The IUCN/SSC Shark Specialist Group
Shark News 11: July 1998
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Editorial
Sarah Fowler
Shark feeding provides virtually the only guaranteed means of
experiencing shark encounters 'in the wild' in most parts of the world.
As such, this is now a well-established activity world-wide and in
huge demand from diving tourists. Its economic value to some coastal
communities is therefore large and rising. Shark tourism is also a very
important factor supporting policies and legislation in favour of shark
conservation (the value of individual sharks to local economies is
demonstrably so very much higher and more sustainable than the
income from shark fisheries). It is definitely here to stay.
However, the rise in numbers of operators and tourists engaged in
this activity is now being accompanied by increased concern over the
conduct of these activities. As George Burgess points out, unregulated
or poorly-managed shark feeding operations have the potential to
result in harm to divers and other water-users, to shark populations,
to the marine environment, and ultimately, to local economies
heavily reliant on income derived from tourism associated with a
much wider range of water uses. It is particularly alarming that these
concerns are now being voiced by some individuals who were
involved in the development and promotion of shark feeding activities,
as well as by scientists and conservationists with a long history of
studying the problems associated with human/wildlife interactions.
On a more positive note, some countries are now beginning to
regulate shark diving activities. This newsletter presents examples
from Australia and South Africa. However, it is vitally important that
such initiatives are extended to other countries as a matter of urgency,
and are strictly enforced. Tourist industries and governments must
recognise that this is vital to their own interests and their coastal
economies as well as to the future well-being of the tourists and the
shark populations on which they are increasingly dependent.
We also report the closure of the Philippines whale shark fishery.
This was showing a classic pattern of expanding effort as a result of the
high value of whale shark products in international trade, combined
with an apparent decline in catches. One stimulus for the closure of
this fishery was the high potential value of the species for dive tourism,
as demonstrated by the booming Western Australian whale shark dive
trade. WWF is now working on developing whale shark ecotourism
in the area where the fishery was formerly under way. However, some
observers have expressed concern that, while the benefits of the whale
shark fishery were undoubtedly flowing directly to local fishing
communities (albeit likely in a unsustainable manner), it is difficult to
ensure that all coastal communities formerly hunting whale sharks
will be able to participate in and benefit from ecotourism to the same
extent. The problems posed by the remote nature of many of the
villages, the lack of communications and other infrastructure and
other factors make this impossible to achieve. Additionally, whale
shark hunting, which replaced traditional whaling in the area, was a
very important community activity, playing a significant cultural role
in these villages. Ecotourism developments cannot replace this.
Hopefully the lessons learnt in many countries following the closure
of coastal whaling and attempts to turn to whale watching instead will
help such communities to weather these changes.
Finally, a word of caution about the economics which encourage
the replacement of commercial and subsistence fishing for sharks by
dive tourism or recreational fishing. While a dead shark may be worth
only tens of dollars, and a live shark on a diving reef perhaps
thousands, these figures are not comparable if the fisherman who has
forgone his $10 is unable to benefit from the $1,000 income which
flows to a tourist development owned by a company possibly not
even registered in the same country or employing staff from local
villages. Conservation ultimately fails without local support.
Sarah Fowler
Nature Conservation Bureau, 36 Kingfisher Court
Hambridge Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 5SJ, UK.
Email: sarahfowler@naturebureau.co.uk
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