“Que paso?” It’s thought the sharks may be following tuna and bait fish up from the Med.
Ocearch scientists, renowned for their study and tracking of large sharks in the Atlantic, are currently off the coast of Ireland searching for the first recorded great white shark in Irish or UK waters.
Despite much searching and UK shark expert Richard Peirce exploring around a dozen “credible” sightings, a great white shark sighting in British or Irish waters has never been confirmed.
Nukumi – a 17 ft 2 in. 3,541 lbs pinged back in 2021 about as far east as has been seen.
“Conditions in parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland are very similar, to where there are thriving populations of great whites in other parts of the world. I’m talking about food sources — namely seals — and water temperatures,” conservationist Richard Peirce told ABC News.
A small population of great whites is found in the Mediterranean, and it’s thought they could migrate to eastern parts of the North Atlantic to forage for food off the coasts of Spain, France, and Ireland. A young female great white was caught off La Rochelle in 1977, but since then huge populations of tuna and bait fish have moved north to UK and Irish shores.
Other great whites are in the western Atlantic but none have ever been tracked further east than the Acores.
There has never been a confirmed great white shark sighting in British or Irish waters, although other favourite food sources such as seals are abundant.
Shark expert Dr Nick Payne, said
“I think given the conditions we have in Britain and Ireland in terms of the water temperatures and the kind of food that’s available, the kind of habitats that exist on the seabed here, I think there’s a really good chance – these are exactly the kind of conditions, this is like a Goldilocks environment for these animals. It’s not too hot, it’s not too cold, the food here is right, both here in Ireland and throughout different parts of the UK. This whole region is potentially a really comfortable place for them. It’s just a matter of trying to find out if they’re here.”
However in previous weeks the team have fruitlessly searched the waters off Spain and France before moving to Ireland. The expedition will continue in Irish waters until 8 September.
Stay tuned! ocearch.org
