Basking Shark Bonanza

September 7, 2007

Release from: Jane Omara
ThisisCornwall.co.uk (UK)

An unprecedented number of basking sharks have been counted off the Cornish coast.

Staff on Ocean Ranger, a boat that takes tourists on wildlife watching trips around the Land's End peninsula, counted a record 460 basking sharks in one day, far higher than normal.

The 460 sharks were counted on Wednesday between Wolf Rock lighthouse, eight miles off Land's End, and Cape Cornwall, near Penzance. The day before, around 160 basking sharks were counted by a corporate boat and onshore teams.

Ocean Ranger, a 12-seater rigid inflatable boat owned by Elemental Tours, helps count and track marine life and takes photographs for the Marine Conservation Society, the Shark Trust and Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Rory Goodall, from the company, said: "Normally at this time of year, you might get the odd one or two - the amount of 460 blows all records."

Previously, the highest number of basking sharks counted in the area was around 300 off Lizard Point in the late 1990s.

"We don't know exactly the reason," he said. "Maybe they haven't fed enough for the year. They follow the plankton around. They're making hay while the sun shines!"

He was not sure if climate change was responsible but he added: "It does seem as if weather patterns are shifting and it's staying warmer in the winters, here in the Westcountry at least."

Bude-based shark expert and Shark Cornwall conservationist Richard Peirce said there had not been many basking sharks spotted in North Cornwall recently and attributed it to bad weather.

He added that more sharks may have been in the North Cornwall area but were just not spotted: "This is a very large number. I think essentially it will be due to plankton, an abundance of food. It's very exciting to see such large numbers. I'm delighted and excited. We hope those who encounter them will have respect for the animals and will pay heed to the WiSe (Wildlife Safe) code of conduct."

His colleague Mark Boothman said: "The big thing about basking sharks is you can only see them when the weather's good and there are more people around."

The Marine Creatures Code of Conduct aims to prevent the harassment of marine wildlife and can be downloaded from www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/nature/marine/ harassment.htm