Marine / Fisheries scientists release ‘amazing’ video as part of new study into flapper skates
‘We hadn’t seen anything like it before,’ says one researcher working on the project
UHI Shetland’s marine science team has released a remarkable video as part of a recently launched two-year project to study Europe’s largest skate species – the flapper skate – in the seas around the isles.
UHI said the species is also locally called “barn-door” skate and previously referred to as “common skate” but is now considered critically endangered.
The research team is calling for anglers and those within the commercial fishing industry to report any sightings of tagged skate in the hope of following the movement of the species.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that there are increasing numbers of flapper skate around Shetland.
However, there is a lack of basic information on the biology and movement of the species.
The team are using a tag-recapture method and underwater video cameras to address these knowledge gaps.
Footage from the underwater video cameras deployed in August have already provided remarkable insights into the behaviour and interactions of flapper skate.
In footage shared by UHI Shetland, flapper skate are observed investigating a bait bag attached to specially designed camera landers used around Fair Isle.
Mia McAllister, a researcher working on the project, said: “I have been studying skate species around Shetland for the past couple of years, so I am very excited to be working on such an important project and to get a chance to interact with these impressive animals.
“When we first reviewed the footage from Fair Isle we were amazed, within minutes there were large flapper skate investigating the lander.
“On multiple occasions the entire lander, weighing 20 kg, was picked up and moved around by different flapper skate, their strength is incredible, we hadn’t seen anything like it before.”
The team is also using yellow numbered tags which they attach to the wings of flapper skate in the hope that members of the public will observe and report these tagged specimens so that their movement and growth can be understood.
UHI Shetland senior fisheries scientists Shaun Fraser said: “We are six weeks into the fieldwork element of the project, and already we have tagged dozens of flapper skate all around Shetland from Fair Isle to Fetlar.
“This has mostly been achieved by sampling catches from our annual inshore fish surveys. We are also expanding our coverage by tagging catches from angling vessels and local fishing competitions.
“Going forward, for the project to be a success its vital that anglers and the commercial fishing industry please work with us and report sightings of tagged skate.
“I urge anyone in the community interested in helping us with the project to please get in touch.”
The project is supported by the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund (SMEEF) and by players of People’s Postcode Lottery through the National Trust for Scotland’s Love our Nature project.
For information on what to do if someone sees a tagged skate, contact the team by WhatsApp on 07385 433508 or by email tags.shetland@uhi.ac.uk
The team is asking anyone who catches a tagged skate to contact them with the following information:
- Tag number
- Length (from nose tip to tail tip) or width (maximum distance across wings)
- Location (lat/long or grid reference if possible)
- Date
The researchers are also particularly keen to join local anglers who might be interested in helping expand the tagging work.
Any anglers who would be willing to help should contact the UHI Shetland marine science team.
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