Twice this year, sharks have washed up on Brighton Beach. Coastguards have noticed more and more basking sharks near the beach, with the main giveaway being the dorsal fin. The sharks that have been found were decomposed, with many theories circulating as to the reason why. The basking shark is the second-biggest shark, second only to the whale shark. They tend to reach the British coast between May and October, and then migrate to North Africa in winter.
Brighton’s Fishing Economy
Brighton has a very strong fishing economy, with companies like Brighton Charter Fishing offering numerous boat trips for residents and tourists. With media such as Deadliest Catch and River Monsters highlighting how fun fishing can be, it’s not surprising to see activities like this on the rise. Games like Ultimate Fishing Simulator and Big Bass Splash are also gaining popularity. The latter has also spawned several sequels, including Big Bass: Secrets of the Golden Lake and Big Bass: Amazon XTreme, showing how popular fishing has become across different audiences. With so many people booking trawling tours and fishing boat expeditions in the area, it might be that more sharks are being drawn to the coast.
Basking sharks are filter feeders, and focus mainly on plankton, fish eggs, and small crustaceans. Phytoplankton blooms in the UK, especially on the coast, so this combined with the extra fishing activity could be what’s drawing them nearer. Boat engine noises often attract sharks, so this is one theory behind why we are seeing more sharks wash up on Brighton shores. With that being said, this theory isn’t likely to be true, as the sharks that have been found were diseased and decaying upon being found. Many of them had been attacked by other animals at some point, indicating that there are bigger predators in the ocean who are targeting them.
Numerous Factors Could Be Leading to Recent Discoveries
Numerous factors are probably leading to more sharks being found on Brighton beaches. One of them could be the time of the year or the changes in the weather. Climate change, as detailed by Save Our Seas, is also changing the behaviour of basking sharks, and when you combine this with the fact that predators are always seeking new food sources, it’s not surprising to see changes like this happen. Although we have seen at least two basking sharks wash up on Brighton shores, other species have also been seen. A killer tiger shark once washed up on the beach in 2015, shocking locals.
Scientists have also been studying marine life near Brighton. So far they have identified 81 marine species alongside the East Sussex coastline, including the European Eel and Tope Shark. Both of these species are endangered, showing that new animals are being brought closer to England as time goes on.
Of course, there have only been two discoveries this year, so locals have nothing to fear. The sharks were both dead at the time through predator attacks, indicating that it’s just the natural order of things, rather than a wider issue.
