We're going to need a bigger beer
By Kate Simon
It seems sadly appropriate that a smalltooth sand tiger shark made a rare visit to the Solent in the week the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change spelt out the immediate action necessary to avoid climate catastrophe.
The 6ft-long creature, the first of its kind to be recorded in UK waters, met its end on Lepe Beach on the edge of the New Forest, far from the Bay of Biscay, the northernmost reach of its usual territory.
No wonder scientists are keen to retrieve the shark’s head from trophy hunters to try to work out why it strayed. But even without the head, the consensus seems to be that the shark’s appearance was due to climate change.
Hammerheads and blacktips, as well as smalltooth sand tigers, have already been tipped to become more frequent visitors to these shores in the next 30 years because of the warming seas around our coast. Yet sharks are no strangers to British waters, some 40 species, most of them endangered, swim beneath our waves.
Devon and Cornwall are the top sighting grounds. Take a dip here and you might encounter thresher, porbeagle, smoothound sharks and more. Cue the theme from Jaws; should we be scared to go back in the water this summer?
The experts say no. There have been only three unprovoked attacks by the much-maligned fish in British waters since records began, according to world authority the International Shark Attack File. And only about 20 of the 500 species in existence have been known to attack humans.
Rather than being a deterrent, the smalltooth sand tiger is likely to provoke a surge in interest about how to get closer to these marine superstars. And while diving with sharks might sound like the stuff of an exotic holiday, it is possible to do in the UK.
Shark dives are controversial, though, and leading conservation group The Shark Trust has some words of caution as well as useful advice about how to identify responsible tour operators. It recommends looking out for WiSe accreditation, a training scheme that prioritises wildlife safety.
The Trust seems keener to encourage involvement in its own initiatives, such as the Basking Shark Project. Volunteers are being recruited to help record sightings of the second biggest fish in the world (pictured, above, off the Isle of Coll in Scotland) when it heads into UK waters between May and October. Skye, Mull, the Isle of Man and, of course, Devon and Cornwall are the best places to catch a glimpse of that tell-tale dorsal fin.
The Trust is also hosting an exhibition of 31 species of sharks and rays, Oceanic 31, this summer, which will go on tour around the UK until autumn 2024.
Like previous climate migrants Thor the Walrus and Benny the Beluga, the smalltooth sand tiger shark has added a new dimension to wildlife watching in Britain for all the wrong reasons.
Phil’s Beer Notes
There are spots in the UK where, according to the RSPB, you don’t even have to jump in a boat to see basking sharks, you can watch from the shore – with a beer nearby.
As the name suggests, the First & Last Inn is at the western tip of Cornwall, in the village of Sennen, and has local ales on the pumps.
Not far from the South Stack Cliffs on Anglesey, there’s a craft brewery with a taproom and bottle shop. Bragdy Cybi in Holyhead is run by Bethan and Dan Jones, who offer regular tutored tastings of their beers.
The Bay Hotel stands on the beach at Port Erin, overlooking the prime shark-spotting seas off the Isle of Man. It’s also the best place to sample local brewer Bushy’s range of beers.
On the remote Atlantic shore of North Uist, the Westford Inn is a welcoming haven, serving beers on cask from the Isle of Skye Brewery and others, and hosting live traditional music.
Photo © Martin Prochazkacz/Shutterstock