New strategy to ensure the ecological sustainability of whale sharks at Ningaloo

31/3/98

The State Government today released a new strategy to ensure the ecological sustainability of one of the State's most important marine nature-based tourism attractions - the whale sharks that visit the Ningaloo Marine Park off the North West Cape.

Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes said the release of the management plan coincided with the annual return of the whale sharks off Ningaloo Reef.

Mrs Edwardes said organised interactions with the whale sharks now attracted more than 2500 visitors each year compared with around 1,000 five years ago.

"It is estimated that the value of whale shark tourism to the WA economy is currently about $9 million a year," she said.

"About three-quarters of this comes from overseas."

The Minister said the economic spin-off to the State was expected to increase to about $13 million by the year 2000.

"Whale sharks are one of nature's enigmas. Marine scientists know very little about their biology or their ecology.

"Although their appearance in the Ningaloo Marine Park at this time is predictable, we do not know why they come, where they come from or where they go.

"Therefore we must ensure that any development of the industry does not adversely impact on the animals."

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are the world's biggest fish. They can grow to more than 12m long and weigh up to 12 tonnes. They are considered rare and are a protected species in Western Australian waters.

The Department of Conservation and Land Management currently has 14 licensed charter boat operators who offer whale shark interaction tours within Ningaloo Marine Park. Groups of up to 10 people at a time can swim with the animals under strict guidelines prepared by CALM in consultation with the tour operators.

Mrs Edwardes said the demand for interaction licences was increasing. However, it was unclear whether increased tourism pressure was having any detrimental impacts on individual whale sharks or the group of animals as a whole and, as such, tourism interactions had to be managed very carefully.

The management program, prepared by CALM's Marine Conservation Branch and endorsed by the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority, details the research needed to gain a better understanding of the species and to determine the possible links between environmental factors and whale shark numbers.

This includes instigating long-term monitoring programs to assess how and why numbers of whale sharks at Ningaloo varied naturally as well as to determine if any impacts are occurring as a result of increasing tourism pressure.

Mrs Edwardes said under the program, current whale shark interactions licences within Ningaloo Marine Park have been extended until the end of this year.

An expression of interest had been called for 15 whale shark interaction licences for a five-year period from 1999. The number of licences would remain at 15 until more information was available from research and monitoring studies to allow the level of risk to the whale sharks from further expansion of this industry to be assessed more fully.

The overall objectives were to improve the management of whale shark interactions and provide the scientific basis for modifying management controls to minimise any impacts.

Mrs Edwardes said the management program would help ensure that the Ningaloo whale shark populations were not being subjected to an unacceptable level of disturbance and that the development of whale shark tourism in the marine park was sustainable and equitable.

"The conservation of the whales sharks must remain paramount and this is why the Government is keen to work with industry in implementing the management strategies," she said.

Mrs Edwardes said nature-based tourism was among the fastest growing industries in Western Australia.

"Providing tourists with high quality experiences such as interaction with whale sharks will help foster a greater understanding of and sympathy for our marine environment and natural heritage," she said.

"Importantly, nature-based tourism also generates the funds needed to help conserve and manage our natural attractions."

Mrs Edwardes said revenue from whale shark licence fees generated around $37,000 a year and was used to fund research and monitoring programs.

Copies of the report are available from the CALM office at Exmouth and at the CALM Marine Conservation branch in Fremantle.

Media contacts: Ministerial Nicole Trigwell (08) 9421 7777

CALM (Perth) Dr Chris Simpson (08) 9432 5100

CALM (Exmouth) Doug Myers (08) 9949 1676