Scientists tag McShark

HUGE 11-metre-long sharks are being tagged by a team of scientists on the River Clyde as part of a conservation study. The scientists manoeuvre their small boat right up to the plankton-eating basking sharks to attach an electronic device.

They hope the results will provide clues to the numbers of basking sharks, which can weigh up to seven tons, living in Scottish waters.

The Glasgow University Marine Biology Station at Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae is carrying out the research on behalf of the Save Our Seas Foundation.

Research leader Dr Mauvis Gore said: “It’s been an exciting couple of weeks.We’ve managed to tag some sharks and get some very important information.”

Meanwhile, the Wildlife Trust’s Basking Shark Project revealed yesterday that out of 180 sightings around the coastlines of Britain, a record 172 of the sharks were spotted in Scottish waters

Source: Daily Record (Scotland)