'Second Largest Fish In The World' Spotted Off MA Coast

GLOUCESTER, MA — A group of local fishermen had a rare encounter with the second largest species of fish in the world around dawn Tuesday morning, according to Boston25.

James Martin shared with the outlet a video of a massive basking shark swimming underneath his boat at 5:30 a.m.

Read the full report and see the video in Boston25.

According to the Natural History Museum, the basking shark can reach as many as 40 feet in length and can open its mouth more than three feet wide. The only species of fish that grows bigger is the whale shark.

SEE ALSO: Scientists Spot 161 Whales Off Coast Of Massachusetts

"Despite its size, this shark feeds on tiny prey, filtering around two million liters of water per hour through its gills," the museum said.

Though it is the largest shark that lives and feeds in the waters off New England, the basking shark is 'harmless and considered a gentle giant of the ocean,' according to the New England Basking Shark and Ocean Sunfish Project.

"Basking sharks are sighted in New England waters during the spring, summer, and fall, yet little is known about their distribution and movements offshore," the project wrote on its website.

The shark, which can be found in many ocean waters in temperate and tropical areas, gets its name because it is often seen near the water's surface, according to NEB Shark.

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