WHALE SHARKS MUST BE PROTECTED FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN GORONTALO by Fardah

     Jakarta, May 17, 2016 (Antara) - Regular sightings of some 17 whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are a blessing for tourism in Gorontalo Province, but the presence of tourists and boats should not endanger the lives of the gentle giant fish.

         The whale shark sightings in the Botubarani waters, Kabila Bone, Bone Bolango District, Gorontalo Province, have attracted many domestic as well as foreign tourists who come visiting Gorontalo, also known for its amazing under-water biodiversity which some divers term "one of Sulawesi's best-kept-secrets."
     After diving in the Botubarani waters and personally interacting with several whale sharks, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti urged the residents of Botubarani village to protect and to not over exploit the mammals. 

     "I appeal to you to not destroy the phenomena of 17 whale sharks in Gorontalo. Because as we intensify tourism, we must not injure the whale sharks while we watch, approach and appreciate them," she said in Gorontalo, May 14.

        She urged visitors and locals to keep a distance from the whale sharks. Under Decree No. 18 Year 2013 of the maritime affairs and fisheries ministry, whale sharks are a protected species.

       The minister expressed her concern over whale sharks that are wounded when they bump into boats carrying tourists. 

      "Many of them are wounded in the back, head or tail. I think everyone must swim from the land to the spot. No boat should be allowed to approach (the sharks)," the minister said after swimming from the shore to see the whale sharks. 

     She rubbed a shark's head and let several others swim around her without giving them food. 

        Whale shark sightings, however, are still allowed to become a tourist attraction as long as they are conducted by paying attention to shark preservation, she said.

          Minister Susi Pudjiastuti expressed her support towards developing the whale shark sightings as a tourist attraction and presented a book on guidelines on whale shark sightings.

           Up to six or seven whale sharks usually approach boats carrying tourists in Gorontalo waters, in expectation of some food.

           The giant fish have been spotted in the same spot for the last two years as a nearby shrimp factory has been throwing its unwanted shrimp shells and heads into the ocean. 
    A researcher of Whale Shark Indonesia (WSI), Mahardika Rizqi Himawan, recently identified six whale sharks in Botubarani village, Bone Bolango District, Gorontalo province, as male and juvenile.

            These were between four and seven meters in length, meaning that they were still young, he said in Gorontalo.

          He noticed a behavioral change because when fishermen knocked on their boats to call the sharks, the animals immediately responded.

          "In science, this behavioral change is not so good. Indeed, there is no research concerning the long term impact of the change, but we believe that it is important to keep the sharks wild for the sake of their preservation," Mahardika explained.

          No one should feed the sharks, only then will they remain wild in nature, like those in the Philippines, he remarked.

          In the meantime, Maritime Spatial Management Director General of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, Brahmantya Satyamurti urged local communities to help preserve whale sharks as a tourist attraction.

         "This tourism must be supervised by local communities. How could we step up tourism without having to disturb whale sharks? Excessive number of boats could cause stress on whale sharks," he added. 
     The villagers should ensure that tourism activities do not harm the whale sharks, he noted, while visiting a whale shark sighting location recently.

         The number of boats carrying tourists must be limited to prevent them from causing stress to the animals, he pointed out.

         A whale shark sighting is a rare phenomenon, and therefore, it should be preserved, he emphasized.

          Satyamurti explained that the whale shark was the largest mammal in the world and can reach lengths of up to 18 meters and live up to 60 or even 100 years.

           A whale shark reaches reproductive maturity at 25 years of age and can give birth to one offspring during each reproductive period, he revealed.

          The Gorontalo waters lie in the migration path of these whale sharks, the official believed.

          Some 13 to 14 whale sharks are usually spotted in the waters of Botubarani. Fishermen in Tomini Bay also encounter whale sharks frequently.

          The ministry had organized a diving training course for tourist guides and implemented a database information system on protected fish species from May 11 to 14, 2016.

          Bone Bolango District Head Hamim Pou was grateful that regular sightings of 17 whale sharks in Botubarani waters, have attracted tourists to visit the region.

         "The presence of the 17 whale sharks is a blessing for Bone Bolango District. Therefore, we must always protect them," Pou said.

          He called on the residents of Bone Bolango to help preserve the giant fish and make them feel comfortable in the area.

           "Bone Bolango District has developed community-based tourism management, so the local community could earn money from maritime tourism or from whale shark tourism," he said.

          Local residents sell food, open diving equipment rentals, and provide boats for tourists.

           The district recently took part in a national fair held in Jakarta to promote whale shark sightings. Some 400 districts across Indonesia joined the fair. ***1***
(f001/INE)
EDITED BY INE
17-05-2016 23:46:16