Basking sharks in Irish waters put on endangered list

The formidable, but harmless, basking shark is one of 58 species on a new list of endangered fish in Irish waters.

Basking sharks are among the biggest fish in the North Atlantic and are the second-biggest fish in the world, after the whale shark.

Once hunted by communities along the west coast for their liver oil, they are no longer fished commercially. However, some are removed from the seas accidentally, as bycatch. Habitat destruction is also a threat.