A tourist attraction more valuable than soup
Shark-related tourism is a growing business worldwide, with established operations in 29 countries generating $314 million annually. And that figure is likely to more than double, to $785 million, in the next 20 years.
So while shark-fin soup may be delicious, countries are beginning to see the value of keeping the scary species alive, says a report from the Pew Charitable Trusts released on Friday.
While countries like South Africa, the United States, and Australia have dominated the industry, shark ecotourism is growing in countries across the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.
Shark watching attracts 590,000 tourists and supports more than 10,000 jobs each year.
Current expenditures by shark tourists total $171.2 million in the United States, $69.8 million in Oceania, $30.5 million in Asia and $28.3 million in Europe, and $14.5 million in Africa.
In recent years, nine countries—Palau, the Maldives, Honduras, Tokelau, The Bahamas, the Marshall islands, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and New Caledonia—have created shark sanctuaries by prohibiting commercial shark fishing.
The research, by a team from the University of British Columbia, supported by Pew, was published in the academic journal Oryx.
Cheryl
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