The whale shark at an incredible 18 metres in length is the biggest fish in the sea and is found at the top of every divers ‘must see’ list. It is unthinkable then, that in the near future these gentle, filter-feeding giants could be among the oceans most noticeable absentees. Threatened by illegal fishing and by collisions with the very tourist vessels that set out to find them, whale shark populations worldwide are in decline.
The Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme - a member of the international conservation coalition the Shark Alliance - has been established to help the Maldivian government reverse this global trend. Since 2006 the MWSRP have been conducting pioneering research in a bid to discover more about the mysterious movements and unusual demographic makeup of the Maldivian whale shark population.The MWSRP have also set about fostering community focussed conservation initiatives. Their latest undertaking is to assist the government in establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) to preserve the key whale shark hot-spots in South Ari and Baa Atoll. In addition to providing protection for the whale sharks through the regulation of fishing, tourism and pollution, these MPA’s will provide revenue, alternative employment and education opportunities for the surrounding community.
The MWSRP have introduced a set of whale shark encounter guidelines and with your help will hold the first training courses for whale shark tour operators in the Maldives. These measures will make currently unregulated whale shark encounters safer and more enjoyable for tourists and for the sharks.
