Marine experts are left baffled and launch probe as dozens of sharks mysteriously wash up on British beach
- The starry smooth-hound sharks washed up on shores of Prestatyn on Tuesday
Dozens of sharks have washed up on a UK beach in a baffling mystery described as ‘worrying’ by sea life experts.
Almost 30 starry smooth-hound sharks were discovered on the shores of Prestatyn in Denbighshire, North Wales on Tuesday morning.
Pictures shared online showed the creatures, often referred to as gummy sharks, scattered along the beach.
Marine expert Gem Simmons told the BBC that she had tried to take samples from the animals but they had unfortunately ‘fallen prey to herring gulls.’
‘What we wanted was to take samples of the gills, to see if this has happened as a result of by-catch (in fishing nets),’ she said.
Pictures shared online showed the creatures, often referred to as gummy sharks, scattered along the beach in North Wales on Tuesday
Almost 30 starry smooth-hound sharks were discovered on the shores of Prestatyn in Denbigshire, North Wales on Tuesday morning
It comes after reports of illegal fishing in the area in recent months, although it remains unknown if they are linked to the beached sharks.
Ms Simmons added: ‘To find one or two is normal, but so many is worrying.’
The expert, who works with British Divers Marine Life Rescue, said it was not yet possible to reach any conclusions.
Investigators are now looking into other reports of washed up sharks along the same stretch of coast to try and find patterns.
Natural Resources Wales and Project Siarc have been made aware of the incident, Ms Simmons said.
MailOnline has contacted both organisations for comment.
Investigators are now looking into other reports of washed up sharks along the same stretch of coast to try and find patterns
A dog investigates one of the dozens of sharks that washed up on a beach on Tuesday
Natural Resources Wales and Project Siarc have been made aware of the incident
The gummy sharks are seen scattered along the beach in a mystery that has left marine experts baffled
Smooth-hound sharks are a common species in UK waters and mainly survive on crustaceans and shellfish.
Measuring up to 150cm in length, they live in coastal waters at depths of between 5 and 200 metres. They typically weigh up to 4.8kg.
It comes after another similar mystery in February when hundreds of dead fish washed up on Porthgwidden Beach in St Ives, Cornwall.
Commenters on Facebook suggested the fish could have been killed by sewage being pumped onto the coastline, or that they were pushed ashore by dolphins.
In October 2021, thousands of crabs and lobsters washed up dead along the coast in the North East, and the cause of it is still being speculated.
A video circulating social media this morning shows hundreds of dead fish washed up on Porthgwidden Beach in St Ives, Cornwall
A recent report from the Department for the Environment (Defra) pinned the crustacean deaths on a disease previously unknown to science.
Another scientific report said it may have been caused by dredging mud from the mouth of the Tees at Middlesbrough stirring up long-buried toxic chemicals.
Storms are another common cause of mass fish stranding, as the rough waters can wash marine life on to the beaches.
This was thought to have happened in December 2016, when thousands of dead mackerel and herring washed up on Pentewan Beach in Cornwall.
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