Niche Tourism - Whale Sharks in Mozambique worth $50 million?

Great article today in the Boston Globe on sustainable whale shark tourism in Mozambique at Praia do Tofo.

What we were unaware of was the regional tourism valuation of $50 million. That's an impressive number and one much higher than traditional artisanal fisheries which breakdown a whale shark into a few dollars locally compounded with declining stocks.

PRAIA DO TOFO — Eyes stinging with the wonder of it, my head breaks the surface and a rippling swell sloshes about my ears. Up here all is hysteria, hyper-adrenalized euphoria: 16 goggle-eyed tourists treading water, yelling astonishment through surf and snorkels. Bubble, splash, gurgle . . . “ . . . mazing’’ . . . “ . . . did you see?’’ It’s an understandable reaction when you have just been for a paddle alongside a shark the length of a bus.

In recent years, their docility has spawned a mini-industry of companies offering people the chance to swim with one, a niche tourism market worth more than $50 million a year. Many specialists claim that interactions between whale sharks and humans, when carefully managed, have little negative impact on the animals’ behavior, with some advocating responsible tourism as a key means to safeguard them down the line.

Complete story.

Slow Success in Gujarat - Distinct Whale Shark Population

If you have been watching the conservation push to protect and sustainably commercialize whale shark populations off the coast of Gujarat India, like we have, you can only be impressed with this regional effort.

Gujarat is a well known whale shark harvest site, with local fishermen in small boats who harpoon and net these animals, often reaping rewards of $80,000 rupee or close to $1800 USD per shark. In a location like Gujarat where the regional daily wage hovers at $3.00 the incentive to harvest whale sharks is extremely high.

Yet a small group of local NGO's with the help of India's Tata Chemicals have managed to change local views and redirect fishermen away from harvesting sharks for a promise of shark tourism efforts to come.

Sustainable shark tourism is the key to saving these animals.

Additionally the team rolled out a shark tagging and research effort that now suggests these animals are a distinct population. If you want to save a regional shark population this is the kind of news that drives conservation forward, aided by shark research.

With the titanic shark fishing disaster in Playa del Carmen this year, 22 dead bull sharks and counting, taken by local fishermen who were alerted to a shark aggregation site by local dive shops wanting to capitalize on shark tourism. Gujarat stands as a fine example of slow and steady site roll outs where fishing pressures and the chance to make money from sharks with a one time fishery can be changed and modified.

Worldwide the shark tourism model can be wildly successful, but only if tourism is countered with research and local behavior modification where regional fishing pressures only grow with demand, made more deadly each year by the modern equipment and methods that are driven by demand.

Kudos.

Whale Sharks Killed, Displaced by Gulf Oil?

When the BP Gulf Oil Spill began, soon to become Americas biggest oil disaster, this blog quickly focused attention on a small research team out of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory who had been studying Whale sharks in the region for the past several years.

Their research site turned out to be an oily ground zero.

Our coverage, with the help of several other blue bloggers, lead to timely mainstream media pieces that picked up this unfolding eco disaster and followed it to its frustrating conclusion.

Or was it?

National Geographic has a first rate follow up about the effects millions of gallons of spilled oil has had on these gentle giants in the region and is a must read:

Though much of the Gulf oil has disappeared from the surface, the spill isn't going away—and scientists are still trying to uncover the extent of its invisible effects on Gulf wildlife.

(Read about the Gulf oil spill in the October issue of National Geographic magazine.)

For instance, certain toxic ingredients of oil—and even the chemical dispersants used during the cleanup—could potentially cause long-term problems for whale sharks and many other species. Those may include compromised endocrine or immune response systems, scientists note. (See related blog: "Gulf Seafood With a Side of Oil Dispersant?")

Whale sharks filter a lot of water through their mouths and gills—almost 160,000 gallons (605,000 liters) of water an hour—as they feed on tiny plankton and fish.

Complete Story.

India and Whale Sharks - Research

Good news from India and Veraval (Gujarat).

We have been following Indian efforts to protect and conserve whale shark populations off this coast for a while now.-

This week researchers re-acquired a previously identified whale shark releasing it from a net it was trapped in.

Efforts in Gujarat to bring tourism to the region with these gentle giants is a multi act affair with input from NGO's, private business, and the global whale shark database managed by ECOCEAN.

Complete story here.

Whale Shark Tagging Expedition - Only the Adventurous Need Apply

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) August 31, 2009 -- Have you ever wondered what it would be like to swim with sharks? Join Iemanya Oceanica for its first public shark-tagging trip and find out. Iemanya Oceanica is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Los Angeles and dedicated to shark and marine conservation. On October 15, 2009, you can join the research team as they travel to the beautiful and remote village of Bahia de Los Angeles on the Sea of Cortez in Baja California, Mexico. "We hope to tag two whale sharks on this trip, which should take about three days," says Laleh Mohajerani, Iemanya's Executive Director. "Tagging is one of the first and most important steps towards conservation. Through tagging, we can learn about these majestic creatures and influence sustainable management policies."

Whale sharks are the largest living fish species on the planet. They are slow moving filter feeders and can grow to up to 40 feet long (12.2 M) and weigh up to 15 tons. Whale sharks are believed to have originated around 60 million years ago, and are found in tropical and warm oceans. They can live for up to 70 years, and although they have very large mouths, they are harmless, feeding solely on plankton, which are microscopic marine plants and animals. "The purpose of the whale shark expedition is to create more awareness about the ocean and to encourage support for research and education about the ocean," says Ms. Mohajerani.

The Whale Shark Expedition is October 15-19, 2009. The all-inclusive trip and will feature luxury motor coach transportation to and from Los Angeles to Bahia de Los Angeles; a welcome beachfront cocktail reception; all local transportation; hotel accommodations; all you can eat gourmet meals prepared fresh; drinks; access to the area research station; presentations by the researchers and local museum director; tour of the history museum; a visit to the turtle hatchery; optional fishing trip; excursions to off-shore islands for bird watching and ancient cave paintings; and free time for snorkeling and the beach.

Iemanya Oceanica is an international nonprofit organization committed to protecting marine life, especially sharks and rays, and improving the quality of life for those who depend on sustainable marine resources.

The all-inclusive Whale Shark Tagging Expedition is $1,599.00 per person. Space is extremely limited, so apply now by contacting Laleh Mohajerani at 818-224-4250.

For more information about shark and ocean conservation or Iemanya Oceanica¹s Whale Shark Tagging Expedition, please visit www.iemanya.org. Shark images, footage and tips for protecting yourself against a shark attack are also available.