Since2011,fishersinthevillageofOslobhavetakentouriststoseewhalesharks.Thesevisitorssayit'sexciting.Thefisherssayitisagoodbusiness.Theysaytheymakemoremoney.Theycantakebettercareoftheirfamilies.Yet,somepeopleworry.Theythinkthatfeedingwhalesharksmightbebadforthem.Itmaychangetheirnormalbehavior.Whoisright?Therearetwosidestothis story.

ThisisaviewoftheSumilonIslandbeachlandingnear Oslob.

Aguidefeedsawhale shark.

ForWhaleSharkTourism

ImprovingLives

Localpeopleusedtoearnabout$1.40adaybyfishing.Itwasn’tverymuchmoney.Itwashardforthemtobuyenoughfoodtofeedtheirfamilies.Or,sendtheirchildrentoschool.Thenatouristpaidafishertotakehimtoseeawhalesharkupclose.Thatchanged everything.

Thefishersjoinedtogether.Theymadeacompanytobringvisitorstoseewhalesharks.Now,thefishershavemoremoney.Theyareabletofeedtheirfamilies.Theycansendtheirchildrento school.

Signspointthewaytowhaleshark watching.

Touristsswimwithawhale shark.