Basking Sharks Moving North

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Basking Sharks Moving North

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Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 8:56 am Post subject: Basking Sharks Moving North
Britain's biggest fish appears to be moving to Scottish waters - and experts say it may be down to global warming. Sightings of basking sharks are up 65% off the Scottish coast since 2001, but down 66% in south-west England, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) said. It has studied the sharks for 17 years, relying on sightings from the public. https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4096504.stm

Haddock

Joined: 24 Apr 2005
Posts: 81
Location: Marburg, Germany

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 1:38 pm Post subject:
Certainly from my time of diving in British waters, the average sea temp was increasing each year, and/or becoming warmer earlier or for longer. So I guess the plankton are going further north, and the sharks are following. I snorkeled once with a Basking Shark off Cornwall. A most impressive creature.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 05 6:59 pm Post subject:
Didn't Gavin Maxwell (the ring of bright water bloke) try to run a commercial basking shark fishery in Scotland sometime in the mid twentieth century?

Viking_Chick

Joined: 21 May 2005
Posts: 123

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 05 8:04 am Post subject:
Thats interesting - here in Shetland there was a huge issue with sandeels moving north, so seabirds were not nesting as they did not have enough food. This year there seems to be more seabird activity on the nesting front so far and also more sightings of basking sharks. I wonder if this increase in warmer water plankton has also provided the seabirds with more food (sandeels or other)?

Simon S

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 38
Location: Mid Beds

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 05 9:02 am Post subject:

Quote:

sean Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 6:59 pm Post subject:

Didn't Gavin Maxwell (the ring of bright water bloke) try to run a commercial basking shark fishery in Scotland sometime in the mid twentieth century?

That's right, the Isle of Soay Shark Fishery, check out his book "Harpoon at a Venture" for the full story

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