Basking sharks, the world's second-largest fish, face welfare challenges from boat strikes, entanglement, and the stress of close tourism encounters in UK and Irish waters.
Basking sharks are slow-moving filter feeders that are highly vulnerable to boat collisions. Propeller strikes cause severe lacerations and can be fatal. The stress of being closely approached by vessels during aggregation may interrupt critical feeding behaviour. Entanglement in fishing gear causes distress, exhaustion, and injury. While they lack complex cognition, their physical welfare is clearly compromised by human activities. Responsible wildlife watching guidelines help minimise disturbance.