Comments on: MWSRP: Community Focused Whale Shark Conservation Initiatives in the Maldives http://www.yourtravelchoice.org/2009/12/mwsrp-community-focused-whale-shark-conservation-initiatives-in-the-maldives/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:20:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Leif Ryman http://www.yourtravelchoice.org/2009/12/mwsrp-community-focused-whale-shark-conservation-initiatives-in-the-maldives/comment-page-1/#comment-3340 Leif Ryman Mon, 23 Aug 2010 02:57:13 +0000 http://www.yourtravelchoice.org/?p=1439#comment-3340 Sounds like the kill of a whale shark was very important culturally to the local inhabitants. Has anything been done other than financial gains through tourism to address this potential cap in tradition? Maybe it would be a good idea to set up an annual festival where either 1 whale shark was traditionally killed, or symbolically killed. This would allow for the people to come together and remember the past fondly and also give an opportunity for education on why the practice of killing whale sharks is no longer sustainable and it is now more important to conserve them both for the environment and the economic advantages of Ecotourism. Sounds like the kill of a whale shark was very important culturally to the local inhabitants. Has anything been done other than financial gains through tourism to address this potential cap in tradition?

Maybe it would be a good idea to set up an annual festival where either 1 whale shark was traditionally killed, or symbolically killed. This would allow for the people to come together and remember the past fondly and also give an opportunity for education on why the practice of killing whale sharks is no longer sustainable and it is now more important to conserve them both for the environment and the economic advantages of Ecotourism.

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