UK Basking Sharks Arrive Early

Basking sharks made an earlier appearance in UK waters this year, with two sightings in Wales in March and rare April sightings in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. The Marine Conservation Society is calling for divers and other sea users to report all sightings throughout the summer months in 2007 to help scientific research. 'Public sightings records, which are collected and analysed by MCS, make a vital contribution to the very limited knowledge of the population distribution over time and space. This enables us to provide better management and protection for this magnificent yet vulnerable animal,' said MCS biodiversity projects officer Angus Bloomfield. 'This data was pivotal to the successful inclusion of basking sharks in the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) in 2005, which has since resulted in European countries banning landing and trade in the species.'...