Orkney Skate Monitoring

Aim

Protecting shark and skate species in Orkney through community-led research.

Scotland’s sharks and skates including the critically endangered flapper skate, blue skate, and spiny dogfish, as well as the porbeagle and tope are under serious threat from fishing, habitat loss, and growing industrial activity at sea.

The Orkney Skate Trust, a grassroots conservation group, is leading hands-on research to protect these species in Orkney. Using innovative underwater camera systems and community-led science supported by Scottish Universities, the team is uncovering critical habitats and breeding areas essential for their survival.

Support will help Orkney Skate Trust continue this vital work to protect Scotland’s sharks and skates for the future.

2026 Shark and Skate Monitoring

Through a series of underwater surveys, OST will record and monitor the abundance and distribution of shark and skate species in the waters surrounding the Orkney Islands. Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV)’s are widely used internationally in ecological research and wildlife documentation. OST have adapted this approach to develop a specialised marine tool for large sharks and skates, with over 300 successful deployments to date. The system uses bait to attract animals, with dual cameras recording their behaviour and habitat interactions.

Building on the successful seabed BRUV approach, OST will develop a new BRUV survey method aimed at filming porbeagle shark’s midwater. This activity will involve designing and testing a bespoke frame specifically for midwater pelagic sharks, equipped with multiple camera systems and lighting. This first-of-its-kind trial in Orkney aims to provide visual confirmation of porbeagle presence and deliver valuable data on their behaviour, habitat use, size, and sex. The method will offer a repeatable survey approach that expands current elasmobranch monitoring from demersal species to pelagic species, improving understanding of porbeagle distribution, seasonal occurrence, and site use.

Subsea camera surveys around the Orkney coast will search for flapper skate egg cases in situ. Video footage will be reviewed to confirm the presence or absence of egg cases, helping to identify essential nursery habitats for this critically endangered fish.

All the information recorded will contribute to species monitoring, habitat assessment, and long-term monitoring of Scotland’s threatened sharks and skate species. The visual and scientific data collected will support efforts to secure conservation status for flapper and blue skate in Orkney through the designation of Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs).

What are skates?

Flapper skates (Dipturus intermedius) are thought to be endemic to the Northeast Atlantic, The largest skate in the world, they are ocean giants, measuring up to 2.85m in length and 100kg in weight, with the ability to live for over 50 years.

The blue skate (Dipturus batis) is slightly smaller than the flapper skate and usually found further south into the Celtic Sea. The Orkney Skate Trust is now uncovering important observations in Orkney, marking a significant new record for this rare species .As well as being important from a heritage perspective, skate and shark species play an important ecosystem role, maintaining balance in the benthic (seafloor) food web, where they are apex predators and scavengers – key roles in a healthy ecosystem. However, Scotland’s shark and skate species are increasingly vulnerable to many human made pressures including capture in fisheries and disturbance from expanding subsea infrastructure development leading to many species such as flapper and blue skate being classed as ‘Critically Endangered’.

Historically, they were overfished in Scotland until as recently as 2009, when it became illegal to land them commercially.  Today, they are caught accidentally (bycatch) through destructive fishing practices including bottom trawling (see here for 2025 incident).

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can be effective in helping the species recover. For example, catches have increased by up to 92% in the Loch Sunart to the Sound of Jura MPA. However, skate distributions are still poorly understood in many parts of Scotland, preventing further protected areas from being identified and designated.

Who are we?

Orkney Skate Trust

In recognition of the endangered status of flapper skate, the Orkney Skate Trust
 (OST) was established by a group of volunteers in 2010 with the aim to:

• Raise awareness of flapper skate and share information.
• Collect data on flapper skate ecology and distribution in Orkney and northern Scotland.
• Collaborate with scientific institutions and stakeholders to conduct research and publish findings in scientific literature.
• Support marine planning and policy by providing free flapper skate information to stakeholders, NGOs, and the Scottish Government.
• Engage volunteers in marine science and fieldwork, promoting citizen science and careers for young people.

In recent years, they have developed sophisticated survey technology specifically for monitoring skate. Using a Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) system, they collect evidence-based data on local skate populations to inform marine management.

Highlands and Islands Environment Foundation 

Highlands and Islands Environment Foundation (HIEF) is a Scottish Charity, number SC043026, working to protect and restore nature in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. They channel funds from people who share our passion for the natural environment of the Highlands & Islands to provide vital funding and support to grassroots projects working to protect and restore nature.

Conservation Collective

HIEF is a member of Conservation Collective: a global network of local foundations on a mission to protect and restore the wild places we all know and love. Conservation Collective are facilitating the transfer of funds from Crowdfunder to Orkney Skate Monitoring project

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made