Marine Life & Conservation
Join the Shark Trust on an Easter Egg Hunt with a difference!
Stuck for ideas on what to do over the Easter Holidays? Want to get outside and do something fun to work off all that pent up energy from eating too much chocolate? The Shark Trust has an Easter Egg Hunt with a difference for you to try. Take part in the Great Eggcase Hunt and get involved with a big citizen science project that helps shark, ray and skate conservation. And it’s an enjoyable activity for all the family.
Senior Conservation Officer Cat Gordon says “The Shark Trust launched the Great Eggcase Hunt back in 2003, when a chance find on a Devon beach sparked the idea. Since then, over 300,000 eggcase records have been sent in from all around the UK and even further afield. New finds from around the world are regularly being added to an ever-growing database. The project now has an impressive 43 species recorded from 29 countries. All this information helps us better understand species presence and diversity – it’s also a great way to get involved in shark conservation, and of course, it’s fun!”
So, what is an eggcase? Some sharks, and all true skates, reproduce by laying eggs. These are surrounded by a tough leathery capsule that protects the embryo as it develops inside. Small slits in the eggcase allow fresh oxygenated seawater in, and let waste out, while a yolk sac provides plenty of nutrition. After several months (although this will vary depending on species) they are ready to hatch. The top of the eggcase will open and a fully formed shark or skate will emerge and be completely independent, having to fend for itself. Once empty, the eggcases (or mermaid’s purses) often wash up on the beach.
You don’t need to be part of an organised event to join in with an eggcase hunt (although check to see if there is one running near you!). All you need to do, is head to your nearest beach and take a look around to see what you can find. The best places to search are in the strandline where seaweed and debris washes up, and in sand dunes at the back of the beach as they often get trapped in the grass.
The eggcases of different species vary. So, once you’ve found an eggcase, look at the size, shape, and features to identify which species it belongs to – we’ve developed identification resources to help you figure it out! Once you’ve got the answer, head over to the Shark Trust’s Recording Hub where you can submit your finds.
Paul Cox, Shark Trust MD, said “In our 25th Anniversary year, we can look back at the many things that we’ve achieved with our partners and supporters over the years. The Great Eggcase Hunt is one of our defining projects. Thousands of people have joined in the hunt over the years and the project goes from strength to strength – it’s fun, easy and a great way to learn about local sharks.”
The Shark Trust also want snorkellers and divers to record their underwater eggcase findings. Underwater records help pinpoint exactly where sharks and skates are laying their eggs and can help link to beach records. Learning the depth and substrate that they lay on also helps better understand the species.
The Great Eggcase Hunt makes for a fantastic family day out at the beach, so get involved with shark conservation and have fun too!
Find out more: https://www.sharktrust.org/great-eggcase-hunt
Where to find out more:
- The Shark Trust has created a brand-new poster and ID guide to help you identify which species you have found. These can be found here: https://www.sharktrust.org/geh-how-can-you-help
- Once you have completed your Great Eggcase hunt take pictures and head to the Shark Trust website (sharktrust.org/recordyoureggcase) to record your finds.
- Want more shark and ray activities to keep the kids busy over the holidays? The Shark Trust have teamed up with the Great Out-tours to create activity bundles filled with fun and educational challenges, including crafts, puzzles, quizzes and wordsearches. https://thegreatout-tours.com/shark-trust/
- Weather bad? Live too far from a beach? Have no fear, the Shark Trust have developed a fun and educational indoor version of the Great Eggcase Hunt for you to try at home! You can find it here: https://www.sharktrust.org/geh-how-can-you-help
Eggcase Hunting Tips
BE SAFE ON THE BEACH:
- Check tide times
- Tell someone where you’re going
- If possible, use a stick to rummage in seaweed to avoid any nasty surprises
- Take care near the base of cliffs
REMEMBER:
- Respect wildlife and habitats by following the Seashore Code and don’t take live animals home with you.
- As you’re looking in the strandline anyway, why not do a spot of beach cleaning? It goes hand in hand with eggcase hunting!
MORE TIPS:
- You can usually find eggcases amongst the seaweed that makes up the strandline. They blend in really well which means they can be difficult to spot at first, so keep your eyes peeled.
- When eggcases dry out they’re very light and can get blown to the back of the beach. They also get trapped in grasses on sand dunes. So these are good locations to search.
- Eggcases will wash up throughout the year. They may have freshly hatched, or been on the seabed for some time before being dislodged.
- After stormy weather has passed is prime eggcase hunting time. Lots of seaweed and debris will have been washed up on the beach – this is great to search in.
- Check to make sure it’s definitely an empty eggcase and nothing is inside.
- If a live embryo is inside, pop the eggcase back in the sea and try to weigh it down so it doesn’t wash ashore again.
- Empty eggcases have no secondary purpose as some shells do for hermit crabs. They also don’t break down to form sand.
Find out more: https://www.sharktrust.org/great-eggcase-hunt
This holiday period, the Marine Conservation Society, the UK’s leading ocean membership charity, invites you to make some simple changes to eating fish this Christmas to help our seas.
Dr Kenneth Bodles, Head of Fisheries and Aquaculture at the Marine Conservation Society, said, “During the festive season, our consumption increases, but so does waste. Sustainability isn’t just about where food comes from – it’s also about how you use it. By reducing waste and making the most out of your seafood, you’re not only taking steps to be more ocean-friendly, but can also help to cut costs during what is often one of the most expensive times of the year”.
The Marine Conservation Society has compiled twelve tips on how to consume seafood sustainably with zero-waste this Christmas:
Buy whole fish instead of fillets
Instead of fillets, consider buying whole fish such as salmon, hake, or lemon sole. By adopting a “nose to tail” approach with cooking, whole-baked fish not only feeds a crowd, but also helps to minimise waste and maximise sustainability by using up every part of the animal, including bones, skin, and fat.
Make fish stock
Leftover fish bones or shells can be put to good use by boiling them to make a nourishing fish stock or bisque. This can be frozen and preserved for later use and makes for a flavourful base in a soup.
Make your own fish pâté
Avoid waste by turning leftover fish, such as smoked mackerel or salmon, into a delicious pâté by blending with cream cheese and lemon. Perfect when paired with crackers.
The sustainability of salmon and mackerel varies depending on where and how it is caught or farmed. For more information on green-rated options, check the charity’s Good Fish Guide.
Buy frozen
By purchasing seafood that is frozen or vacuum-packed, this helps to reduce waste by extending the shelf life of your food.
Fish pie
If you’re wondering what to do with leftover cooked fish, why not opt for a classic fish pie with mashed potatoes, leeks, and a cheesy sauce? A sure crowd pleaser on Boxing Day.
Use the head
Don’t forget the fish head! The meat is incredibly tender and flavourful. The charity recommends a cod’s head curry or recreating Fallow’s renowned cod’s head in siracha butter.
By stretching your ingredients further, not only is this a more sustainable way to enjoy seafood, but also cost-effective by repurposing leftovers and cooking creatively.
Boxing Day brunch
Mix leftover kippers or smoked salmon with scrambled eggs for a tasty, zero-waste, Boxing Day brunch.
For best choice, make sure you buy kippers, or herring, from the North Sea and the North Irish Sea.
Zero-waste storage
A top tip from the Marine Conservation Society to avoid waste is freezing fish offcuts to save for future use.
Crisp up the skin
Even leftover fish skin can be turned into a quick savoury snack by crisping it up in an air fryer with a little olive oil and salt.
Anchovies two ways
Leftover anchovies can either be blended with butter to make a delicious anchovy butter or tossed into pasta for a hit of umami flavour.
The charity recommends opting for anchovies caught in the Bay of Biscay for best choice.
Fishcakes
For an easy, zero-waste meal, leftover seafood trimmings can be mixed with mash and fried in breadcrumbs to make fishcakes.
Pickled mussels
Try pickling mussels in 1:1 vinegar and water, with a dash of sugar for a sustainable, zero-waste snack that can be enjoyed well beyond the festive season.
Mussels farmed in the UK are a seafood superhero. Grown using low-impact methods and harvested by hand, they get all the food they need from the sea around them. This makes them one of the most sustainable, ocean-friendly, and cost-effective seafood options.
Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised £6.6M towards the Marine Conservation Society’s vital work in making seafood more sustainable.
Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “Fish is a festive favourite for many, but making sustainable choices when it comes to how we buy and eat seafood makes all the difference for our ocean. Support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery has helped the Marine Conservation Society further its sustainable seafood work, so that we can all enjoy healthier, better protected seas.”
The Marine Conservation Society encourages you to make sustainable seafood choices a year-round habit, not just for Christmas. To check how sustainable the seafood on your plate is, you can visit the charity’s Good Fish Guide. The Guide helps consumers and businesses identify the most sustainable seafood using a simple traffic light system, based on where and how species are caught or farmed. Green is the best choice, amber means improvements are needed, and red indicates fish to avoid buying.
Zero-waste gift idea
Why not embrace a zero-waste Christmas by gifting a membership to support marine conservation? It’s a meaningful, low-waste gift that helps protect our ocean for generations to come. Memberships start from as little as £5 a month – the price of a sandwich and drink from your local coffee shop.
Find the latest sustainable seafood advice for wild-caught and farmed seafood on the Good Fish Guide, downloadable to your phone from www.mcsuk.org/goodfishguide.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
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