Granddad’s Camera
Basking shark, as it appears in the game

No.066 · Fish · Very rare

Basking shark

Cetorhinus maximus

Britain's biggest fish: a harmless plankton-feeder that cruises slowly at the surface with its enormous mouth open.

When to see a basking shark

June to September, mostly by day.

What else is about in July

Time of day

Where to see a basking shark in the UK

  • The Pembrokeshire coast. A summer visitor that can be seen from the Pembrokeshire coast (Pembrokeshire Coast National Park), off Skomer, the Marloes coast and Ramsey; watch for a slow fin on a flat sea.

These are real places in Britain, the same ones the game uses. Check the reserve or landowner's own guidance before you go.

Basking shark facts at a glance

Best time
Calm, sunny days in summer: May–October.
Where in the game
the Pembrokeshire coast (sea)
Size
Up to 12 m (the largest recorded)
Weight
Average about 4.5 tonnes, up to 7 tonnes
Lifespan
Thought to live at least 50 years (Shark Trust)
Population
Not known for the UK. Heavily fished in the north-east Atlantic from 1946 to 1995 (Shark Trust)
Status
Endangered (IUCN Red List; Shark Trust)

Diet

Plankton, filtered through comb-like gill rakers as it swims with its mouth wide open

Habitat

Headlands, islands and bays with strong tidal flow, where plankton gathers; deep water in winter

Breeding

Females keep the eggs inside their body until they hatch, then give birth to fully developed young about 1–2 m long. Pregnancy is thought to last around 14 months; males mature at 12–16 years and females at about 20

Field signs

  • A tall, triangular dorsal fin and a tail tip slicing the surface
  • A huge shape moving slowly just below the water
  • Sometimes an open, cavernous mouth and long gill slits
  • Often seen on calm days, singly or in groups

Did you know?

  • A basking shark is as big and heavy as a double-decker bus, yet lives entirely on plankton (Pembrokeshire Coast National Park).
  • Satellite tags showed that basking sharks do not hibernate in winter: they move to deeper water and feed on deep-water plankton (Shark Trust).
  • Despite their size, basking sharks can leap clear of the water; Pembrokeshire's sharks seem to move up the Irish Sea towards the Isle of Man.

Moments worth waiting for

  • Surface feeding June to August, day
    A huge triangular fin and tail tip cruise slowly through the calm water, the shark's mouth agape to sieve plankton.

Photo tip

Look for a slow-moving fin on a flat sea, then shoot from a steady boat or a headland with a polarising filter to cut glare and see the shape below. Keep the shutter fast for a rocking boat and hold back to give it space.

Be a good naturalist

Basking sharks are protected under Schedule 5, and intentionally harassing one is a criminal offence. Follow the Shark Trust code: stay at least 100 m away, keep below 6 knots, put the engine in neutral inside 100 m, keep at least 500 m from courting groups and never chase or touch a shark. Use a WiSe-accredited operator and report sightings to the Shark Trust.

The law

Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981: it is illegal to intentionally kill, injure or harass basking sharks in British waters, with up to 6 months in prison and a large fine (Shark Trust). Also CITES Appendix II

Checked against