| Photo/Date/Location | Reference | Sex | TL (m) | W (ton) | PCL (m) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zuffa et al. (2001) | 2.49-12 | 70-2500 (for 8.5 m spec) | Table 1 summarizes basing shark records in the Atriatic Sea for 2000-2001. Length and mass is given for 5 sharks with condition factor (CF = M/TL^3) of 4.5, 5.8, 4.1, 4.5, and 4.1. Mean CF is 4.6 kg/m^3. | |||
 |
C. Stenberg pers. comm. | M | 2.92 | ~90 kg | Slideshow
of 2.92 m TL male juvenile basking shark caught in Porto Moniz (North-West
coast of Madeira), on 29 Jan 2000. Approximately 90 kg (we didn't have a scale, CF ~ 3.6); gonads 0.386 kg (GSI ~ 0.43%); liver 4.570 kg (HSI ~5%). Thanks to Charlott Stenberg. |
|
| 1986-1999 | Francis and Duffy (2002) | 3.5-5.0 | 1.5-2.0 | A catch of 7 was supported by individual length (3.5-5.0 m) and mass estimated(1.5-2.0 t). Condition factor using lower and upper limits of length and mass range, respectively, yields 35.0 - 16.0. It suggests that mass or length estimate are suspect in view of CF that I caluclated from data given in Zuffa et al. (2001). |
||
| <1974 | Ryan (1974) | 5.0 | Quoting from Francis and Duffy (2002): "Ryan (1994) reported a 5 m basking shark from Lake Ellesmere, a large, shallow brackish lake south fo Banks Peninsula, South Island New Zealand and in Sep 1979, multiple sharkswere observed in the same lake over a 1 week period, including 21 individuals on a single day (Dodgeshun 1980)." | |||
| 1986-1999 | Francis and Duffy (2002) | 8 M, 6F | 4.0-6.5 | Greatest number (14) in one commercial tow from scientific observer record. | ||
 02 Sep 2002 |
Kelly Newton pers. comm. | Most recent basking shark sighting in Monterey Bay, Kelly Newton took the attached picture on Monday (02 Sep 2002) out in Monterey Bay. Along with the Basking Shark there were 4-5 blue whales and 2 humpback whales. From the plane (650 ft.) we could see it with its mouth open cruising through all of the krill. | ||||
 08 Aug 2007 |
posting to Elasmo-l by Sonja Fordham; additional information from Frederik Mollen | F | 6.86 TOT (stretched); |
1.8 gutted; could not be verified | 5.52 | The Shark Alliance was on the scene for today's fish market display of a six meter, two-ton, female basking shark, landed illegally last night in Zeebrugge, Belgium. The shark was reportedly taken unintentionally by Belgian trawlers fishing in the Celtic Sea. |
| <1950 | Matthews (1950) | M | 6.8 | In north-eastern Atlantic, Matthews (1950) and Matthews and Parker (1950) observed a 6.8 m, maturing male basking shark, and matrue males of 7.6--8.1 m "in vigorous sexual activity" according to Francis and Duffy (2002). | ||
05 Oct 2000 |
Victor Lin p.c. | 7.4 | Found by Victor Lin on Web. 24' 4'' basking shark washed up on the Edmonds side of the Dennys river, Maine USA. | |||
| <1950 | Matthews (1950) | M | 7.8-8.1 | In north-eastern Atlantic, Matthews (1950) and Matthews and Parker (1950) observed a 6.8 m, maturing male basking shark, and matrue males of 7.6--8.1 m "in vigorous sexual activity" according to Francis and Duffy (2002). | ||
|
Francis and Duffy (2002) | 7-8 | Two commercial bottom trawlers caught 32 basking sharks on the seabed in depths of 200-300 m off Hawke Bay Nea Zealand. None were caught in the 10 years before and the year after. | |||
| <1950 | Matthews (1950) | 7.7-8.2 | Matthews (1950) and Matthews and Parker (1950) considered five femalse of 7.7-8.2 m to be mature according to Francis and Duffy (2002). | |||
 5 May 2005; Hualien, Eastern Taiwan |
M | >8 | They got a > 8m long male basking shark - sold and gone. Measurements and samples for DNA were taken by Sichu. Thanks for information to Shih-Chu Yang and John Y. Wang. | |||
 5 May, 2005 |
Victor Lin pers. comm. | M | 8.92 | 3700 | same as above | |
 April 2007 |
Victor Lin pers. comm. | 9 (CF = 6.3) | 4600 | April 2007. Victor Lin saw on a Chinese website that Japanese fishermen caught a 9 meter, 4.6 ton basking shark. According to the news, it was the largest ever caught off Japan. | ||
| 1889; New Zealand |
Cheeseman (1891) | 10.43 | Earliest published record of a basking shark caught in north-eastern New Zealand (36deg39'S, 174deg45'E) in 1889 according to Francis and Duffy (2002). | |||
| 15 Mar 2001 | Zuffa et al. (2001) | 10-12 | Group of some 10 specimens were sighted 12-13 miles off the coast. Harbour Office representitiv approached and photographed one individual. | |||
| 06 Aug 1851 | Evan Hodder pers. comm. | 12.22 | The largest reliably recorded basking shark probably an individual measuring 40ft 3in that was caught on August 6, 1851 in Musquash Harbor, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada. | |||
| 1931 | Tomas (2004) | 9.5 assuming CF = 4.6 | ~3900 | Caught by fisherman Thomas Machado in Monterey Bay in 1931. This "Basker" weighed 8600 lbs, including a liver weighing 2100 lbs. | ||
 16 Aug 2001; Daliang, N.E. China |
Victor Lin pers. comm. | 4000 | A 4000 kg basking shark caught at Daliang, N.E. China on 2001 Aug 16. | |||
 23 May 2007 |
Victor Lin pers. comm. | ~10 (CF would be 5.0) | ~5000 | Five-ton
blue shark captured in east China | ||
| 21 Oct. 2004; Taiwan |
Victor Lin pers. comm. | ~15? 11.0 assuming CF = 4.6 |
6200 | The news was reported to Victor Lin by a local fish dealer who called him the next day and said the bigger basking was about 6 tons. Vicotr then searched on the internet and found a brief account in of local newspapers that claimed the shark was 15 meters long and weighed 6 tons. They also reported that the shark was soon gutted and cut into pieces and no photo was available. The jaw of the shark was saved by a graduate student at a local university. | ||
after 1948; |
Tomas (2004) | 11.1 assuming CF=4.6 | ~6350 | Had largest liver (3500 lbs = 1588 kg) ever for a basking shark caught in Monterey Bay. Harpooned by Moss Landing fisherman Freeman "Whitey". Assuming liver was 25% of body mass, then this basking shark weighed about 6350 kg. | ||
| <2001 | 12.2-15.2 | Compagno (2001, FAO cat.): "Basking sharks have been credited as reaching a maximum total length of 12.2 to 15.2 m, but even if this is correct, most specimens do not exceed approximately 9.8 m." | ||||
| Photo/Date/Location | Reference | Sex | TL (m) | W (kg) | FL (m) | Comments |