Hammerheaded here
The distinctive jawline A HAMMERHEAD shark has been spotted by scientists in UK waters for the first time.
It was seen in the Celtic Sea between the south coast of Ireland and the South West of England.
Experts say hammerheads and great whites could visit regularly due to rising sea temperatures.
Hammerheads can grow up to 20ft and usually inhabit waters in the Caribbean and West Africa.
It is believed the fish could have been lost or ventured further north because of oceans getting warmer.
Two observers identified the shark as a smooth hammerhead The spot where fish was found but were unable to photograph it. John Power, who spotted it, said: “We sighted a dorsal fin unlike anything we had encountered.
“It was quite different to fins seen on basking and blue sharks.”
The sighting came during a survey of herring stocks by the Marine Institute in Galway, Ireland.
They carry out the annual survey on board their RV Celtic Explorer.
Dr Simon Boxall, of the Southampton Oceanography Institute, said the sighting was not a surprise. He said: “Temperatures in these waters have increased by 2.5C over the last 20 years. “Exotic species carried by the Gulf Stream are travelling further north for food. Native species are pushed north. “Attacks on humans are rare but they are more dangerous than a porbeagle shark, which are native.” There are no known fatalities from hammerheads. BOAT Celtic Explorer