The Basking Shark is the world’s second largest fish, but don’t let the name scare you because this shark is a filter feeder. That means that it uses its huge mouth to sieve plankton, small fish and invertebrates from the water for its diet.  Basking sharks grow to on average seven meters long, although specimens have been recorded at 11 meters. They are a mottled grey-brown colour. They have a large fin which you may see moving above the water surface.  

You are most likely to spot them in Irish waters between April and September, often in shallow coastal habitats. The sharks are thought to move to deeper waters in the colder months. They are a migratory species with the longest recorded distance being journey of 10,000km. However not all individuals travel such long distances and migration habitats have been found to vary widely with many ‘groups’ recorded as returning to the same feeding ‘hotspots’ year on year. 

The liver,  for which it was hunted as a source of oil in the past, is estimated to make up approximately 25% of its body weight. This organ acts as a “hydrostatic float” to keep the shark at buoyant. 

The Irish Basking Shark Group tracks and monitors the populations of this beautiful and impressive species.