University of Exeter scientists awarded nearly £1 million to protect England’s sharks

University of Exeter scientists have been awarded £939,434 by Natural England to lead a major new project investigating the movement, breeding grounds and conservation status of three of England’s most vulnerable shark species.

The three-year project, running from July 2026 to March 2029, will focus on blue shark, porbeagle and tope – species found in English waters that remain poorly understood despite growing conservation concern.

Tope and porbeagle, in particular, are currently classified as Vulnerable and Critically Endangered in Europe.

The project is funded through Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme, an ambitious initiative that supports targeted action for over 350 threatened species across England as part of the government’s “Wild Again: Restoring England’s Wildlife”.

Announcing the funding, Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “Through the largest-ever investment in species recovery, we are backing projects across the country to protect threatened wildlife, restore habitats and secure the future of some of England’s most iconic species.”

Led by Exeter’s Dr Matthew Witt and Dr Lucy Hawkes, the shark project brings together the Angling Trust, the Marine Biological Association (MBA) and the Pat Smith Database in a partnership combining cutting-edge tracking technology with decades of knowledge held by recreational anglers.

Over the course of the project, the team will deploy 75 electronic tags – including long-term satellite tags that can track sharks for up to two years – to reveal migration routes, residency areas and how sharks respond to being caught and released by anglers.

Researchers will also use non-invasive ultrasound scanning to identify pregnant sharks and locate potential pupping and nursery grounds, avoiding the need for invasive blood sampling.

Alongside the tagging programme, the team will run workshops and structured interviews with at least 45 anglers at major angling hubs including Looe, Falmouth and Brightlingsea, gathering historical catch records and local ecological knowledge that will be combined with existing databases to build the most complete picture yet of shark distribution in English waters.

The findings will feed into updated England Red List assessments for all three species, as well as best-practice guidance for anglers to improve post-release survival.

Dr Witt, Associate Professor, University of Exeter, said: “Coastal and open ocean sharks are among the most threatened groups of animals, yet they hold huge ecological, cultural and economic value.

“This project brings together anglers, the fishing sector and research scientists from across England to co-create real insight into the lives of sharks.

“By combining generations of angler knowledge with state-of-the-art animal tracking technology, we’re building the evidence needed to secure a future for these remarkable species.”

MBA Senior Research Fellow Dr Bryce Stewart said: “Important and vulnerable shark species live in English waters, yet significant knowledge gaps remain regarding their distribution and abundance.

“This project will provide the most comprehensive assessment of blue, porbeagle and tope sharks undertaken in England to date.

“Working together with the University of Exeter, recreational anglers and other partners, we will collect data to help us to identify the actions needed to secure their future.”