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Story summary
- A 20-foot basking shark was spotted off Ventura, California on March 3, 2026, by passengers on an Island Packers boat.
- Basking sharks can grow over 30 feet and feed on plankton.
- Their population has declined since the 1960s, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) designated them a species of concern in 2010.
- Recent sightings may reflect environmental conditions that increase plankton, prompting researchers to track these sharks.
