Tope Tope
The Tope (Galeorhinus galeus) is a sleek, migratory shark of inshore and offshore waters, popular with recreational sea anglers and encountered regularly in the southern North Sea and along the Suffolk coast. Tope are frequently caught – and returned under catch-and-release – by boat anglers working offshore marks off Suffolk, and the county has a strong angling tradition associated with this species. Globally, the Tope is classified as critically endangered due to overfishing for its fins and flesh. UK recreational fisheries are largely catch-and-release, and tagging studies involving Suffolk fish have contributed valuable data on the species’ migrations around the British Isles. Image: © alan_richmond, iNaturalist.
Find out more: Suffolk Wildlife Trust, 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.
