AIM -MDM Tourism Group 5Nancy, Tina, Titan, Junji and Aleixo

Whale Sharks (“butanding”) Gypsies of the Sea“Gentle giant”

the biggest fish and living shark in the worldup to 20 meters long and 34 tons heavy

Nomadic roam long distances around the equator of the Pacific

Atlantic and Indian Oceans. thrive in tropical and warm temperate watersmigratory patterns unrecorded (in progress)

Migration to Donsol: November to May (6-7 months)

Whale Sharks (“Butanding”) )Temporarily reside in coastal or oceanic areas where

plankton blooms.Planktons – free floating , almost-invisible animals and plants

which make up most of a whale shark’s diet. Has low reproductive potentialLife span more than 100 years, reproductively active by

age 30Slow-growingStill unknown (in progress*): growth rate and populationHarmless, gentle, friendly and playful; allow humans to

swim, play and interact with them *WWF's whale shark Photo ID and Satellite Tagging started only in 2007

Welcome to DonsolLocation: Northwestern of Sorsogon, adjoins

Albay51 barangays, 11 coastalPopulation: 40,000 (+3.23%)Fishing as primary source of food and incomeOnce a quiet & peaceful typical fishing village.....until a group of divers* rescued a whale shark

in a fish corral which brought worldwide attention.

Donsol was declared a whale shark sanctuary on March 9, 1998 (Municipal Ordinance #12)

Since then, tourism became an important industry and whale shark conservation a town-wide responsibility

* Divers from Sorsogon who frequent Donsol to witness whale shark sightings and swim with them.

Destination

Access

Families, nature enthusiasts, eco-tour fanaticsLocal tourists: 1.5 days ($82)Foreign tourists: 3 days ($167)Summer peak period 2005 Ecotourism business: ($780K, $150K to Donsol)

Transport services: airlines, shipping, bus linesWhere to stay: hotels, pensions, lodging houses (Sorsogon City); resorts, homestays, backpack rooms along Donsol’s beaches

Seasonal whale sightings; tours; boat-riding; swimming, interacting with the butanding, The Butanding Festival

Threat: Better board and lodging facilities of Legazpi (50 kms. away)Low barrier among businessmen/ operators without proper BIO trainingOpportunity: Higher potential tourism income (only 10% of Ningaloo’s in two months 2004, 20% of Belize’s 6 weeks 2002).

Tourists

Before the tourism boom of 1998...

Slaughtering of whale sharks was a source of livelihood, but on a small scale

From subsistence fishing, demand for its meat, skin and fins grew for the international market

1990-1997 at the height of commercial target fishery for the species.

1993: fish catch declined by 27% every year since

Global catch: 279 in the 1990s to 160 in 1999.

1997: Taiwan buys the meat at $13.93/kg and can go as high as $500K/shark at the end of the market trail.

With the 1998 incident bringing media hype, Donsol became open to Manila-based shark hunters

Another killing incident from a neighbouring town got media-exposed.

Public outcry followed.

Post-1998: Tourism Gone UglyThe national/global media exposure and public outrage caught Donsol off-

guard, unprepared.Sorsogon Provincial Tourism Council (SPTC): led in the information campaign

and coordination with agencies in protecting/conserving the species March 25, 1998: Dept of Agriculture/ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic

Resources issued Fisheries Administrative Order 193 banning the killing & selling of whale sharks and manta rays.

The New Fisheries Code (Republic Act 8550) protecting all fisheries resources was also passed.

The national ban led to local fisher folk outrage.WWF-Philippines’ relationship with the fisher folk got strained due to national

government’s fishing ban.WWF’s whale-watching tourism initiatives in some islands failed to take off.Underground market with high offer prices led fishermen to an illegal way of

life: four more reported killing incidences (3 confiscated in HK).

Post-1998: With Tourism came ResponsibilityContinued demand for whale sharks in the international marketWhale shark conservation became a call for international

cooperation.Philippines and India proposed to include whale sharks in the

regulated and monitored list of globally threatened species in the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Int’l Trade in Endangered Species (or CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora.

2005 Whale Shark Conference in Australia attended by scientists, NGOs, inter-GAs from 23 countries: “ECOTOURISM as answer to reversing the extractive uses of whale sharks.” (Mexico, Belize, Seychelles as models of a sustainable & equitable community-based venture.)

Donsol’s tourism industry went through birth pains.

Donsol Municipal Tourism Council was formed.With help from SPTC and WWF (technical assistance)Has the mandate of all tourism programs & administration, as authorized by

the local governmentComposed of local barangay leaders & parish membersNo training in the hospitality industry nor conservation management. Inexperienced/ unskilled on tourism managementAdopted some of Australia’s guidelines as stop-gap

Manifestations:Congestion of boats during whale-watching seasonUnregistered boat operatorsUnregulated tourist charges

Bad impression on tourists and conservationists

A Butanding Ecotourism Dev Project team was formed.

(June 1998) 6-month grant from UNDPComposed of the municipal govt, DMTC, WWF-PhilippinesTo carry out: Management planning, visitor management system, whale shark

interaction protocols, capacity building for local guides for tour services, and production of education materials for the nationwide campaign on shark protection.

By Feb 1999, management systems were in order.

SPTC ceased involvement with Donsol. Donsol Council was abolished.WWF moved from tourism development to whale shark conservation.

Good News Bad NewsCommunity involvement Limited budget: limited facilities during peak

Better skills through training (BIOs) Entrepreneurs took advantage; tourism revenue not maximized

Conflicts unresolved (LGUs); WWF an “elitist”

Theft (security)

What happened then? (Under MO #12) Donsol Municipal Office, under the MO Officer,

managed all tourism activities. While the Municipal Council, through Committee on Tourism, handled all legislation maters. Office reported under the Mayor’s Office.

Associations were formed for BIOs and boat operators: increased participation in decision-making on tourist affairs and coastal resource management; socially networked with private groups and GAs.

Good News Bad NewsMore orderly system (pp 18-19) Bureaucracy – slow release of funds

Fees were regulated and transparent; went straight to the Municipal Treasury

Corruption- Absence of written tourism policies + conflict of interest + release of funds lower than requested

Given the mandate to implement other income- generating activities

High personnel takeover; Officers co-terminus with the LCE.

(Donsol’s STRENGTH) BIOs and boat operators stable, organized and skilled.

Service slowdown; more training investment

Donsol was ready then tobecome a tourist destination.

Citations received: 2003 Kalakbay Award (Environmental Tourism) One of 13 priority ecotourism sites of DOT 2004 Time Magazine: Bes Animal Encounter in its Best in Asia Report\

Plus: accessibility by air & land, reasonable accommodations, peace&order2002-2005 Visitor arrivals: 2005 = 7,600 from 2002 <1000

+110% annually ; foreign +43%

2005 Revenue: P4.6M; 62% boat trips 2002-2005 growth in demand for boat trips:

+76% Boat operator earnings: P475/dayx12 boat

trips=P5700 vs. P3000 min wage per month Biggest constraint: HIGH SEASONALITY (Dec-

May)

Protecting Donsol’s livelihood = Protecting the ecosystem

Donsol’s municipal fishing industry: $1.2M, 8x whale shark tourism

Ongoing concern: Lean periods of June-November (little income) Diminishing fisheries in Donsol

Unregulated tourism Persistence of commercial fishing

Result: Economic overfishing (fish catch vs. distance & time)Solutions: (enforceable?)

Marine Law enforcement with assistance of WWF and the Philippine Navy Nov 2007 Marine Protected Area 100 hectares covering 3 barangays (establish patterns of resource

use and equitable sharing of all stakeholders) Municipal Ordinance #12; New Fisheries Code Republic Act 8550) and (Fisheries

Administrative Order 193

More Investments are needed. Fisheries management:

Stronger protection of whale sharks (e.g. Research for long-term)Resource AssessmentLivelihood ProjectsMonitoring & Enforcement of Policies

Ideally, P4.6M on coastal resource mgt, but this accounts for more than 10% of Donsol’s annual budget (expenses on social development suffers)

Visitors willingness-to-pay dependent on creating a Trust Fund that goes straight to coastal communities

Corruption brewing . Request from Boat Operators Association (raise prices to operate better) did not progress initially, but attended to later.

SO WHAT REALLY IS DONSOL’s MAIN PROBLEM?

People’s organizations such as the Butanding Interaction Officers, The Boat Operators Association, the Donsol Innkeepers Association, Department of Tourism, Donsol fisherfolk, Donsol families.

Find the OPTIMAL BALANCE that can ...

Donsol local government through the Executive Office, Municipal Council and Municipal Tourism Office, Department of Tourism

Path Forward/Recommendations

Emphasis: enforcement of law (e.g. Commercial fishing/purse seiners) stronger stakeholder participation & cooperation, B&W policies, effective resource and benefits allocation

Build partnerships with existing tour operators, transport carriers and innkeepers’ association

Leverage on the strength of the BIOsInvest on R&D and expand knowledge base on whale

sharks