Project provides new insights on breeding habits and behaviours of vulnerable marine species

Tope sharks and undulate rays are found around the UK but little is known about them and the habitats they prefer

Project provides new insights on breeding habits and behaviours of vulnerable marine species

Tope sharks and undulate rays are found around the UK but little is known about them and the habitats they prefer

Mr Alan Williams

Media and Communications Manager

Corporate Communications (Marketing and Communications)

8 July 2026

A major project aims to shed new light on two of the country’s least understood and vulnerable marine species – tope sharks and undulate rays.

The animals have been recorded around the English coast for decades, but relatively little is known about where they reproduce or how they move between different areas.

The Rays of tope initiative aims to address that by investigating where the animals breed and reproduce, and if there are particular characteristics they look for when choosing a location.

Through a series of activities over the next three years, the hope is to build sufficient evidence about them to enable better-informed decisions that support both healthy fish populations, sustainable fisheries and thriving coastal communities.

The project – supported with a grant of almost £790,000, announced by Natural England – is being led by marine scientists from the University of Plymouth, working alongside fishers, conservation organisations and fisheries managers.

The partners include Natural England, the Angling Trust, the Shark Trust, Southern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA), Sussex IFCA, Devon & Severn IFCA, Cornwall IFCA, Isles of Scilly IFCA, the Association of IFCAs, and Masterplan Offshore.

By identifying and protecting critical nursery habitats, this project will provide the scientific evidence needed to support the recovery of tope sharks and undulate rays.

Working closely with local fishers, we can help safeguard the next generation of these vulnerable species and ensure management decisions are guided by robust science. Healthy nursery habitats are essential for the survival of young sharks and rays. Through this project, we are using cutting-edge science with collaboration from local fishers to improve our understanding of where these species breed, grow and migrate, giving us a vital opportunity to support their recovery in UK waters.

Professor Emma Sheehan
Professor of Marine Ecology

The Rays of Tope project runs until March 2029, and will combine local knowledge from commercial and recreational fishers with cutting-edge research techniques.

Tope sharks and undulate rays will be fitted with small electronic tags that record their movements using a combination of underwater listening stations – deployed through the FISH INTEL Interreg France (Channel) England project – and satellite tracking. The project team will also develop new, non-invasive methods, including ultrasound, to identify whether females are pregnant, avoiding the need for harmful sampling.

The team will also organise workshops, surveys and other events to enable commercial and recreational fishers to share observations collected over many years on the water, and contribute to improving understanding of both species.

The project will also produce practical guidance on the safe handling and release of tope and undulate rays to help maximise their chances of survival when they are accidentally caught or released after recreational angling.

Alongside collecting new information, researchers will combine existing records from organisations across the UK, creating the most comprehensive national picture yet of where tope sharks and undulate rays are found, how they move through English waters and which areas are most important during their breeding cycle.

The tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus) can grow up to 2m long and has been sighted all around the UK coast, although it is currently classified as Critically Endangered.

The undulate ray (Raja undulata) has a dark wavy pattern on its back and small spines that run down its body and tail, and is also classified as Endangered.

The Shark Trust is pleased to be partnering with the University of Plymouth, Angling Trust, and other project partners to discover more about two remarkable British species, Tope and Undulate Ray. This collaborative project will provide key insights into their biology and ecology, with this knowledge helping to inform effective fisheries management. In addition, Rays of Tope will strengthen community engagement in marine conservation via the long-standing citizen science initiative, the Great Eggcase Hunt.

Jack Renwick
Conservation Officer at the Shark Trust

Recreational anglers and charter skippers spend countless hours on the water and have built up a wealth of knowledge about the marine environment and the species they encounter. The Angling Trust is excited to be partnering on this project as an excellent example of how that experience can be combined with cutting-edge science to improve our understanding of species such as tope sharks and undulate rays. By working together, we can help identify and protect the habitats that are critical to their recovery, while promoting best practice in catch, handling and release to ensure these remarkable fish continue to thrive in our waters for generations to come.

Hannah Rudd
Head of Marine at the Angling Trust

The project is one of 130 being supported by funding from Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme as part of the government's Wild Again: Restoring England's Wildlife initiative.

The largest ever investment in recovering the country’s threatened plants, animals and fungi, it will see £60million spent on projects involving 364 threatened species.

For decades Natural England's vital species recovery work has revealed how even the rarest of the rare can be brought back from the brink. The red kite, lady's slipper orchid, pool frog, beaver and large blue butterfly are among examples that demonstrate the many opportunities at hand and what can be achieved for nature and wider society. We know that good science and effective partnerships can help restore species to favourable status, and this funding will enable us to support many initiatives to help halt and reverse the decline of our wonderful wildlife.

Tony Juniper
Chair of Natural England and a recipient of the University of Plymouth honorary doctorates

Mr Alan Williams

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