Whale shark watching rules finalized today

THE guidelines for the whale watching activities in Oslob town will be finalized today in a meeting with the technical working group (TWG).

PB Member Peter John Calderon, who heads the TWG, said there were a little changes in the draft that they presented to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

After today’s meeting, the final guidelines will be incorporated with the existing municipal ordinance of Oslob town.

The TWG was created in January after Oslob officials met with Garcia and expressed their concern on the regulation of holding whale shark watching in a barangay in their town.

Garcia also visited the site in January to personally check the activities there.

Calderon said they were considering a provincial ordinance that wouldn’t only be limited to the protection of the whale sharks in Oslob.

Late last year, Oslob draw the attention of tourists after it was reported that three whale sharks frequent the town’s seas and were tame enough to play even with the presence of fishermen.

The fishermen fed them with shrimps and tourists touched the whales.

This alarmed experts because touching the whale sharks might harm them. This concern prompted the provincial government to draw up guidelines in conducting whale watching./Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus