Cristina Zenato

Cristina Zenato Instagram – Of the many arguments around shark diving tourism is that we should leave sharks alone. It is a great concept and one I would wholeheartedly agree with. If a healthy population of sharks existed, we would see sharks everywhere. Unfortunately, our presence on this planet and the changes we have caused since the industrial revolution have put tremendous pressure on the oceans, including sharks.
Most sharks present a combination of slow growth and late sexual maturity, long gestation periods and small litters. Combining these elements doesn’t allow sharks to compensate for the pressure posed by modern fishing. The high demand for shark fin soup and by-catch has put a strain on populations worldwide, bringing many species on the verge of extinction.
Sharks are a vital component in the food web; as an apex predator and mesopredator. Healthy and protected populations of sharks guarantee balanced eco-systems. Sharks play an essential role in maintaining an equilibrium between the species on the food web. They act as ocean cleaners and remove weak, sick, and dead creatures. By keeping control over the number of individuals per species, they maintain coral reef and seagrass habitats, contributing to a broader diversity and concentration of individuals.
Shark tourism is a viable solution to shark conservation through economic benefits.
Governments, such as The Bahamas, Palau, and Fiji, have realized the economic and natural advantages of promoting shark tourism and protecting sharks. The Bahamas register an average annual 113.8 million dollars in revenue in shark tourism, 109.4 million directly from shark diving.
These numbers exclude the extra income produced by the additional activities conducted both by the divers and the traveling partners during a single stay in the Country for shark diving.
Shark Diving Tourism is currently beneficial to both sharks and the local economies; however, like anything else, it needs to be conducted with consideration for the people involved, the people who might visit the area before or after and the sharks themselves. But these points are for the next post!
📸 by @kewinlorenzen during our CZKL liveaboard trip | Posted on 19/Jan/2024 18:47:26