charming yet shy shark is now a rare sight.”
Angelsharks are speckled, caramel-coloured flattened sharks that can grow up to 2.4m long, and the only angelshark species found in the Atlantic waters of north-east Europe.
They are normally spotted either slowly swimming along the seafloor or buried underneath its sandy surface, waiting for smaller fish to swim past for them to catch.
The team from ZSL and Natural Resources Wales (NWR) worked with the Welsh Fishermen’s Association/Cymdeithas Pysgotwyr and Angling Cymru Sea Anglers to interview 27 fishers about their perceptions on ecological, legislative and socio-economic factors that influenced fishing efforts for boats operating in Welsh waters between 1968 and 2019.
While a handful of the 45 factors identified by the team likely increased the chances of angelshark sightings, the majority of factors – such as changes in target species altering where fishers operated, new commercial fishing regulations, and an increase in usage of species-specific gear – mean that it is now less likely fishers will interact with angelsharks, leading to fewer sightings.
Francesca explained:
“Identifying how changes to fishing practices over the last 51 years have impacted our ability to monitor them indicates that there may be more angelsharks swimming off the Welsh coast than we previously thought – we're just having a harder time spotting them.
While this is a good sign if less angelsharks are being caught accidentally, it also means we now need new ways to monitor them to build a more accurate picture of how these sharks are doing. The work also highlights why conservation works best when we bring people together and combine the knowledge of those living alongside these creatures with cutting-edge research and science.”
Typically found in sandy inshore habitats, angelsharks are vulnerable to unsustainable human activities.
They have been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2006, and are the fifth most Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) shark species, representing a unique branch of the tree of life at high risk of disappearing forever.
Led by ZSL and NRW, Angel Shark Project: Wales is leading work with Welsh fishers and communities to safeguard the species, as part of the wider work of Project SIARC (Sharks Inspiring Action and Research with Communities) collaborating with fishers to better understand sharks, skates and rays in Wales while also inspiring and empowering school groups to learn about and protect the marine environment on their doorstep.
Charlie Bartlett, a charter fisher from Gwynedd and co-author on the study said:
"I've spent over 50 years working along the Welsh coast, and over the years I've come to know these waters inside out. With their large, flat fins, Angelsharks are unlike any other shark we see here - and over the years I’ve been fortunate to encounter the species a number of times.
“Ever since I started working out on the boats, I've been interested in understanding more about the marine life in the area - where being part of Angel Shark Project: Wales has been beneficial in understanding more about this unique shark species in the area.
"It’s been great to share personal experiences, pictures and logbook information that have helped to better understand Angelsharks over the years. This information not just being important for the species itself but also inspiring the next generations to learn more about fishing heritage in Wales and the local marine environment.”
Given their elusive nature and the low visibility of the often-choppy waters of the British Isles, most population data on this species has come from chance-sightings.
Recently published ZSL-led paper offers a new way of monitoring the species by looking not for the sharks themselves but for their genetic material in the water, known as environmental DNA (eDNA). eDNA can build up in the shark’s surroundings through the shedding of dead skin cells or blood loss from a wound, allowing scientists to identify their presence without relying on chance sightings.
Jake Davies, Technical Specialist for Project SIARC at ZSL and NRW who worked on both studies, explained:
“With their excellent camouflage, one of the hardest challenges we face studying angelsharks is simply finding them. eDNA allows us to study species without having to spot them.
"By studying eDNA in Cardigan and Carmarthen Bays, we’ve confirmed the presence of a range of native sharks, skates and rays - including angelsharks - in these more turbulent waters where other monitoring methods aren’t as effective.
"Fishers today may be less likely to come across angelsharks than they were 50 years ago, but through combining this technique with local knowledge, we can continue building a stronger picture of their status and distribution along the Welsh coast.”
This work was made possible thanks to support of On the Edge, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Welsh Government and the Welsh Government’s Nature Networks Fund which was distributed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
ZSL believes nature can recover, and that conservation is most effective when driven by science. We call for science to guide all global decisions on environment and biodiversity and build a healthier future for wildlife, people and the planet.
Image: copyright Jake Davies – JDScuba