Basking Shark Conference for Isle of Man

A Conference: Basking Sharks: A Global Perspective: The Manx Government, Manx Basking Shark Watch and the Save our Seas Foundation are hosting a conference, “BASKING SHARKS: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE” on the Isle of Man August 3rd-6th 2009. Experts in basking shark tagging, genetics and conservation will come from around the world to discuss ways to study, conserve and manage this wonderful animal. It will be followed by the UK Wildlife Trusts’ Basking Shark Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) meeting at the same venue.

For more information visit

Cool Seas Roadshow hits the Isle of Man schools

It’s great to see the fantastic work the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Department of Education are doing to promote the marine wildlife and marine conservation in the local primary schools this week, a similar aim of the organisers of Marine Day.

A full report is featured on IOM Newspapers.

BBC Springwatch Sea Life programme

The BBC’s Springwatch series on Tuesday night covered Sea Life and included a good eight minute feature on the Isle of Man.

Due to the vagaries of landings over the years Manx Fishermen have worked on technical conservation regulations in order to ensure that stocks have remained robust. These have included restrictions on fishing times, closed seasons and limitations on the amount of dredges permitted. The Island also has two areas in Manx waters, one that has been in place since 1989 and the other created in 2008, that are closed to mobile fishing. These are supported by the fishing industry and indeed the impetus for the Douglas closed area was started by the fishermen. Data analysis seems to support the viability of these areas’.

You can re-watch the programme here: BBC Springwatch Sea Life programme.