Big News!!

Manx Shark goes to Canada
Download here!!


Sponsored by

Global Ocean

Tower Insurance
Dept of Tourism and Leisure
Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry

The 2008 basking shark season is almost upon us, with the first sightings anticipated any day soon.  Last year there were isolated animals spotted in March and early April, with the real influx of these annual visitors starting in May, peaking in June and July.    
The wonderful clear weather and flat seas of last Sunday (April 27th) resulted in plenty of cetaceans being spotted around our shores, but sadly no sharks - clearly the plankton levels have not yet built up sufficiently for them.

Tagging in 2008

Thanks to wonderful support from our sponsors (see panel left), we have secured sufficient funding to purchase 5 satellite tags for shark tagging research this season. This is tremendous news and will allow us to build on the success of last years initial work with these extremely clever devices.  The tags are currently on order with the manufacturers in America, and we hope to take delivery in the third week of May.
We have just recorded a piece for the new 'Man in the Wild' series to be broadcast on Manx Radio. Tune in to hear Jackie, Duncan and Graham talking about this seasons work.
We hope you find the changes to the website useful and easy to navigate. Regular updates will be posted from now on throughout the season.

Welcome to the Manx Wildlife Trust's Manx Basking Shark Watch web page. We are working in collaboration with the Marine Conservation Society Basking Shark Watch. The Isle of Man is a basking shark 'hotspot', having particularly high densities of basking sharks compared to elsewhere in the British Isles. We would like YOU to help us find out how many basking sharks visit the Isle of Man every year, and to help us study what they are doing whilst they're here!

This is a truly MANX basking shark site. It contains the latest Isle of Man basking shark sightings, a section about how to find basking sharks off the Isle of Man and another for your own Isle of Man Basking Shark stories. All but 2 of the photographs were taken in Isle of Man waters. This is the place to learn about basking shark biology, law and conservation issues. Facts about basking shark behaviour, courtship and where they go in the winter are compiled from recent scientific discoveries by Dr David Sims and other modern-day researchers. A lot of the biology comes from historical anatomical work that is unlikely to be repeated. There is even a special children's section that includes 'Revolting facts about basking sharks'!

The text has been written by Jackie Hall (MSc, BSc, BA) Voluntary Marine Officer for the Manx Wildlife Trust. It has been edited by the Marine Committee of the Manx Wildlife Trust, by John Galpin, a local basking shark enthusiast and by Dr Jean-Luc Solandt of the Marine Conservation Society Basking Shark Watch. This new website, with it's online reporting system, has been constructed by Paul Steer of Delta IT Services www.deltait.co.uk. He also constructed the website for Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch. MBSW is grateful that the funding for the website construction was provided by DAFF (Department of Agriculture Farming and Fisheries).

This website will evolve as you send in your basking shark sightings and stories. We would love to have more local photographs of basking sharks so please send them in. If you have a story, sighting or photograph to contribute please let us know on 01624-801345. We hope you enjoy it.


Login
email:

Password:



News & Events

04-Jul-2008
Ian Judd Sees the First Newborn Shark of 2008
03-Jul-2008
Jackie and Graham Hall have the most amazing day with courting basking sharks.
26-Jun-2008
Map of May 2008 Basking Shark Sightings
20-Jun-2008
American Film Team Leave (WITH Shark Footage)!
16-Jun-2008
Shark Surprise for End-to-End Swimmers!

Manx Basking Shark Watch 2007