Basking sharks and sightings.

05/02/2007 00:00:00 ­­­Recent increases in the sea temperatures around Britain’s southwest and west coasts have resulted in increased appearances of Britain’s biggest fish, the basking shark (See the report on record umber of Basking shark sightings and details of how to see them.). The Marine Conservation Society (MCS), who run the national Basking Shark Watch project (www.mcsuk.org), is concerned about reports that some sea users are getting too close and even harassing the 7-tonne giants. Basking sharks are protected by law in UK waters, and reckless disturbance of these gentle giants is strictly prohibited.

The mouth of an 11-metre long basking shark can be up to 2-metres wide, but as the sharks feed only on plankton, they are generally harmless. MCS has recently received 25 basking shark sightings from members of the public in the southwest, 30 from around the Isle of Man and at least 30 off the west coast of Scotland, though it should be noted that in some places, especially off Cornwall, 40 or more have been seen in one day.

Sadly, as the number of basking sharks has increased, so have the number of reports of shark harassment. 'We have received reports of basking sharks being herded towards the shore by boats in the southwest and seen photographs of national newspaper journalists and the public getting very close to basking sharks', said Dr Jean Luc Solandt, MCS Biodiversity Projects Officer 'Anyone spotted harassing sharks in this way should be immediately reported to the police'.

Since 1987, MCS Basking Shark Watch has accumulated a database of over 8,000 records of basking sharks from around the UK coast. Thanks to campaigning by MCS and other organisations, basking sharks are now protected under UK law since 1998, and it is illegal to kill, injure or recklessly disturb them. In addition, last year the UK Government also successfully listed the basking shark under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or Bonn Convention) thereby affording the species international protection by the signatory states to CMS. In conjunction with The Shark Trust and other partners, MCS has produced a Basking Shark Code of Conduct that advises boat users to stay at least 100m away from basking sharks, while swimmers should keep a distance of 4m from the sharks and be particularly wary of the animal’s enormous tail.

'Through Basking Shark Watch we are beginning to understand the lives of these enigmatic creatures and we encourage the public to send us their shark sightings', said Dr Solandt, 'But people should keep their distance from basking sharks, it is worth remembering that they are wild and unpredictable animals that have a powerful tail and have been known to leap clear of the water'. Perhaps also because of the increased sea temperatures, the southwest’s first leatherback turtle sighting of the year was reported on Sunday 4th June, half a mile off Mothecombe Beach in South Devon. Critically endangered leatherback turtles migrate to UK waters each year to feed on their favourite jellyfish prey. MCS is also encouraging sea users to send in reports of leatherback turtle sightings in UK waters.

To find out more information about Basking Shark Watch, and to receive basking shark/turtle sighting report cards, posters, the Basking Shark Code of Conduct and the UK Turtle Code, contact MCS on 01989 566017 or go to www.mcsuk.org where basking shark sightings can be reported online.