Latest news with #AberystwythUniversity
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Endangered shark spotted in shallow waters off British beach
Alex McGlynn, who has been fishing for 20 years, said he had never seen a tope shark off the Welsh coast - with the species listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List An endangered shark has been caught in shallow waters off a British beach by a stunned fisherman. Alex McGlynn, who has been fishing for 20 years, said he had never seen a tope shark in the area. They can grow up to six feet in length and primarily eat bony fish as well as crustaceans and cephalopods. Thankfully, the species of shark are not deemed aggressive and there are no records of attacks on humans. The species is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Alex thinks the catch, which happened off the coast in Swansea, could be a good sign. "What a fish, I was absolutely buzzing," he told What's The Jam. It is rare to catch them off shallow beaches or off the shore entirely. "It shows that numbers are increasing or they are looking for alternative food sources due to a lack of their primary food source, mackerel, likely caused by overfishing. "Tope are generally a deep water shark, so you usually catch them off boats." Alex released the shark soon after catching it. He said it weighed about 40lbs. The tope shark can reach lengths of up to 6ft 3in - but despite their size, they are not threatening and have been spotted around the UK in the last few years. There has never been any record of an unprovoked tope attack on humans. In the past, tope were targeted for their high vitamin A content in their liver. They are protected in UK and EU waters and if caught on rod and line must be returned to the sea alive. It comes after beachgoers basking in the UK's sizzling temperatures in May were left stunned after spotting a shark dangerously close to two different shorelines. Shocking video footage captured the moment the 12-foot "mini-Jaws" swam just feet away from the shore at Aberystwyth's North Beach in Wales on Friday evening, with crowds gathering to watch as its fin emerged from the water. The mammal, thought to be a Porbeagle shark, was reported to wildlife rescue teams and the coastguard over fears it was ill or injured. As it swam dangerously close to the beach jetty, the animal was also feared to be at risk of beaching itself. As a result, the public were warned to stay away for their own safety and to prevent additional stress for the animal. Craig Roberts, who was in the area visiting his son at Aberystwyth University, saw the shark and said kids were jumping into the water moments before it emerged. He said: "We were on the pier and saw a bit of a commotion so went to have a look. Kids were jumping in the water just before it was spotted - they soon got out though."
Powys County Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Powys farmer new role at NSA Wales & Border ram sales
A Powys farmer and a familiar face at the NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales is stepping up to a new role. Helen Fairclough-Watling will be supporting Executive Director, Jane Smith, in the significant job of organising the sales, which are an important economic driver in Mid Wales. She has been working at the sales for more than 20 years, having first been asked by the late George Hughes to work on the arrivals and exit gates. It was a natural progression to then work with the tup taxis, on the admin desk and generally multi-tasking over the three days of employment at the main sale each September. She farms at home and previously with her parents, but has always had part-time seasonal jobs, in catering, stewarding at the Royal Welsh Show and with the gate staff at the NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales. Helen returned home to farm after obtaining a degree in Agriculture with Animal Science from Aberystwyth University. She also lectured at Coleg Powys at the Brecon site until the agriculture department closed. Over the years, she has been an active member of Howey YFC and Future Farmers of Wales. Currently, Helen serves on the Newbridge-on-Wye playgroup and Friends of Newbridge-on-Wye school committees. The NSA Wales and Border Ram Sales will take place on August 4 and September 22.
Cambrian News
10-06-2025
- Health
- Cambrian News
Aberystwyth University academic appointed to key healthcare sector role
An Aberystwyth University academic has been appointed as an ambassador and advocate for health and care research in Wales in a major Welsh Government supported agency.
Irish Examiner
04-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Cross-border research project to tackle potato blight
Scientists from UCC and Aberystwyth University will be collaborating on research to fight a disease that causes major crop losses and blight in potatoes. It was one of eight cross-border research collaborations to be awarded funding as part of a prestigious new Research Alliance Award, announced by the Welsh and Irish governments. Thanks to the new research grant, scientists from University College Cork (UCC) and Aberystwyth University's Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences and Department of Life Sciences will be allowed to work on new ways to tackle the disease Phytophthora infestans, also known as the 'Plant Destroyer'. This disease causes significant crop losses worldwide, including causing blight in potatoes, which has major economic and food security implications. Professor John Doonan, director of the National Plant Phenomics Centre at IBERS and co-lead on the project, said: 'This award recognises the power of international collaboration in solving global agricultural challenges. Phytophthora infestans continues to threaten food production systems across Europe. "By combining our expertise in AI, Prof. Luis Mur's expertise in metabolomics with plant pathology researchers in Cork, we aim to build the foundations of a long-term research partnership that can develop sustainable solutions that reduce the need for chemical disease control.' The Ireland-Wales partnership is funded by the Wales Innovation Network (WIN) and Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, as part of a strategic effort to deepen academic collaboration and enhance access to Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship funding programme for research and innovation. Announcing the awards, minister for further and higher education, research, innovation and science, James Lawless, said: 'The Research Alliance Award highlights the strong ties between Ireland and Wales and the immense potential of our academic communities working together. "By investing in these innovative projects, we are paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries and solutions that will benefit both our countries and the wider European community. We look forward to seeing how these collaborations develop into larger-scale initiatives that deliver real-world impact.' The seed funding will support project activities for up to 12 months, including researcher exchanges, joint workshops, and preparatory work for future European funding applications. Other projects funded under the scheme span areas such as neurodegenerative disease, AI for seizure detection, freshwater clean-up, and next-generation batteries. Aberystwyth University is one of four Welsh institutions participating in the programme, alongside Cardiff, Swansea, and Bangor universities. The partner universities in Ireland are University College Dublin, University of Limerick, University College Cork, and Dublin City University. Read More Dig deep or not at all? Why it might be time to think about shallow ploughing
Powys County Times
01-06-2025
- Science
- Powys County Times
Survival of the swift in north Powys project begins
A NEW project called 'Screams and Streams' is investigating the relationship between river water quality and the survival of the common swift in northern Powys. It is being led by community groups with support from the Dyfi Biosphere and academic mentors. The project, which runs for four months over the summer, is funded by the Local Policy Innovation Partnerships (LPIPs) project in which Aberystwyth University is a partner. 'Screams and Streams aims to bridge the gap between academic research, communities and policy makers,' explains James Cass, from the Dyfi Biosphere. 'We are pleased to be working with groups from the community and building new relationships between Lab Dŵr Dyffryn Dyfi and Dyfi Swifts, as well as the New Dovey Fishery Association.' Volunteers will be performing regular water tests at 10 set points along the river as well as monitoring swifts across the Dyfi catchment. They will be asking the research question: 'Is there a clear relationship between river health and common swift survival?' The project kicked off with a training evening at the Centre for Alternative Technology near Machynlleth on May 20, with over 25 enthusiastic individuals. Conservationist Ben Porter spoke about the impressive annual migration of the common swift, how to identify them, and why they are threatened. The project will be estimating populations, studying their feeding behaviours and see what use they are making of nest boxes. Jenny Lampard, of Lab Dŵr Dyffryn Dyfi, then gave a demonstration of water testing before a hands-on session where participants practised using equipment and recording data. The event wrapped up with a trip to Ceinws, where the group grabbed a drink and got to watch the local swift population at sunset. 'We are keen to hear from anyone who would like to get involved with the project, whether you're interested in water testing or swifts,' said Bryn Hall, project coordinator. 'We'll give you training and you'll be making an important contribution to our knowledge of wildlife in the biosphere.' Bryn can be contacted on bryn@
