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Basking Shark - The Impact of Man
Support the Shark Trust campaign to determine the extent of man's impact on Basking Sharks
Basking Sharks are the UK’s largest shark species. Long lived, slow growing and producing only a few offspring Basking Sharks are very susceptible to exploitation. Historically overfished, their population has collapsed and this shark is now listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN’s Redlist.
Despite protection under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), CMS (the Convention on Migratory Species) and Wildlife and Countryside Act, Basking Sharks continue to be negatively affected by the actions of man.
The effects of man
Coastal waters are used and enjoyed by many different groups and the incredibly high number of commercial and recreational ventures means that Basking Sharks cannot fail to be affected by them.
The negative impacts of boat strike, fisheries and bycatch can range from the extreme (Image 1) to those which have only a limited effect on the shark (Image 2). These impacts are rarely recorded; however anecdotal evidence suggests it to be a serious issue affecting many sharks.
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1. Basking Sharks that become entangled in fishing nets are cut free and sometimes wash up on the shore.
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2. The front edge of this fin shows that this shark has swum through a net - note the three horizontal marks and skin abrasion.
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Basking Sharks can be affected by rope or net entanglement, propellers and collisions, as well as harassment. In order to establish appropriate management regimes it is essential that the extent of these impacts are fully understood.
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