Manx Basking Shark Research Sparks Global Interest

September 21, 2008

Release from: Lottie Ray
Isle of Man Today

Ground-breaking data has been compiled by the Island's Manx Basking Shark Watch (MBSW).

Now the small team is turning to the public, businesses and the government for help.

With a one-metre-wide mouth, a mature basking shark — a relative of the Great White shark — can grow up to 12 metres long.

And we are the lucky ones ... we can view abundant numbers of these majestic creatures in our waters throughout the summer months.

Before last season, when MBSW scientifically tagged three sharks, it was widely believed the basking sharks living on this side of the Atlantic were a completely different group from those living off the east coast of North and South America.

But that belief was quashed when it was discovered, via satellite, that one of the Manx-tagged sharks, Tracy, travelled to Nova Scotia after her visit to the Irish Sea.

This caused a stir and has placed more importance on the genetic exploration of these enormous creatures.

Marine biologist and founder of MBSW Jackie Hall said: 'Before that no tagged basking shark had ever crossed the Atlantic. It had been thought that there were two different genetic stocks. But now we know that is not the case.'

She added: 'We are now hoping to get a licence to do genetic work which involves taking tiny skin cells from the sharks to create a genetic profile and see how similar the sharks are worldwide.'