Basking sharks were spotted by Cape Cod anglers multiple times last week. On The Water’s Kevin Blinkoff took a few photos while bluefin tuna fishing off Chatham, and Phil Buzby (who shot this awesome video) spotted one (or perhaps the same one) around Provincetown a few days later.
Basking Shark Facts (Courtesy of the New England Basking Shark & Ocean Sunfish Project):
Second Largest Fish in the World (Whale Shark #1)
Typically grow 20 to 28 feet, but can grow up to 40 feet
Spend the Spring, Summer and Fall in colder waters and migrate to more tropical waters in the Winter
Feed by filtering larger zooplankton like copepods, fish eggs and fish larvae through their large mouths
Listed as a protected species in US waters
Basking shark off Chatham, MA on June 5th, 2013.