Going after the ‘big fish’

The month of May is feeding time for whale sharks, locally known as "butanding." Lured by plankton and krill, the biggest fish in the world start arriving around January and stay in the coastal waters of Donsol, Sorsogon, until June when they resume their long migratory swim.

Tourists looking for a different kind of attraction can still catch these gentle giants for a memorable encounter with nature. A group of employees of Smart Communications Inc., along with media guests, did just that to help promote community-based ecotourism.

Donsol, located some 600 kilometers southeast of Manila, was just another fishing town in Bicol until news about the sea creatures and the ecological drama surrounding their plight spread six years ago.

Since then townsfolk have been drumming up marine conservation and ecotourism efforts by holding during the last week of April a butanding-themed festival of songs, dances, food, art. The main attraction, of course, is the butanding — the papier mache representations displayed in a fluvial parade and the real live fish in the open sea. The townsfolk have taken it upon themselves to protect the butanding.

Our group gathered at the Woodland’s Resort, for a briefing by Asir "Jun" Principe Jr., a reformed dynamite fisherman, now a Butanding Interaction Officer (BIO). His job is to "spot" the whale shark and assist tourists as they approach it. He climbs the outrigger’s 15-foot mast, on the lookout for any sign of the big fish: ripples on the water, shadows near the surface, and the giveaway, a dorsal fin breaking through.

Patience comes in handy in this activity as sightings depend on numerous factors including weather, sea condition, and presence of plankton and krill.

Soon Asir directed the boat operator to put the engine in neutral gear, then told us to jump into the water.

The first thing that I saw was a huge flat mouth headed my way. Whale sharks eat only plankton and krill so I was certain I was not about to become lunch. Still I was uneasy. But even before I could turn back, the whale shark turned away, apparently startled.

We kept pace, swimming parallel to it. At more than eight meters long, it was about the size of a bus, with silvery polka dots all over its body. Yet it managed to glide gracefully through the waters with nary a clumsy splash or movement. Some whale sharks in Donsol have grown as big as 10 meters but they are harmless.

I did not realize how far we’d gone from the boat, farther and deeper into the open sea. And then the whale shark dived deeper, where we could longer follow.

During whale shark interactions, tourists must follow a code of conduct. Among the key points:

• Do not touch or ride the whale shark.

• Do not restrict its movement or impede its natural path.

• Keep a distance of three meters from the head or body, and four meters from the tail.

I have also read that the use of flash photography, scuba gear, jet skis or any motorized machines that can disturb the whale shark is prohibited.

Ruel Pine, project manager for the World Wildlife Fund’s Donsol whale shark interaction project, acknowledged that ecotourism in Donsol is still in a developmental stage. What the community is aiming for is sustainability as marine conservation is linked to socio-economic issues.

We now have laws protecting endangered marine species like the whale shark. The recent enactment of FAO 193 bans the hunting and killing of whale sharks. Unfortunately enforcement is erratic.

This is where community-based ecotourism efforts in Donsol can be a learning model for integration into a larger and more comprehensive coastal resource management program. Efforts are geared toward economic sustainability, law enforcement, local legislation, livelihood diversification, and education of various sectors and support from private companies.

Whale shark watching is not just an ordinary nature trip. It is a reminder that we share this planet with other creatures of which we are stewards.