Sharks make their summer home off the south coast. But they pose no threat to humans.

In fact, we're the threat to them...pollution, destruction of their habitats and fishing all help to threaten the shark population.

The tigers of the deep, sharks are feared and hated. And they're swimming off the south coast.

They first swam in the earth's oceans over 380 million years ago - they are superbly adapted to habitat.

Of the 370 species known, 80% are harmless, only 3 or 4 species attack man. They are widely misunderstood creatures.

Basking shark is the second largest fish in the world, but you needn't worry...unless you're plankton.

Basking Sharks were endangered in the 80s, but now are increasingly protected. The second largest fish in the world, they make the south coast their summer resort. But they're harmless. Only the plankton need worry.

Each hour Basking sharks drink the equivalent of an Olympic sized swimming pool of water, filtering out all the plankton. They pose absolutely no threat to people.

Of the nearly 400 species of shark, only 3 or four species actually attack.

In fact, all the sharks which swim off the coast of Britain pose no threat at all.

One shark hotspot is off the Isle of Wight and it's here that anglers gather to fish for shark.

Nowadays though they're more involved in a project to conserve sharks than to catch and kill them.

Each shark caught is measured, weighed and tagged, to help a major research programme into shark populations.

Sharks are very good barometers to the health of the sea. Being at the top of the food chain the more sharks there are, the better the marine life populations they feed on.

Jeri Drake is a keen angler, but his sport is more about conservation of the shark population.

And the waters they feed off are changing enormously - warm water and Mediterranean species are becoming common in British waters.

Sun fish, Trigger fish, and even Barricuda have turned up or are now living in British waters.

But sharks are under threat. Tope, smooth hounds and rays could be in real danger, from habitat destruction and long line fishing.

Sealife Centres across Britain are trying their best to help solve the problem.

In Hastings an Angel shark is on a blind date. Never bred in captivity before, the mating could be a first. Anne has been introduced to Angelis, another five foot Angel shark from Scotland.

Anne the Angel shark is a bit of a 'cold fish' when it comes to mating.

Mating is a tricky process. With no arms or legs, sharks have to bite each other to get a grip...a bite which can often be unwelcome. The hope is that if these sharks mate, it'll auger well for the British shark population.