BY SAMMY JULIAN
THEY are affectionately known as the gentle giants of the sea. They are adored by the locals and have become a major draw for foreign visitors contributing to the swift growth of the Philippine tourism industry.
They are the whale sharks of the Philippines – these incredible, 14-meter creatures that were once perceived as dangerous by local residents. This wrong notion changed when in December 26, 1997 a group of scuba divers discovered their presence in Donsol, Sorsogon. They interacted and came in contact with the whale sharks. Copy of the video footage taken by the group was passed on to the media. By March 1998, Donsol became a world-class tourist destination and now known as the “Whale Shark Capital of the World.”
However, despite tourist guidelines put in place regarding the conduct of swimming with these sharks – such as no feeding and no touching – there are concerns about the effect these “interactions” have on the creatures.
Conservationists are deeply concerned about the impact that the shark’s role as a tourist attraction could have on their safety and on the behavior of their offspring.
Fears have been raised that young whale sharks could get to used to humans with regular close contact and feeding. There is that possibility that the youngsters become reliant on people instead of hunting for their own food. Furthermore, the increasingly close proximity of the boats could lead to injuries and this means calls are growing for greater protection.
The proposed solution is a greater balance between protection and using the sharks’ presence as a positive tourism tool, between enjoying them and exploiting their presence, thus putting the animals at risk.
Authorities insist that whale safety, local tourism and revenues are all sustainable with the right balance, that the Philippines is part of international conventions for whale shark protection and that the local government wants to protect the sharks, and that there will be fines for those that violate restrictions.
The problem is that while this idea of balance and policing is great, there is a strong sentiment expressed by this small Philippine tourism community that this balance may not always be maintained.
It has been pointed out that 90 percent of Donsol’s economy comes from whale watching; many small businesses have boomed because of tourist spending.
The community admits that while they do want to work with conservationists, they will always put their families and businesses first if there are signs of trouble, which may mean getting closer to the sharks.
The government should find ways to resolve the stalemate – conservation and protection of these beautiful but fragile marine creatures or maintaining the revenues that tourism brings to the country./PN
