A critically endangered angel shark was filmed off the Welsh coast in Cardigan Bay, the first footage of its kind in the region since 2021. The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) captured the footage as part of a biodiversity monitoring project. Angel sharks are under threat from habitat loss and commercial fishing, particularly bottom trawling, which exacerbates their decline. As the UK government considers banning bottom trawling in marine protected areas, the sighting provides a timely reminder of the species' vulnerability and the need for effective conservation measures.
Underwater footage shows a critically endangered angel shark swimming through the waters of Cardigan Bay, the first time it has been recorded on film in the area since 2021.
Angel sharks are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, with populations in steep decline due to habitat loss and commercial fishing.
Despite the decline, the sighting comes at a crucial time, as the Senedd and UK government discuss a ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas.
Wales has 139 designated marine protected areas (MPAs), yet many still remain exposed to damaging activities such as trawling, dredging and even seabed mining.
Collection
[
|
...
]