A family on a fishing charter encountered a large basking shark off the northern coast of Ireland. John Paul Baska of Northwest Charter skippered the trip. He estimated the shark's length at 35 feet.

The sighting occurred close to shore in waters near Northern Ireland. The shark's dorsal fin moved through the surface as its tail stirred the water. Baska noted conditions drew marine life to the area due to plankton.

The family of five reacted with surprise to the shark's size. Basking sharks rank as the second-largest fish species after whale sharks. They filter plankton and small crustaceans from the water with wide-open mouths.

These sharks grow over 26 feet long and sometimes reach 33 feet. They swim slowly at 2 to 3 miles per hour. The species poses no threat to humans.