They also urged Oslob officials to study the Donsol whale shark project for better ways on how to deal with the creatures.

In a phone interview, former tourism undersecretary Phineas Alburo said he supports Albay Gov. Joey Salceda’s call that the Oslob municipal government should study the success story that is the Donsol whale shark project.

“Learn about their story. How they started it, the challenges they faced in the past and how they overcome each one of them and how they were able to sustain the project until today,” Alburo said.

Oslob Mayor Ronald Guaren said he doesn’t understand where Salceda’s call came from because they haven’t violated any regulations.

“We operate only in the morning to allow them (whale sharks) to rest and do their natural activities. We only feed them but discourage tourists from touching them,” Guaren said.

Alburo said people are quick to conclude that the Donsol methodoloy cannot be applied in Cebu.

He said it should be studied well by technical people and applied in Oslob.

“What we hear now are all political – the people’s livelihood and all that might be lost because of any modification in their operations,” Alburo said.

He said he visited Donsol and saw for himself how successful their whale shark watch project is.

“Everybody’s happy there. Livelihood of people, protection of the whale sharks, overall sustainability is achieved,” he said.

Former regional tourism director Patria Aurora Roa agreed with Alburo, saying she was against the feeding activities.

“Feeding them is simply wrong and it defeats the purpose of whale shark watching because from the shoreline you can already see them. That is very unhealthy practice which I think cannot be sustained for a long time,” Roa said.

Roa said tourists are required to maintain a certain distance from the whale shark to avoid disturbing their natural activities.

“Here they are touching them, swimming to close and feeding them. It’s entirely wrong,” Roa said.

Based on data from the regional Economic Development Council showed that Oslob town generated P35 million in income for the first nine months since they started operations in January last year.

Guaren said there are many locals who benefited from their new tourism attraction including fishermen who now have an alternative livelihood.

Islands Group president and chief executive officer Jay Aldeguer said the prohibition on the feeding of whale sharks should be enforced.

“ There could be environmental repercussions but at the same time, the livelihood it has given the community is not negligible,” said Aldeguer.

He said all concerns raised are valid which makes the issue difficult. /Aileen Garcia-Yap, Reporter

Source: Inquirer

It urged better protection for the fish, from Australia to the Caribbean, to reduce catches of an estimated 38 million a year to meet demand for shark fin soup, mainly in China.

“We are hoping that people will recognize that sharks are not only valuable on the plate,” lead author Andres Cisneros-Montemayor of the University of British Columbia in Canada said.

Shark-watching tourism generates about $314 million a year and is projected to surge to $780 million in the next 20 years, according to the study in the journal Oryx – The International Journal of Conservation.

By contrast, the landed value of world shark fisheries is now $630 million a year and has been declining, according to the experts in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

In recent years Palau, the Maldives, Honduras, Tokelau, The Bahamas, the Marshall Islands, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia and New Caledonia have created sanctuaries by banning commercial shark fishing.

“Many countries have a significant financial incentive to conserve sharks and the places where they live,” said Jill Hepp, director of global shark conservation at the Pew Charitable Trusts which took part in the study. Pew urged more sanctuaries.

The study is one of many about how to aid world fisheries, hit by pollution and over-fishing. Tourism draws almost 600,000 people annually to watch sharks from hammerheads to great whites, supporting 10,000 jobs in 29 countries, it said.

One problem is the separate sources of demand – Asian lovers of shark fin soup are unlikely to abandon the dish in favor of tourism, which has so far been mainly for Westerners.

Fishermen need to see a higher value from organizing tourism – such as running boat trips to view sharks or renting scuba gear – than from killing them for fins, said Carl Gustaf Lundin, director of the global marine program at the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which was not involved in the study.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: NBCNEWS

Tan-awan, Philippines (Reuters) – Tan-awan, in the southern Philippines island of Cebu, used to be a sleepy village that never saw tourists unless they were lost or in transit. Yet now they flock there by the hundreds – to swim with whale sharks, the world’s largest fish.

Whale sharks are lured to the Tan-awan coastline of the Oslob district by fishermen who hand feed them small shrimp, drawing divers and snorkelers to see the highly sought-after animals, known as gentle giants of the sea.

But the practice has sparked fierce debate on the internet and among biologists, who decry it as unnatural.

“Some people are asking that we stop feeding, but if we stop feeding, what is our livelihood?” said Ramonito Lagahid, vice chairman of the Tan-awan Oslob Sea Warden and Fishermen Association (TOSWFA). “We have to go back to fishing.”

Though whale sharks as large as 12.7 metres (42 ft) and a weight of more than 21.5 tons (47,400 lbs) have been confirmed, they feed mainly on algae, plankton and krill. Contrary to their name, the animals are docile and pose no risk to humans.

Much of their life cycle remains unknown to science, including total population numbers. Some are killed in areas where they tend to congregate, and the species as a whole is considered “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

But Lagahid says there have always been whale sharks in Tan-awan. He remembers seeing them even when he was young.

“They are always around when we go out at night to collect ‘uyap,’ he said, referring to a kind of small shrimp that the whale sharks are fed. “Many times we have to stop fishing because the whale sharks are around.”

Word about the whale sharks got out globally about two years ago via Internet postings from witnesses, and tourists began flocking to the village both from the Philippines and around the world. Most days see several hundred, but 2012 numbers peaked with 1,642 on Good Friday in 2012.

The whale shark “interaction area” is the size of a soccer field, some 80 metres off the beach, and feeding takes place from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eight to 10 whale sharks show up on average, but some mornings see as many as 20.

Fees for foreign tourists range from 500 pesos ($12.29) to just watch the whale sharks, to 1,500 pesos – plus normal scuba diving charges – to dive with them. The money is pooled and each villager who works that day, as a guide or boat driver, receives 1,000 to 1,500 pesos – a good fee for the rural Philippines.

The results are clear. Many new brick houses line the short stretch of road leading to the feeding beach.

“It is easier working in the whale shark area, ….can earn a lot of money”, said Aikie Lagahid, 23, Ramoncito’s nephew and a fisherman who now works as a whale shark spotter and boatman. “In the morning we take the guests out, and in the afternoon, we play basketball.”

Tourists are delighted as well.

“It (the whale shark) is really big, so it was really an experience,” said Cecilia Buguis, a Philippine tourist. “I would definitely tell my friends about it.

LONG-TERM PROBLEMS?

But not everybody is thrilled. Biologists, in particular, are afraid that the feeding will create long-term problems.

It is very rare, according to Italy-based environmental group Physalus, to have so many whale sharks in such a small area so regularly. Feeding from a boat close to humans is also extremely unnatural.

“It looks like being in a zoo, a circus, looking at the animal walking up and down being fed. This is not a natural behaviour that you see,” said Alessandro Ponzo, the president of Physalus.

“The experience that you have … is not the same as when you see them in the wild, in their natural environment. What you learn here is that wild life is (fine) to be exploited as a tourism attraction.”

Biologists fear that the situation could lead the whale sharks to develop abnormal social behaviours, such as increased aggression or competition between the animals. The close contact could also lead to the spread of disease and parasites.

A Facebook page, “Stop Whale Shark Feeding in Oslob, Cebu, Philippines,” says the feeding is an “exploitation of both the fish and the people.” It has 881 likes.

Animal rights groups say they understand the importance of tourism as a source of livelihood, but emphasize that it has to be done in a sustainable way in order to become a long-term possibility.

Physalus is evaluating the effects of tourism and feeding on the behaviour of whale sharks and hopes their research will help the local government manage whale shark tourism and minimize the environmental impact.

“You should stop the detrimental effect to the shark, but you should also improve the livelihood of the community as well,” said biologist Samantha Craven, the group’s project coordinator in Oslob. “Real eco-tourism is something entirely achievable.” ($1 = 40.6800 Philippine pesos)

Source: Yahoo News

While a bit whimsical, the photos have recently gone viral and lead to a new awareness of the whale shark, which was Schmidt and Heinrichs’ plan all along.

Read more in Wired

Instead of flaunting their curves on the catwalk like other international models, Hannah Fraser, 36, and Roberta Mancino, 32, gamely dived up to 25-feet-deep into the ocean, complete with designer attire, for a one-of-a-kind photo-session posing in the wild with the 18-tonne world’s largest fish.

The sight of top-models perfectly mimicking the graceful poses of whale sharks as they swam through the tropical waters of the Philippines was the brainchild of US photographers Shawn Heinrichs, 41, and Kristian Schmidt, 35, who spent four-months planning the five-day photoshoot.

Read more in DailyMail.co.uk

The Italian-based research group Physalus led by Dr. Alessandro Ponzo said that the whale sharks that frequent the town tucked themselves under the sea as the typhoon pummeled southern Cebu last week.

The southern towns of Cebu were placed under signal number  3 and experienced stronger winds and heavy rains compared to the rest of the province.

The wharf and other structures in Oslob, Boljoon, and Santander towns were damaged after they were hit by strong waves caused by typhoon Pablo last Tuesday.

Physalus through its Large Marine Vertebrates Project Philippines has been conducting research on whale shark tourism interactions in Tan-awan, Oslob. They monitor and take pictures of the whale sharks every day.

“The day when the weather was very bad they  left and probably just went some 2,000 meters deep in the sea,” Ponzo told  Cebu Daily News in a telephone interview.

The day after typhoon Pablo made its exit, only a few whale sharks were sighted.

Yesterday, four were spotted by boatmen and researchers.

Before the typhoon struck, at least 12 whale sharks frequent the shores of Tan-awan and were documented by Physalus

On a regular day,  50 to 100 tourists go to Oslob – about three hours by bus from Cebu City – for whale shark watching. On weekends or holidays, Oslob averages 150 to 200 tourists a day.

“So far there is no problem. The problem is that these uyap (tiny crustaceans) which the whale sharks feed on got blown away by the wind and the waves. We are not sure if there is still uyap in the area,” Ponzo said.

Boatmen, who bring along tourists, feed the whale sharks with uyap to make them come closer to their paddle boats.

Source: Inquirer.net

A new study in Australia of four whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, has shown that the fish spend around 2.5 hours at the surface, on average, after making very deep, long day dives, in addition to the shorter, shallower “bounce” dives they make during the day and night.

“When we looked at our data, we found that the whale sharks spent regular intervals at the surface between diving bouts,” said study lead researcher Michele Thums at The University of Western Australia in a press release.

Read more in The Epoch Times

Tour Promo Period:

• October 27 & 28, 2012
• November 3 & 4, 2012

For regular days tour rates visit reservation page.

Note: This is a shared tour, not an exclusive for your group only.

The joint study, which started on Sept. 17, is in response to requests from concerned individuals and groups, urging the two agencies to look into the whale shark feeding activity as it might disrupt or alter the shark whales’ natural feeding behavior, as well as cause possible changes in their migratory behavior.

“I suppose the concerns aired by some concerned groups on the possible impact of the local eco-tourism activity are valid and worth looking into. This is not only for the sake of the whale sharks in Oslob but also for the people in the community as well as the tourists, as whatever the results of the study would serve to guide everybody in formulating strategies to ensure the protection of the wildlife so that they will continue to provide us entertainment and livelihood but ensure their perpetuity,” DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje said.

Paje also said the team is given three months to conclude its work and submit its findings and recommendations to the regional office of the DENR in Cebu.

The study will cover the shores of Brgy. Tan-awan in Oslob, located some 117 kilometers south of Cebu City, where the team is expected to uncover the reasons why the sharks prefer to swim more frequently here that in any other parts of Cebu’s southern coastlines.

Included in the study is the assessment of the health of coral reefs and the benthic life forms present in the area, conduct of plankton surveys, determination of fish abundance and reef species, and to monitor issues and concerns that may affect the health of the whale sharks.

DENR-Region 7 Executive Director Isabelo Montejo indicated in his report to the DENR chief that local fishermen disperse krill or young shrimps to drive the whale sharks away from their fishing grounds as they were not only destroying the fishermen’s nets but were also driving away other fishes.

Locally called “tuki,” whale sharks were first observed in Oslob shores in the 1980s.

Source: DENR

Garcia was scheduled to watch and observe the whale sharks, locally known as “tuki,” while being fed by the fishermen. On her way to lunch at a resort near the briefing center for tourists, she was asked to drop by the briefing center, where the fisherfolks, including the vendor’s association, expressed their happiness for her support. There were also children showing placards that read: “Salamat Gov. Garcia.”

“Ako natandog kaayo ni’ng inyong gipakita. Nakurat ko, una sa tanan, kay naanad naman gud ko’ng di ko pasalamatan. Kay unsa tong ako nahimo, ako na ‘tong gilantaw nga akong katungdanan. Apan lahi gyud ang Oslob, mao na’y nakapanindot sa Oslobanon. Mao tingali gitagaan mo aning gasa usab, kay na diin-diin na lang ang ubang mga lungsod nga naghandom usab nga ang tuki mahiuyon sa ila, apan nia gyud nahiuyon diri,” Garcia said.

She added that they should not be punished just because the whale sharks frequent their place. They have opened up the minds of every Cebuano, that by protecting the lives of the whale sharks, they have also improved the lives of the fisherfolks in the process.

Limbet Suzada, president of the Tan-awan Oslob Whale shark Fishermen Association (TOWSFA), said they just wanted to thank the governor for defending them.

“Gibuhat ni namo aron amo siyang bugtian. Actually, wa siya nagkinahanglan niini, sama sa iyang giingon, pero naghimo mi’g gamay’ng paagi aron ipakita namo nga nagpasalamat ug nalipay gyud mi kaayo sa iyang gibuhat sa pagpanalipod kanamo,” he said.

Suzada also clarified that they do not intend to change the feeding behavior of the whale sharks because they only give them a handful of “uyap” (krill), just enough to attract them in order to generate an eco-tourism activity.

Recently, Garcia called a meeting with the municipal officials of Oslob, headed by Mayor Ronald Guaren, and representatives from the regional offices of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to discuss the matter.

Despite calls by marine biologists to stop the feeding activity as it allegedly harms the whale sharks in Oslob and changes their behavioral pattern, Garcia allowed it to continue, pending the results of the monitoring that she ordered the BFAR-7 and DENR-7 to conduct to validate these claims.

She also told the agencies to look into the growing number of whale sharks in the seas of Brgy. Tan-awan, and provide answers on why they keep on coming back to Oslob despite the effort of neighboring local government units to lure the whale sharks into their own localities by imitating the feeding activity.

Prior to the said meeting at the Capitol, Suzada said the number of tourists watching the whale sharks suddenly went down following the protest from the marine biologists. After the declaration of Garcia’s stand to continue the feeding activity, however, the influx of visitors once again picked up.

To watch the whale sharks underwater, the LGU of Oslob applies a local rate of P500 per person and charges P1,000 for tourists from outside the town. TOWSFA receives sixty percent of the proceeds while the LGU and the barangay, gets thirty percent and ten percent, respectively. Xerxes Alkuino

Source: Cebu.gov.ph