Location
Gran Canaria
Participation
Attend the conference at Gran Canaria in person.
Type of Submission
Paper Presentation
Short Abstract
The Macaronesian region is typically heavily exploited by fisheries; however, in recent years, marine wildlife tourism has become popular and a shark-diving industry has emerged, potentially presenting an alternative for the sustainable use of sharks. Combining a literature review with interviews with dive operators conducting shark encounters in the Macaronesian archipelagos, we provide an overview of the challenges and conservation potential of shark-diving tourism for these territories. Owing to the regular presence of important shark species for tourism and the growth of the scuba-diving industry, shark-diving has potential to expand over the region. Yet, the overlap between European industrial fishing pressure and shark populations, coupled with the unregulated recreational and artisanal fishing sector in the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, may jeopardize the sustainability of the shark-diving industry. However, the economic benefits for local communities directly and indirectly produced by shark-diving tourism suggest local benefits, fostering stronger shark conservation in Macaronesia.
Included in
Animal Studies Commons, Biodiversity Commons, Growth and Development Commons, Nature and Society Relations Commons, Tourism and Travel Commons
Shark-diving tourism in the Macaronesian archipelagos: challenges and opportunities
Gran Canaria
The Macaronesian region is typically heavily exploited by fisheries; however, in recent years, marine wildlife tourism has become popular and a shark-diving industry has emerged, potentially presenting an alternative for the sustainable use of sharks. Combining a literature review with interviews with dive operators conducting shark encounters in the Macaronesian archipelagos, we provide an overview of the challenges and conservation potential of shark-diving tourism for these territories. Owing to the regular presence of important shark species for tourism and the growth of the scuba-diving industry, shark-diving has potential to expand over the region. Yet, the overlap between European industrial fishing pressure and shark populations, coupled with the unregulated recreational and artisanal fishing sector in the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, may jeopardize the sustainability of the shark-diving industry. However, the economic benefits for local communities directly and indirectly produced by shark-diving tourism suggest local benefits, fostering stronger shark conservation in Macaronesia.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/itsa/ITSA2022/ITSA2022/1