Dive Ireland invited the Irish Basking shark Project to speak at the Dive Ireland Expo 2010 in County Cavan.
Emmett Johnston one of the projects key co-ordinators gave a presentation to the Irish Dive community on the basking shark project research and how divers can positively contribute to the conservation of Ireland most iconic marine mega-fauna species.
Divers have been one of the projects key contributors with 90% of tag re-sightings coming from wreck divers on the Irish and Scottish coasts. Some amazing photos have been captured of tagged sharks up to a month later and over a distance of 150+ nautical miles. Tags no 39 (Pictured) was captured by by Nuno S. off Tiree on the west coast of Scotland after been tagged off Malin head 22 days previously. Only people in the water can spend enough time close to the animals to gain a positive visual recording of tag numbers. This information is invaluable and provides distance travelled over time, physical features/marks and also helps us understand site fidelity. The more records received the more powerful the information will become and the greater chance these magnificent animals have of gaining protection in Irish waters.