The Basking Shark 20 year full report is available to download in full.

Key Findings

· Basking shark surface distribution is clearly and repetitively identified from three hotspots around UK waters - the Southwest coast of England from the Isles of Scilly to Dorset; the Southwest coast of the Isle of Man; and Western Scotland.
· Southwest England has contributed the largest number of sightings (45%) followed by Scotland (33%), and the Isle of Man (13%).
· The number of basking shark sightings reported to the Marine Conservation Society has alternated between years, but the trend is one of increasing numbers, with the highest ever number reported in 2006 - 2275 sightings.
· Basking shark surface foraging appears to be linked to seasonal oceanographic conditions. Initially sharks are seen at the surface in southwest English waters in May; in Isle of Man waters in June; and in Scottish waters in June.
· Sea surface temperature appears to be the strongest influence to basking sharks first appearing at the different regional hotspots in surface waters, whilst the fall in copepod density below a particular threshold level coincides with the sharks moving offshore and to deeper waters.
· Basking shark mean size has increased over the 20 years of the project from a mean of ≈3.5m to ≈5.12m. The increase in recorded mean size range of animals may indicate the success of UK conservation measures for the species, (the shark was listed on the Wildlife and Countryside Act in 1998, which prevented it from being hunted in UK territorial waters).

Significant conservation achievements

· MCS, with the support of the Basking Shark Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Group, Defra and JNCC successfully compiled a proposal to have the shark listed on Annex I and II of the Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn Convention) in November 2005.
· The listing on the Bonn Convention led to the basking shark being listed on the Common Fisheries Policy regulations in January 2007, banning the capture, sale, and transhipment of the species in all EU waters by any EU or non EU-registered vessels. Similarly, all EU registered vessels are banned from landing the basking shark in waters outside European jurisdiction.
· MCS helped to facilitate the first UK workshop to discuss the location of protected areas for the species via the Finding Sanctuary MPA designation process (April 2008).
· MCS successfully collaborated with the Isle of Man government and Manx Wildlife Trust in 2005 to share information on sightings, behaviour and migration of the species.
· MCS campaigned to have the basking shark listed on the Wildlife and Countryside Act in 1998.
· MCS contributed to efforts which resulted in the basking shark being listed on CITES Appendix II in November 2002.
· MCS is joint lead partner for the basking shark Biodiversity Action Plan (since 2004). The basking shark BAP steering group has acted as symposia for research and conservation for the species in UK territorial waters and northern France, and resulted in direct action to get the species listed on the Convention on Migratory Species in 2005.
· MCS has contributed to the Conserving Endangered Basking Sharks project (2002-2006), which has helped identify hotspots for basking sharks.