Basking Shark Tagging

Basking Shark spotted during Tagging program with Atlantic Diver and Exeter university

Professors Lucy Hawkes and Matt Witt paused to tag Basking Shark

Today was our first day for 2015 Basking Shark Tagging with Professor Matt Witt and Professor Lucy Hawkes from University of Exeter at Tremough . A small team of us set out from Newquay Harbour aboard "Atlantic Diver" after recent reports of sightings of good sized basking sharks were shared to the Basking Shark Tagging hotline number 

07935 098 122

Wind and swell dropped and setting off at 6am conditions seemed perfect until…..the FOG arrived …and stayed. 

FOG at Long Ships today...difficult spotting conditions

Basking Shark filter feeding mouth wide open

Despite the conditions , Matt spotted a small 4.5m basking shark, which by basker standards is relatively small. Unfortunately the shark swam just below the surface which made tagging impossible. The sighting was recorded and we continued to search. 

 Basking Shark in Cornwall Tagging Program swimming just below the surface of sea

we are asking for the support of public to call in time and location of any sightings from sea or land as soon as possible , so we can pull the team together and deploy the tags .

BBC News Crew Promoting Basking Shark Tagging Program ..asking for your support

More info about the project can be seen here

www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_445590_en.html