The Basking Shark - Cetorhinus maximus
The basking shark is the largest pelagic fish that feeds in the coastal waters of New England.
An adult basking shark is typically 30 feet long and weighs close to 5 tons. Yet this leviathan is a gentle giant that filters zooplankton from the water.
The large, triangular first dorsal fin is often what alerts boaters and beach goers to the presence of a basking shark at the water’s surface.
The animal appears to be moving slowly and basking in the sunlight, giving this animal the common name “basking shark.” In reality, these sharks are typically hard at work filter feeding or traveling near the surface.
Basking sharks are one of the largest filter feeders that strain zooplankton from the water. Moving slowly with mouth wide agape, a basking shark acts like a giant plankton net allowing plankton-rich water to enter the mouth. As the water moves over the gills, bristle-like structures called gill rakers trap the zooplankton, effectively removing the food from the seawater. The water then exits that body though a series of gill slits located on both sides of the head. Basking sharks prefer to feed on copepods, tiny shrimp-like crustaceans the size of a grain of rice, which is abundant throughout the Gulf of Maine waters.
Photo-Identification Techniques
Basking sharks can be identified as individuals using distinctive patterns and scars,
particularly on the fins. These features can be photographed to create a visual catalog of previously sighted or known individuals. These types of photo-ID techniques allow scientist and biologists to track individual basking sharks over time in an effort to learn more about their movements and degree of residency offshore.
Become A Coastal Wildlife Observer
Coastal Wildlife Observers are an important part of NEBShark ( New England Basking Shark Project ), a community-based marine sighting network for basking sharks and ocean sunfish. Your efforts will help scientists better understand the biology and ecology of these migratory fish that travel to our productive New England waters to feed each spring, summer and fall. All it takes is a few minutes of your time and an interest in our coastal wildlife.
When you see a basking shark, write down this sighting info:
- Date: month/day/year
- Time: the time of the sighting - specify AM or PM
- Location: your general location, such as “off Race Point”.
- Position: your position - lat/long preferred, but loran C accepted.
- # of sharks: sharks often feed one below the other so look into the water.
- Behavior: ex. surface swim w/mouth closed - traveling,
surface swim w/mouth open - feeding,
swimming in tight circle,
breaching, etc.
Go to www.nebshark.org for more detailed behavioral information.
And don’t forget to take photographs if possible.
Photograph:
- First dorsal fin: both sides
- Caudal fin - tail fin
- Any distinctive body markings: scars, cuts, pigmentations pattern, etc.
Please send sighting information and photographs to NEBShark one of two ways:
Through the mail:
- New England Basking Shark Project
- NEBShark
- P.O. Box 92
- North Carver, MA 02355
Or via the Internet:
- Go to NEBshark.org
- Click on “Report a Sighting” and follow the instructions provided.
- You can input both text and digital images.
Conservation Issues
Little is known about the biology and life history of the basking shark. Scientists
are 
trying to better understand their population size and distribution as well as determine their local and seasonal movements and residency patterns.
Although the basking shark is not considered a threatened or endangered species, the capture of a basking shark is prohibited by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Therefore, they are considered a protected species in US waters.
To learn more about basking sharks,
visit The New England Basking Shark Project NEBShark.
Send a check or money order to:
- NECWA - New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance
- 11 Clarence Soule Drive
- Middleboro, MA 02346
Or use our new online donation service.
Please click the button below.
