For a number of years, public sightings recording schemes have been utilised to gather simple data on occurrences of the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) in the UK, both on a national and local basis. These have emulated successful cetacean sightings recording schemes involving members of the public, and are recognised for contributing as much in terms of public awareness as in overall scientific understanding of the abundance and distribution of the species. This paper compares three years of results (1999-2001) obtained from a successful public sightings scheme in the south-west of England, with a boat based effort-related survey over the same period. Both sets of data cover the same spatial scale, and offer a comparison in terms of the incidence of sightings, overall numbers and temporal and spatial distribution of basking sharks. The results obtained in each survey have been examined and ways to improve such schemes are suggested.