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UPDATED March 19th, 2012

Massive and majestic, an encounter with a Whale Shark is a highlight for nature lovers and underwater enthusiasts. A boatload of people will erupt with joy and excitement at the sighting with everyone jostling to get the best view, photograph and video – It’s not surprising, as a live in-the-flesh meeting with one of these animals is so rare and tantalising.

Some of my favourite diving and snorkelling memories are of the Whale Shark. It’s really a thrill and a privilege to encounter such a magnificent creature in its natural environment. So it saddens and angers me to learn of these animals being put in peril.

The Whale Shark is the biggest fish in the world and can grow as large as 15 metres/45 feet in length. With a distinctive shape and body markings, it is at the same time, both graceful and formidable gliding through the waters. They are warm water animals and are found in most tropical oceans and follow their annual migration patterns. Whale Sharks feed on plankton and krill and do not pose a physical threat to humans.

Dangers facing Whale Sharks

Whale Shark fins are highly prized for shark fin soup in Asia. A single fin from a Whale Shark can fetch over $20,000 and there are many reports of fishermen cutting off the fins of Whale Sharks and leaving them to die. It’s not uncommon to find many species of sharks left abandoned on beaches and seashores with their fins missing. The meat of Whale Sharks is also a delicacy in many parts of the world.

There are other threats. Despite their size, Whale Sharks are caught in fishing nets as bycatch and they are struck by outboard motors on boats. And there are immediate dangers. Marine conservation organisations fear that the BP oil spill has contaminated important feeding grounds for the Whale Sharks in the Gulf of Mexico. This is a serious danger for the sharks as they rely on plankton for food.

Because they sink to the bottom of the sea when they die – unlike mammals and birds – estimating the number of Whale Shark deaths for research can be difficult.

Protection for Whale Sharks

Whale Sharks have some protection under international laws and treaties. Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) whale shark products can only be traded and sold with special permits but illegal hunting takes a toll. Whale Sharks are classified as vulnerable in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List

Because little is known about their migration and breeding patterns, monitoring Whale Sharks for protection can be difficult. What is known is that like other shark species, Whale Sharks grow and reproduce slowly (not reaching sexual maturity until they are 30 years old) so killing them indiscriminately can have a devastating effect on their numbers.

A report from 2009 by scientists monitoring migrating populations of Whale Sharks in Ningaloo, Western Australia found that the size of sharks were declining significantly due to hunting outside the region – most likely by Indonesian fishermen.

When the largest fish in the sea are in trouble, something is wrong.

Protection of marine ecosystems is critical not only for saving Whale Sharks against decline but also in order to preserve biodiversity and general health of the oceans.

Ecotourism and shark watching

In many migratory hubs for the species, local populations have recognized that Whale Shark tourism is is far more lucrative than shark fishing. Successful industries in diving, snorkelling and shark tours have sprung up. The Pew Trust estimates that the economic value of a single whale shark in Belize is US$2.09 million over a shark’s lifetime or $34,906 annually. So for a community thinking of its long-term welfare, killing a shark for the fin trade is bad economics.

What you can do

• Don’t go to restaurants serving shark products. The biggest culprits are Chinese restaurants – with shark fin soups -  but shark fin can sometimes be found in sushi/Japanese establishments.
• Advise your friends and family to avoid restaurants serving shark and other vulnerable species .
• Support conservation organisations. You can do this through donations, subscriptions or purchases of products or you can get involved with projects such as sighting reports or – most exciting – there are projects that bring you face-to-face with Whale Sharks.
• Let governments and tourism bodies know that Whale Sharks are worth more alive than dead. Support shark-friendly tourism and tell everyone how wonderful it is to see a Whale Shark.

Further info:

The Whale Shark Project

Shark Research Institute

Whale Shark Research in the Northern Gulf of Mexico from the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory

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