An ecological breakthrough marked July 27, 2025, when specialized monitoring cameras of Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) recorded an extremely rare specimen of an angel shark off the coast of Wales.
This scientific record gains exceptional significance as it represents the first documented observation of such a representative after a four-year period of complete absence. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies this marine species as critically endangered.
Characteristic of the angel shark is its specific habitat – the sea bottom, which makes it extremely vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts such as bottom trawling and uncontrolled fishing.
The discovery serves as direct evidence of the need to introduce a complete ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas (MPA), which is currently under discussion in the United Kingdom.
Conservation organizations urgently call on the public to actively participate in the ongoing government consultation, thereby helping to protect endangered marine species.