Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Severin Carrell Scotland editor

MYSTERIOUS: Ai scanning helps scottish conservation project turn tide for flapper skate - What They Never Told You

MPA Gillian Martin NatureScot Mull Sams Scotland
Ronnie Campbell holds a large fishing net and a rod as he stands next to a boat on a loch
Ronnie Campbell introduced a voluntary no-kill policy for skate landed on his boats in the early 1990s. ‘The MPA and the conservation has definitely increased [the skate’s] numbers,’ he said. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

Sea anglers will tell you that catching and landing a large flapper skate is the equivalent of running a four-minute mile. The fish can weigh 100kg and stretch the length of a dinner table.

The first thing anglers will reach for when they land one is their camera or mobile phone, to capture the unique pattern of white spots ranged across each skate’s mottled brown back.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Ground Beef and Strawberries Cost More as New Federal Diet Advice Puts Protein at Every Meal
Ground beef rose 7.4% and strawberries 10.4% in a year, as federal dietary advice stresses protein. Beans, eggs, and frozen produce can ease the cost.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
Dog gives you the guilty look? Here's what research says it actually means
Walk into a room where something has gone wrong and your dog is already doing it: head low, ears back, eyes wide and soft, maybe a slow tail wag aimed at the floor. Every owner reads this the same way. The dog knows. Except the research says that is probably…
Times Pets
Times Pets
80 Beautiful Pottery Creations That Prove Creativity Has Absolutely No Limits (New Pics)
It’s stunning what people can create with just a lump of wet clay, their own hands, and a little bit of love and creativity. On r/Pottery, folks with all kinds of experience share the most amazing and creative things they made. So, as you scroll and admire the pieces, let…
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
The Story Behind Little Trees Is Even Stranger Than You Think
The iconic tree-shaped air freshener started with a smelly milk truck in 1952. Here's how Little Trees became a car-culture staple.
Motor1
Motor1
Would You Send Money to Someone You’ve Never Met? Romance Scammers Know How to Make You Say Yes
The first request for money might arrive after weeks of sweet messages, late-night conversations, and promises of a future together. It might sound less like a scam than an awkward favor between two people who care about each other.
Clever Dude
Clever Dude
Heavier Phone Use Past 10 at Night Linked with Teens Falling Asleep About 65 Minutes Later
On nights with extra phone use after 10 p.m., teens fell asleep about 65 minutes later, a JAMA Pediatrics study found. What parents can do.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play