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A rare shark nursery has been discovered among deep-water coral reefs some 200 miles west of Ireland.
Footage captured in July by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) highlights an unusual number of egg cases scattered some 750 meters (820 yards) under the sea.
Such large concentrations, according to Ireland’s Marine Institute, are “rarely recorded,” and suggest females may gather in this area to lay their eggs.
“We are delighted to report the discovery of a rare shark nursery on a scale not previously documented in Irish waters,” David O’Sullivan, chief scientist on the SeaRover (Sensitive Ecosystem Analysis and ROV Exploration of Reef habitat) survey, said last week.
“This discovery shows the significance of documenting sensitive marine habitats,” he continued, “and will give us a better understanding of the biology of these beautiful animals and their ecosystem function in Ireland’s Biologically Sensitive Area.”
O’Sullivan is a member of INFOMAR, a 20-year government initiative to map the physical, chemical, and biological features of Ireland’s seabed.
A large school of blackmouth catshark (Galeus malestomus) swimming around the site indicates the eggs belong to this species—common in the northeast Atlantic Ocean.
The sailfin roughshark (Oxynotus paradoxus)—a species of dogfish shark—was also observed.
“Both species are of scientific interest as Ireland has an obligation to monitor deepwater sharks under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive,” Maurice Clarke, of the Fisheries Ecosystem Advisory Services at the Marine Institute, said in a statement.
The solitary sailfin roughshark (via Marine Institute)
The latter, listed as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, may have been feeding on the eggs, though there is no hard evidence to back that up.
“No pups were obvious at the site and it is believed that the adult sharks might be utilizing degraded coral reef and exposed carbonate rock on which to lay their eggs,” O’Sullivan explained.
“A healthy coral reef in the vicinity may act as a refuge for the juvenile shark pups once they hatch,” he continued. “It is anticipated that further study of the site will answer some important scientific questions on the biology and ecology of deep-water sharks in Irish waters.”
SeaRover is the second of three surveys commissioned and jointly funded by the Irish government and the EU’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.
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