Whaleshark research trip unearths new hotspot

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The Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP) has recently returned from a successful expedition in Papua, Indonesia, where a great location for whaleshark sightings was discovered.

The MWSRP team was invited, and supported, by the Scubasigns Foundation, who contribute to the education of local people in undeveloped areas. Their goal is to create a strong economical interest in keeping marine life healthy.

The Foundation initially contacted the MWSRP for advice about whaleshark encounter conduct after stumbling across a truly unique area.

MWSRP director Morgan Riley was amazed by what he witnessed. He said: “The aggregation of whalesharks near Ahe is like none I have ever seen or heard about anywhere else in the world which creates exciting research possibilities and a great opportunity to develop an ecotourism industry.”

The gigantic fish remain in a very small area close to the island of Ahe. They aggregate for many hours feeding and interacting with each other. The aggregation appears to form regularly and predictably, possibly to exploit the by-catch of the local fishing platforms.

The team logged 28 whale shark encounters in only five days, sleeping on small boats and local beaches. They observed some spectacular behaviour including a whaleshark being hand fed by a local fisherman, not an action the MWSRP condones but astonishing to observe nonetheless.

Local divers were trained to carry out the research over the two-week period and are now submitting the data to the UK-registered whaleshark conservation charity to help with global understanding of the species.

The Scubasigns Foundation is continuing to work alongside Papua Eco Tours to create a community owned and operated dive centre on the beautiful island of Ahe. By training local people and providing specialist advice and financial backing they hope to empower local people to sustainably manage their own environment whilst providing social and economical development opportunities.