Britain (excluding N.I.)	1998	Schedule 5  of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) – to 12 miles offshore. “The Act makes it an offence (subject to exceptions) to intentionally kill, injure, or take, possess, or trade in any wild animal listed in Schedule 5, and prohibits interference with places used for shelter or protection, or intentionally disturbing animals occupying such places. The Act also prohibits certain methods of killing, injuring, or taking wild animals”.
Northern Ireland	2006	Basking Shark protection in Northern Ireland waters is currently under consideration as part of the current review of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.
North East Atlantic	2004	OSPAR (Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic) On the Initial OSPAR List of Threatened and/or Declining Species and Habitats.
Mediterranean Europe	2004	Bern Convention on Conservation of European and Wildlife Habitats (Appendix II).
Mediterranean Europe	2004 unratified	"Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean" ((formerly: Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution" (Barcelona Convention) 1976)
USA (Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea) USA	1997   2000	All fishermen are prohibited from keeping 19 species of sharks including Basking Sharks   Shark Finning Prohibition Act (HR 5461), This bill prohibits landing or possessing fins in U.S. federal waters without the entire shark carcass.
New Zealand		The Basking Shark has some protection: targeted fishing is illegal, but sharks caught accidentally may be landed.
International	2003                 2005	Listed on Appendix II  of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). “International trade in these species is monitored through a licensing system to ensure that trade can be sustained without detriment to wild populations. Trade in wild and captive bred specimens is allowed, subject to permit”.   Listed on Appendix I of the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species “Migratory species that have been categorized as being in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant proportion of their range”.    Download the UK proposal for listing the Basking Shark, compiled by the Marine Conservation Society   UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Basking Shark is included in Annex I (Highly Migratory Species) of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Convention recognizes that synchronized management and assessment of shared migratory populations could provide an understanding of the cumulative effects of fishing effort on the status of shared populations.  Click here for the full text of the convention.
United Kingdom	1999	Biodiversity Action Plan
Isle of Man	1990	Manx Wildlife Act
Guernsey	1997	Total protection in Guernsey waters