The Hunt for Great White Sharks Begins off the Irish Coast

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On Great Blasket Island, County Kerry, Ireland, grey seals attract tourists but also potentially great white sharks. Ocearch, a U.S.-based nonprofit, has launched an expedition to find and document a great white in Irish waters, intrigued by the region's nutrient-rich environment and ample prey.

Led by Chris Fischer, the team is part of "Expedition Save the Med," initially searching off Spain and France without success. Despite numerous unverified sightings in British and Irish waters, the presence of great whites remains unconfirmed. Ireland hosts various shark species, but the great white has been elusive. Some scientists believe that great whites from the Mediterranean might migrate to the North Atlantic in search of food, possibly reaching the waters around Spain, France, and Ireland. The farthest north a great white has been confirmed was in the Bay of Biscay, where a young female was caught in 1977 off La Rochelle.

Dr. Nick Payne, assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Natural Sciences, leads the scientific effort in Ireland. Payne, originally from South Australia, believes the conditions in Irish waters are ideal for these sharks. “Given the water temperatures, the abundance of food, and the habitat here, I think there’s a real possibility. These conditions are what great whites need,” he said.

Payne and his team hope that the search will result in the first confirmed sighting of a great white shark in Irish waters. The idea that these apex predators could be swimming off Ireland’s coast excites scientists and shark enthusiasts alike. If Ocearch’s expedition is successful, it could mark the beginning of further research and conservation efforts focused on understanding the movements of great whites in this region.

The search, however, is still ongoing. Despite weeks of monitoring and using state-of-the-art tracking technology, the team has yet to locate a great white shark. Nevertheless, Ocearch remains optimistic. Fischer believes that the expedition has already brought attention to the possibility of great whites in the area, which may inspire future projects even if a shark isn’t found during this mission.

As the days progress, researchers remain hopeful. The waters around Ireland, with their rich ecosystems and abundant prey, offer the right environment for great white sharks. The question is whether Ocearch will be the first to capture definitive evidence of one of these legendary predators in Irish seas.