As part of the Wildlife Trusts' ongoing Marine BIll campaign, the Ulster Wildlife Trust is highlighting the massive loss of marine megafauna from our seas.
Common skate (measuring up to 3 metres/9 ft across), now critically endangered in the Irish Sea, were once as widespread as their name suggests. Historic records suggest that even basking sharks, seen around the Northern Irish coastline, may have declined by as much as 95%[i], as hunting, fishing and other activities have taken their toll.
For more information, please download the Wildilfe Trusts' Seas of Plenty leaflet which sets out to show just how much our marine environment has changed - for the worse - in a short period of time. The new campaign leaflet also shows how vital it is that the UK Marine Bill (published in draft on 3 April 2008) and legislation developed in Northern Ireland provides robust new laws for marine conservation – including the creation of highly protected marine reserves – if our seas are ever again to be a stronghold for the giants of the seas.
The leaflet was produced with the help of Dr Callum Roberts, professor of marine conservation at the University of York and author of 'Marine Reserves in Northern Ireland: the way forward' .
[i] Figure from research undertaken by Professor Callum Roberts researching changes in the abundance of marine wildlife using historical sources, fisheries statistics, reviews and other sources of information. This research was funded by Natural England.
