Whale shark interaction activities in Bohol now prohibited
The government in Bohol is now disallowing whale shark interaction activities to protect the province's tourism and to enforce the law against feeding the marine animals.
In a press release, Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado signed Executive Order (EO) No. 10 on Feb. 3 that would immediately halt whale shark watching in the province, specifically in the towns of Lila, Alburquerque, and Dauis.
This was after the investigations of an inter-agency team found that the activities involved feeding the whale sharks krill to lure them to stay, which is in violation of Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-008 and Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1 Series of 2020 issued by several government agencies such as the Department of Tourism, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and more.
Under the ordinance, using any method to attract marine wildlife such as baiting, luring, chumming, and feeding is considered a prohibited act.
"The feeding of whale sharks, migratory marine animals, to lure them to interaction areas disrupts their natural behavior and threatens the balance and healthful ecology," the EO explained.
The use of krill further caused a "very foul odor" on the water's surface, which could reach the beaches of Panglao Island and the surrounding waters of Balicasag Island.
Because of this, the "overall image of Bohol and its tourism industry could be severely compromised, jeopardize the livelihood of thousands of Boholanos dependent on tourism."
Apart from that, the operators were also found to have lacked permits from essential national agencies, including the DENR and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Speaking in Cebuano, Aumentado said that he "will not allow any other town in Bohol to engage in similar whale shark tourism activities."
While he clarified that Bohol is "not opposed to whale-shark interaction tourism," he stressed that "it must be sustainable and in line with the ordinance, national laws, and regulations."
He also assured that the workers who will be displaced will be given financial assistance.
Aumentado said that job order workers will be deployed to monitor whether the EO is being enforced in the affected areas and prevent unauthorized activities. The operators are given until Feb. 7 to discontinue their business.
Despite whale shark interaction being a popular tourist attraction in the province, Aumentado urged local stakeholders to explore alternative tourism activities that are in line with the province’s commitment to responsible tourism.
The activities will remain suspended until "all regulatory requirements are met and verified by the concerned national agencies."