Dr Lauren Smith

🌊 🤿 After a week of very worthwhile #beachcleans with work, combined with the utter insanity of humans beings on terra firma.
I literally couldn’t wait to get in the #sea i made the most of an opportunity for a quick #freedive before the storm hit!
Found my usual #underwater critter pals 💙 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 📸

You can check out the ISRAs and download the factsheets via this link: sharkrayareas.org/e-atlas/

📑 Note: At the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Conference of Parties in February 2025, Parties adopted a resolution on ISRAs and encouraged all countries to include spatial planning measures for ISRAs in their National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plans (NBSAP).

❓What exactly defines an ISRA? Important Shark and Ray Areas are discrete three-dimensional portions of habitat that are important for one or more species of chondrichthyans and have the potential to be managed for conservation.

🦈 Great to have taken part in the recent Important Shark & Ray Area “ISRA” designations for the EU Atlantic.
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Shark & Skate Scotland (founded by Chris & I) advised on the Firth of Lorn ISRA & the Moray Firth ISRA whereby the Flapper Skate was recognised as a qualifying & supporting species!
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Such a loss to the world 🐒🌿

Study spotlights West Papua habitat as whale sharks face increased pressures A new study reports that the Bird’s Head Seascape off Indonesia’s West Papua serves as a vital habitat for juvenile male whale sharks, but lift-net fisheries, tourism boats and emerging mining…

Study spotlights West Papua habitat as whale sharks face increased pressures

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3/3 🧵 🤿 We had great interactive sessions and are looking forward to the final projects which will be presented by the S3’s in a few weeks time! I have donated a mask and snorkel set as part of a prize package for the best project 🙌

2/3 🧵 The driving question was “How can we, as S3 Biologists help our school community restore the health of the sea around the North East of Scotland?”

🐟 My role was to highlight some of the incredible habitats and species found in the North East through my underwater photography!

🤩 1/3 🧵 A great action packed morning at Alford Academy!
🪸 I was delighted to take part in the brand new “Rig to Reef” project, spearheaded by Chris a Science & Biology teacher at the campus.

#marinebiology #education #community #scicomm

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Ola! Yes me too, always love the electric blue colour on these spiny’s!

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Colour me relieved after that final whistle 😆

Sooo many critters about and the rock walls were like spiny squatie cities…. Bustling!
Ahhhh yep, needed that! Reenergised by the Ocean 💧

🤿 A great session this afternoon with friends near Portsoy!
Water temp felt a little fresher today but we still managed 1.5hrs in the water!

#snorkelling #freediving #underwater #underwaterphotography #marinelife #olympustg7 #marinebiologist #coldwatertherapy #saltwaterlife

Do you like my new lamp!?

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#lamp #dive #diver #divinghelmet

Microplastics Threaten Shark Reproduction In Indian Coastal Waters A study on spadenose sharks along the west coast of India reveals that microplastics are pervasive in both gastrointestinal and reproductive tissues, with females showing higher accumulation,…

Microplastics Threaten Shark Reproduction In Indian Coastal Waters

🥴😂 rough water indeed!

Who doesn’t love a Sea Turtle?

📍 Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

#SeaTurtleSunday ?

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#turtle #greenturtle #underwater #underwaterphotography #dive #divelife #scuba #freedive #sealife #marinelife #saltwaterlife

Absolutely! For a second after Cashy’s goal i actually thought we might get a win …. I mean 10 men 🤨

Stunning

Divers on the liveaboard Odyssey were among the first to see oil leaking from the Japanese shipwreck Rio de Janeiro Maru in Chuuk Lagoon.

A state of emergency has been declared in the State of Chuuk as the oil continues to leak into the surrounding waters.

⭐️ Turning the Plastic Tide project would be nothing without all of our beach cleaning volunteers who have given their time to help keep our coastline clean, so a huge thank you to each and every one of you!

👏 Congratulations to all of the nominees and the finalists, there really are some incredible and inspiring individuals and organisations within Aberdeenshire doing phenomenal things!

🙌 TTPT are honoured and very pleased to announce that we won the “Beautiful Aberdeenshire Environmental Award” presented to us by Cllr Sarah Dickinson !

🎉 🧵 WOW! I had an incredible evening last night in my role as EGCP - Turning the Plastic Tide project manager, attending the Inspiring Aberdeenshire awards by Aberdeenshire Council !
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#beachclean #marinelitter #inspiringaberdeenshireawards

Population surge for endangered sharks labelled 'labradors of the sea' Scientists say increasing numbers of east coast grey nurse sharks is rare good conservation news for the critically endangered species.

🦈 “New research shows critically endangered eastern grey nurse shark numbers are increasing on the east coast of Australia.”

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www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

I went out to Cape Cod to hang out with the Great White sharks. An absolutely epic, mind-blowing experience.