Ecotourism transforms attitudes towards marine conservation

A study has shown how ecotourism in the Philippines has transformed people’s attitudes towards marine conservation.

Researchers from the University of Victoria in Canada and the Philippine Large Marine Vertebrate Research Institute (LAMAVE) visited three sites where tourists pay to swim with whale sharks in the wild. They interviewed a variety of locals working for tour operators in Oslob, Donsol, and Pintuyan, including fishermen and former whale shark hunters.

In all three places, people said that their perception of whale sharks and the broader marine environment had changed positively since the introduction of ecotourism.

In Oslob, the largest of the three sites, people were more likely to talk about the resulting improvements in their quality of life and an increase in job opportunities. In smaller, less profitable sites, the answers were more likely to be about changes in how people think and behave toward sharks.

But at all three locations, the team heard from locals that the advent of ecotourism had led to positive changes for marine conservation.

Dr. Jackie Ziegler, who led the team at the university’s Marine Protected Areas Research Group, said: “Many of the people we spoke to reported that they now care about and value whale sharks because of tourism activities. They also expressed the community’s emotional connection to the species and the strong need to protect them.

“Before the introduction of tourism activities, most locals admitted to damaging sharks by hitting them with stones, harpoons, oars, dynamite, or riding them.”

In terms of attitudes towards the overall marine environment, most respondents now actively encourage others to care for the ocean and also use more sustainable fishing practices.

The study also recognized the possible negative effects of tourism on the marine environment, such as the health impacts of local coral reefs and sharks. He concluded that further studies were needed to assess these impacts before reaching firm conclusions about the positive impact of whale shark tourism on ocean conservation.

However, the researchers say their work suggests that ecotourism may be an effective means of improving protection by changing local attitudes and behaviors towards target species and their respective ecosystems.

Dr. Ziegler added: “It was fascinating to hear the importance that so many local Philippine communities place on whale shark tourism. It was imperative to take into account the views of local tour operators to discover the true impact of whale shark tourism and more benefits for ocean conservation in the Philippines. ”