Basking Sharks Follow Food, Rising Temps North From Britain To Scotland

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Britain's biggest fish, the basking shark, is deserting the waters off southern England and heading to Scotland as global warming pushes its favourite food source northwards. In the past three years sightings of basking sharks have greatly increased in Scottish waters and have fallen in south-west England.

The latest survey from the Wildlife Trust's basking shark project shows that 172 out of 180 sightings this year of the fish, which can grow to 11 metres in length, were in Scottish waters. The annual survey, which is conducted over 10 weeks each summer, shows a dramatic shift in the pattern of sightings.

"We have seen a major swing towards Scotland over the last few years," said Colin Speedie, skipper of the survey boat. "In 2002 we only had one shark sighted in Scotland compared to more than 100 in Cornwall but now the position has been completely reversed. In 2003 we had a pretty even 50-50 split in sightings but in 2004 the vast majority were in Scotland. This year it is even more extreme." In previous years the waters off the Isle of Man and south-west England were the best places to see sharks but increasingly the Hebrides, the Minches, Shetland and the Clyde coast have taken over.

"Despite a devastating year for seabirds and other marine creatures in Scotland, basking sharks seem to have benefited from the abundance and quality of their main food source, plankton, and are following that food supply," said Mr Speedie. "Although there are a number of reasons that could have caused this change in pattern, climate change does seem to be a factor. The warmer currents south of the border are pushing the plankton northwards."

EDIT

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/article312998.ece