Gov deputizes DENR, CLEC

PCG, PNP to enforce EO 10

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb 7 (PIA)—The ball is now in the hands of the mayors of Lila, Alburquerque and Dauis, the local offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), Philippine National Police-Maritime Group (PNP Maritime), Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Coastal Law Enforcement Councils in enforcing the cessation of whale shark interaction in Bohol.

This as Bohol governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, in an executive order, deputizes concerned government agencies and groups based here to enforce the stoppage of whale shark interactions in Bohol.

A known migration path of whales, dolphins and other pelagic fishes, Bohol sea, especially the seas south of Bohol, have seen the annual parade of whales, dolphins and large pelagic fish including whale sharks that need to follow their migration paths to pick forage on diets that complete their body requirements.

In fact, in nearby Pamilacan Island, the dolphins and whale migration has become a profitable tourism activity and was cited internationally for sustainable tourism in its dolphin-watch Pamilacan.

The activity is a full reverse of the community’s tradition of whale hunting by manually manhandling the giant whales and piercing large hooks into their bodies to assure capture and slaughter.

With the tourism revenues from this activity, bringing premiums to the island, copy cats including the ones in Balicasag dolphin and whale watching activities, the operators oblivious of the interaction regulations to make sure the wild animals are not hurt or get into the risk of getting hurt.

As the people by the coasts see the migrating whales, the only assurance that these gentle animals stay, is by feeding them with small amounts of krill and plankton, as they pass by specific locations.

In Bohol, years after Lila opened its whale shark interactions and pinned the town in the tourism map, Alburqueque, a another town along the migration corridor also opened their own whale-shark interactions.

Not a year later, Dauis town mayor issues a provisional permit for whale shark interaction in Catarman.

As early as November 2023, Aumentado formed an inter-agency team to investigate reports of illegal feeding practices used to attract whale sharks for tourism activities.

Indeed, the team confirmed that the Lila whale-shark activities involved feeding the marine animals with krill, having seen krill and its telltale odor, at the interaction sites.

In fact, the same inter-agency team noted that the operators of whale-shark interaction activities have not secured the necessary clearances from concerned national agencies including the DENR and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Aumentado was concerned because one location of the interaction in Alburquerque is within the established Alburquerque-Loay-Loboc Protected Landscape which is in the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS)

Bohol incidentally passed Provincial Ordinance No 2020-008 last March 32 and a Joint Memorandum Circular No 1 series of 2020-008 issued by the Department of Tourism, DENR, DA, and the Department of Interior and Local Government which provides rules and regulations governing sustainable marine wildlife tourism interaction, consistent with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.

In the EO, Aumentado said that both the Provincial Ordinance and the JMC prohibit any methods designed to attract marine wildlife using food whether artificial or natural, including but not limited to luring, baiting, chumming and feeding.

Feeding the whale sharks, migratory marine animals to lure them to interaction areas, disrupts their natural behavior and threatens the balance and healthful ecology, the governor in the EO assailed.

He fears that the foul odor from the feeds may reach Panglao and the surrounding waters of Balicasag Island, which can severely compromise the over-all image of Bohol and its tourism industry, and disrupt the thousands of Boholano livelihood which are dependent on tourism.

The suspension of activities however may be rebooted as soon as the DENR, BIR, Bohol Environment Management Office and concerned local government units confirm that all requirements of a safe, sustainable and managed activities are ensured and a comprehensive industry-wide consultation with stakeholders and conservation groups have been thoroughly observed. (PIABohol)

GHOST TOWN. Its eerily silent when people who have been used to having thousands of tourists every day from 6 to 10 AM lining up to board small boats for the whale shark inter-action. Governor Aumentado has issued a stoppage of whale shark interactions, as these have been unsustainably and illegally operated. (PIA photo by Cesar Capangpangan)