Ten to twenty per cent of the world's basking sharks are in Irish waters year-round. Because of this an international consortium of leading scientists and conservation organisations has today called on the Irish Government to provide legal protection for them.
"Ireland needs to do this," according to Dr Emmett Johnston, Founder Member of the Irish Basking Shark Group which has made the call on World Oceans Day. "The scientific community have given their full support to list the basking shark under the Wildlife Act. Now is the right time to protect them and their habitats. Irish coastal waters are one of the few places globally that basking sharks regularly and predictably occur on the surface close to shore.
As Afloat reported earlier, the number of breeding individuals has been estimated at approximately 8,000-10,000 worldwide, most of which are in the northeast Atlantic.
On Tom MacSweeney's Maritime Ireland Radio Show another Founder/Member of the Group, Dr Simon Berrow, who is also CEO of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, said that during the Summer months basking sharks also suffer harassment and disturbance from boats, jet skis, divers and snorkelers.
Listen to Dr. Berrow here