This gentle
giant, which can be closely approached while feeding
near the surface, is now a popular tourist attraction
and legally protected in some parts of the world. However,
it is still being fished elsewhere for its fins, liver
oil and meat. So many Basking Sharks have been killed
in some parts of the world, that they are now hardly
ever sighted in these areas.
In April 2000, the UK proposed the Basking Shark
for addition to Appendix II of the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Although this
proposal was unsuccessful, it did result in the collation
of a great deal of information about this mysterious
animal and increased awareness of its special nature.
