An expedition launched this summer has led to encouragement amongst scientists that great white sharks could be found close to the shores of the UK and Ireland.
Whilst beach-goers might not be jumping for joy at the prospect of one of the sea’s most fearsome creatures roaming British and Irish shores, the scientists leading the research say the discovery of sharks in these areas “would be the greatest thing we have ever achieved on the water.”
The research is being led by the American organisation Ocearch, with the group currently on an expedition off the coast of Ireland hoping to find one of the sea’s most powerful predators.
The founder of the not-for-profit research organisation, Chris Fischer, spoke to Sky News about their excitement regarding a possible discovery.
“It would be the greatest gift we could give to any region of the world for their future,” he said, “because that one shark would show people in this area and other research institutions where they can then potentially work on them and get more of the work going.”
Speaking with The Times, Fischer added that there is a belief that Mediterranean white sharks “should be moving north to feed on seals”
“We believe they should be moving up past Brest [in Brittany] and Cornwall.”
Although scientists and shark experts believe that UK and Irish waters present the perfect conditions for great whites, none have ever been spotted on British shores.
Dr Nick Payne, assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Natural Sciences and shark expert, explains why scientists believe sharks would be comfortable in the area.
He said: “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.”
He added: “This is like a Goldilocks environment for these animals.”
Ireland alone has up to 40 different variations of shark that have been verified in its waters but, despite a number of hoaxes and mistaken sightings over the years, researchers and scientists have yet to mark a sighting of a great white on our shores.
