One of Achill Island’s last hunters of basking sharks has welcomed the recent resurgence of the now-protected species, as The Guardian reports.
Brian McNeill once joined the currach crews armed with harpoons who slaughtered hundreds of the marine wildlife giants for their livers and fins, the sale of which made a good living for the Co Mayo islanders and others along the West Coast.
That was until the 1980s, when some three decades of hunts came to an end due to the dwindling numbers of basking sharks in Achill and elsewhere along the Atlantic coast — a situation McNeill blames on harmful salmon trawling practices.
But the endangered fish has rebounded in Irish waters in the 21st century, with this year’s first sighting off the West Coast as early as mid February.
As marine science experts probe the mystery as to their return, basking sharks have also been afforded greater protection by both the Irish and British governments.
And from Achill’s terra firma, Dooagh resident McNeill is more than content to hunt them with his eyes rather than a harpoon.
“It’s lovely to see them,” he says. “I’m just happy that we’re not killing them any more.”
The Guardian has more on the story HERE.
