What anglers have taught me about saving England's sharks

After six days on a small boat in the English Channel in July, ecologist Lucy Hawkes and two experienced anglers caught no thresher sharks until the 14th trip. The breakthrough came when an electronically tagged thresher shark was finally secured—a first for England and the northeast Atlantic. The species can reach 5.8m and hunts with a long tail, herding fish in packs. The tag is expected to detach next year, float to the surface and transmit data, helping reveal migration patterns. The work is tied to a new £1.2 million Natural England grant aimed at better conserving pelagic sharks like blue sharks, porpoises, and tope.