Angel Shark Squatina squatina
Suffolk Priority Species
The Angel Shark (Squatina squatina) is a flattened, bottom-dwelling shark that was once widespread in British coastal waters, including the shallow sandy seabed of the southern North Sea. It has undergone catastrophic declines across its range – driven by bycatch, habitat disturbance, and its slow reproductive rate – and is now functionally extinct in the North Sea. Historical records from Suffolk's coastal waters exist, reflecting a time when this extraordinary species was a regular presence on sandy inshore grounds. Today, any sighting off the Suffolk coast would be entirely exceptional and of outstanding national significance. Image: © Jome Jome, iNaturalist.
Find out more: iNaturalist, Marine Life Information Centre
Suffolk’s Priority Marine Life Species
Key
Listed as a conservation priority in Suffolk’s Biodiversity Action Plan.
Closely associated with Suffolk’s landscape and natural identity.
Identified as a key priority for recovery under Suffolk’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Has a Species of the Month article attached.
