Since2011,fishersinthevillageofOslobhavetakentouriststoseewhalesharks.Thesevisitorssayit'sexciting.Thefisherssayitisagoodbusiness.Theysaytheymakemoremoney.Theycantakebettercareoftheirfamilies.Yet,somepeopleworry.Theythinkthatfeedingwhalesharksmightbebadforthem.Itmaychangetheirnormalbehavior.Whoisright?Therearetwosidestothis story.
ThisisaviewoftheSumilonIslandbeachlandingnear Oslob.
Aguidefeedsawhale shark.
ForWhaleSharkTourism
ImprovingLives
Localpeopleusedtoearnabout$1.40adaybyfishing.Itwasn’tverymuchmoney.Itwashardforthemtobuyenoughfoodtofeedtheirfamilies.Or,sendtheirchildrentoschool.Thenatouristpaidafishertotakehimtoseeawhalesharkupclose.Thatchanged everything.
Thefishersjoinedtogether.Theymadeacompanytobringvisitorstoseewhalesharks.Now,thefishershavemoremoney.Theyareabletofeedtheirfamilies.Theycansendtheirchildrento school.
Signspointthewaytowhaleshark watching.
Touristsswimwithawhale shark.