We wrote recently about the experience of witnessing the tagging of skate in the Sound of Jura and the work of the conservation organisation responsible for the event – the Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network (SSACN).
The three-day weekend event is now over and here are its results:
- 75 Anglers fished from approximately 30 boats and Kayaks
- Boats departed from Oban, Ardfern and Crinan
- something like 75 skate were landed over the three days – 25 of which had already been tagged
- all of these 75 fish were returned to the water unharmed. (and ready for another tourist to catch)
- One Common Skate of 185lbs (tag number 2793) was caught twice at Crinan – firstly on the Friday and then again on the Saturday.
Anglers fishing the event also landed a number of other smaller shark species - including Lesser Spotted Catsharks; Black Mouthed Dogfish (a rare small deep water shark); and several Thornback rays.
SSACN organsied the event as part of its promotional efforts to highlight the Scottish Shark Tagging Programme (SSTP).
The Scottish Shark Tagging Programme is also supported by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Argyll Leader rural development fund.
The photographs above show, left, Willie Kennedy of SSACN’s Events team, holding a black mouthed dogfish (Tag No (9927)); and Julie, currently studying Marine Biology at Aberdeen University, with a common skate (Tag No 9949).