DENR-7 supports move to stop whale shark feeding in Oslob
By Hazel F. GloriaThursday 30th of August 2012
CEBU CITY, August 30 (PIA) — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 will support moves to stop tourists and scuba divers in Oslob, Cebu from feeding whale sharks or Rhincodon typus.
DENR 7 will hold consultation meetings or dialogues with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7 officials and local government unit (LGU) of Oslob to discuss and deliberate the time frame to discontinue the existing practices of feeding while pursuing low impact and environmentally-friendly wildlife ecotourism enterprises.
Protected Area, Wildlife Conservation Zone and Management Services (PAWCZMS) regional technical director Dr. Al Orolfo said it should be stopped as it alters the natural capability of these wildlife species to search for their own food, promoting their dependency on the fishermen feeding them.
The team who will conduct meetings is composed of Orolfo as lead with Coastal and Marine Management Division (CMMD) chief Edmondo Aregadas and Integrated Coastal Resources Management Project (ICRMP) Eco-Tourism Enterprise Assistants Joel Cariño and Lorenz Gideon Esmero.
In a site validation conducted by a team on eco-tourism enterprise of DENR’s ICRMP last April 17-18, 2012, it was reported that a number of whale sharks have been injured by boat propellers.
(HFG/PIA-7/DENR-7)
Source: Philippine Information Agency