Flapper skate photo ID

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Skatespotter is an online photo ID catalogue and database for flapper skate in Scotland. You can use it to submit photos of flapper skate that you capture or spot and investigate their capture history if they have been added to the catalogue before.

Flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) are the largest skates in UK waters, reaching lengths of over 2m (72” or 6’) and weights of over 100kg (222lbs). Once common, they have suffered large declines in population numbers, and the species is now very rare or extinct across most of its natural range. The Loch Sunart to the Sound of Jura Marine Protected Area (MPA) is designated to help protect the common skate in Argyll waters.

Researchers from SAMS and NatureScot have shown that skates can be identified from the spot patterns on their backs. This has led to the compilation of a ‘Residents photo ID catalogue’ and database containing the best photo of each skate identified in the MPA. Being able to identify individual skates has allowed researchers to estimate the size of the skate population in the MPA and continued monitoring will allow us to see how this changes over time. When anglers also indicate the general area where the skate was caught this allows us to study skate movements within the MPA and further afield over time. All of this helps the long-term conservation of skates in Argyll and across Scotland.

Photos from within the Loch Sunart to the Sound of Jura MPA are important but we would also like to receive your skate photos from elsewhere in Scotland; this has allowed us to begin building residents catalogues for other areas and to check for longer range skate movements.

This project relies on volunteer anglers, divers and researchers continuing to submit photographs. We welcome any and all photographs but please refer to our Skate Handling Guide before doing so.