Funding boost for project protecting Wales’ rarest sharks

Nation.Cymru Staff

A project to protect some of Wales’ rarest sharks has secured almost £400,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

ZSL (Zoological Society of London) and Natural Resources Wales have been awarded initial support for Project SIARC – Sharks Inspiring Action and Research with Communities.

The project aims to see that threatened elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays) and diverse coastal communities benefit from inclusive marine conservation and research in Wales.

Sharks, skates and rays are an important part of Wales’ natural and cultural heritage, playing a key role in healthy seas and local livelihoods.

The development funding of £394,072 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will be used to address critical knowledge gaps for these species and foster greater connection between coastal communities and their local marine environment.

It will also allow the project to strengthen opportunities to get involved in safeguarding sharks, skates and rays across two of Wales’ Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) – Pen Llŷn a’r Sarnau in north Wales, and Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries in the south.

It is hoped this work will strengthen understanding of species ecology and contribute to improved management of the protected areas, maximising the impact of marine conservation across both sites.

Through working with fishers across Wales, SIARC has already improved scientific understanding of Critically Endangered angelsharks in Welsh waters.

It has highlighted how cutting-edge science, like acoustic telemetry and environmental DNA, can work alongside local ecological knowledge to monitor sharks in Wales.

The project has an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, and work will continue to remove the barriers that prevent some groups, especially young people and women, from accessing the marine environment.

For example, to date, the project has co-delivered a young person fisher internship, co-designed resources with local communities, and provided diverse opportunities for public volunteers to take part in SIARC events.

Project SIARC is being delivered in partnership with North Wales Wildlife Trust, Swansea University and The Shark Trust, supported by a network of 40 affiliates and collaborators who deliver the project together. It aims to apply for a full grant from The National Lottery Hertiage Fund at a later date.

Andrew White, Director for Wales, The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We are pleased to be supporting the development phase of Project SIARC.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will help the project to strengthen its plans, build local partnerships and work with communities to shape a more sustainable future for Wales’ marine and coastal heritage.”

Joanna Barker, ZSL’s Project SIARC Programme Manager said: “We are really excited to receive this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to expand our work with coastal communities to safeguard some of the rarest sharks in our seas – from graceful angelsharks to migratory tope.

“Through backing our work to co-design conservation with local communities and connect people with the marine life just outside their front doors, National Lottery players are helping us support both people and wildlife in Wales.”

Ben Wray, Marine Ecologist and SIARC Project Manager at Natural Resources Wales, added: “This project is a fantastic example of how working together can deliver real benefits for both people and nature in Wales.

“By connecting communities more closely with their local seas, we can help protect threatened species like sharks, skates and rays, while supporting well-being and inspiring long-term stewardship of our marine environment. This has given us the opportunity to develop an approach that puts people at the heart of conservation.”