As of 3 March 2022, basking sharks have been granted protected status in Ireland following a major public campaign to protect the iconic species.
Ireland’s Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan said that the basking shark will be given the status of ‘protected wild animal’ under the Irish Wildlife Act, which will be supported by the development of a code of conduct to support sustainable wildlife tourism.
‘Work has been underway in my Department for a number of months to progress protections for the Basking shark and I’m delighted to be able to announce today that they will be finalised in the near future,’ said minister Noonan. ‘Basking sharks are extraordinary creatures and they’re facing increasing pressures from a range of sources, including disturbance. This move will confer legal protections on them in the short term and enhance their protection in the longer term through the collaborative development of a Code of Conduct to support best practice in sustainable eco tourism.’
‘This is great news for the Basking shark and for the many people that have been calling for its protection,’ added Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD. ‘Marine protection is a vital element of the work we do in this Department and strong progress is being made in that regard, particularly on Marine Protected Areas, which will form a crucial pillar in ensuring that we have a clean, healthy, diverse and sustainably used marine environment.’
Basking sharks are the second largest species of shark and – like the largest, the whale shark – a filter feeder, raking vast quantities of plankton from the water with their cavernous mouths. They are generally considered to be harmless to humans and attract a significant amount of tourism to the waters surrounding Ireland and the western coasts of Great Britain. Despite the species being globally recognised as Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, little protection is afforded to the shark by law.
The news has been welcomed by campaigners and conservationists, including the the Irish Basking Shark Group (IBSG), whose campaign raised more than 13,000 signatures in support for the shark’s protection.
‘The IBSG welcomes todays government announcement to provide protection to basking sharks in Irish waters by listing them on the Wildlife Act,’ said a statement on the group’s Facebook page. ‘This is the first step towards providing full protection to this magnificent animal, which we in Ireland are privileged to be important globally. The IBSG hope the government will roll out Marine Protected Areas to protect critical habitats such as feeding and courting areas.
‘The IBSG also welcomes the development of a Code of Conduct for all marine wildlife watchers to respect so we can watch, experience and be awestruck by basking sharks without disturbing them. A great day and thank you to Minister Noonan for todays announcement.’
