Since2011,fishersinOslobhavetakenmorethan750,000touristsoutintothewatersofftheirvillagetoseewhalesharksupclose.Touristssaytheygetathrilling,once-in-a-lifetimeexperience.Thefishersclaimthatthisindustryhelpsthembettertakecareoftheirfamilies.Thesharksshowupbecausethefishersfeedthemeveryday.Manypeoplethinkthisadventureisharmlessforthesharksandbenefitslocalpeople.Othersthinkthepracticedisruptsthesharks'naturalbehaviorsandmayhurttheirwell‑being.Whoisright?Figuringthatoutisn’teasy.Therearetwosidestothis story.
ThisisaviewoftheSumilonIslandbeachlandingnear Oslob.
Aguidefeedsawhalesharktoattract tourists.
ForWhaleSharkTourism
ImprovingLives
Beforewhalesharktourism,localpeopleearned,onaverage,about$1.40adaybyfishing.Itwasn’tenoughtoputfoodonthetableorsendtheirchildrentoschool.Allthatchangedafteratouristofferedtopayoneofthefisherstotakehimclosertoawhaleshark,sohecouldhaveanup-close experience.
Fromthatonetouristsprangacommunity-baseddivecompanythatattractedmorevisitors.Thisshark-viewingbusinessearnedmorethan$18millioninfiveyears.Now,localssaytheyhavemoremoneytoprovidefortheirfamilies.Familieshavemoremoneyforhealthcare,food,and education.
Theguidesandtheirfamiliesaren’ttheonlyoneswhoprosper.Theindustrygives10percentofitsprofitstothelocalvillagetosupportits economy.
Theindustryalsogives30percentofitsprofitstothesurroundingtowns.Resortsandotherplacestostayhavepoppeduptosupportthecrowds.Manypeoplesellfoodorsouvenirstotouristswhiletheyarein town.
Theguidesclaimthatfeedingthewhalesharksisgoodforallfishspeciesinthearea.Fewerpeopleneedtofishtomakealiving,whichputslesspressureonothertypesoffish.Andinthisarea,wherepeoplehaveaninterestintheirsurvival,thewhalesharksarelesslikelytobekilledfortheirfinsby poachers.
Somescientistsalsothinkthatthetourismisagoodthingforwhalesharks.Havingsomanypeopleseethesesharkshelpsraiseawarenessaboutthemasanendangeredspecies.Educatingpeoplearoundtheworldcouldalsohelpwhalesharksinotherpartsofthe world.
Signspointthewaytowhaleshark watching.
Touristsswimwithawhale shark.