Sunfish

This is a BIG one!

Photo by Paul Howells, off south-west Wales

Fiona MacGillivray saw one of these amazing fish in the Sound of Islay yesterday. She could only see the dorsal fin sticking out of the water, but this is a sufficient identification character.  They have an almost circular body as they seem to have forgotten to grow a tail when they evolved. Fiona couldn't say how large the one she saw was, but the very largest can grow to about 3 metres across and weigh hundreds of kilos! They are regular in the waters round Cornwall, but get scarcer as you come north. The really huge ones are in warmer waters, but specimens up to 1.5–2 m across and weighing up to 50 kg have been reported from Cornwall and south-west Wales. It was too far away for her to photograph, but here are a few images from the internet. They often seem to swim on their sides, as in the middle photo, with the dorsal fin flopping about.

Not another Basking Shark!

Sorry folks, but I was beginning to feel very left out on this Basking Shark thing and then I discovered the way to see a Basking Shark (Otter, Golden Eagle . . . ) is not to think about it. So it was on Saturday when I went across to Jura, firmly ensconced in the car for the duration of our 5 minute passage when a whirlwind of excitement broke out on deck as a Basking Shark was swimming right alongside us. Panic ensued as I delved into my rucsack for my camera and then had to contain my excitement sufficiently to photograph the great beast. What a wonderful moment! So you'll just have to excuse the Basking Shark mania which has hit the INHT. It's been a bumper year for them and we're making the most of it!

Becky

Serious fish

Great shots from Mark Reynier showing three Basking Sharks off  Wester Ellister

Basking Shark - Wester Ellister

Many thanks to Ruari Reynier of Port Charlotte Primary School for sending us this wee video of a Basking Shark taken off Wester Ellister earlier today.  Nice one Ruari!!