Hammerhead shark spotted off British waters for first time in history

They can can grow up to six metres long and weigh up to 450kg.

A Great Hammerhead shark spotted just outside of British waters may have been pushed north due to rising sea temperatures, an expert has claimed.

Scientists on board the Celtic Explorer spotted the dorsal fin of the shark as they were conducting an annual Marine Institute survey of herring stocks.

The fearsome fish – which can grow up to six metres long and weigh up to 450kg – was seen cruising in the Celtic Sea, west of the Cornwall coast.

Dr Simon Boxall, of the Southampton Oceanography Institute, has said there is no reason why the breed of shark could not live off our coasts.

He said: ‘I am not aware of them being seen in our waters before but this sighting does not surprise me.

‘Temperatures in these waters have increased by 2.5C over the last 20 years and more exotic species carried by the Gulf Stream are travelling further north for food.

‘But this also means that native fish species such as cod are also being pushed further north as they lose colder waters.

‘It could be a very lost hammerhead shark but more likely it is because our oceans are getting warmer.’

He added that these changes meant there was ‘no reason’ why hammerheads and the more deadly Great White could not live in our waters.

Great Hammerheads might look fearsome, but there has never been a recorded fatal attack on a human according to Florida Museum. 

British oceans already have at least 30 species of shark the frequent the waters.

The warmer water could now be a haven for others, to move further north.

Last year skipper John Ford said he was witnessing more and more unusual shark species on Devon’s shorelines.

He said: ‘I saw a thresher shark in Teignmouth Bay recently which is quite unusual. They are more common to the waters around Cornwall.

‘I’ve been a skipper in this part of the world all my life and we are definitely starting to see more sharks here.

‘People would definitely pay to come out and see that sort of thing, although I don’t think they’d be interested in fishing for them.

‘People love seeing the dolphins around Torbay, so why not sharks too?’