Whale shark tourism generates significant income for coastal communities worldwide, but the welfare impacts of close encounters with snorkellers and divers require careful management.
Whale shark ecotourism presents a genuine welfare tradeoff: encounters generate conservation funding and local economic alternatives to fishing, but poorly managed interaction causes behavioural disruption and injury risk. Evidence shows sharks in high-tourism areas alter routes and depth profiles to avoid encounters, suggesting welfare costs. Best practice guidelines - minimum approach distances, no touching, limited vessel numbers, and speed restrictions - significantly reduce welfare impacts while maintaining conservation benefits. Choosing tour operators committed to these standards is a meaningful welfare action.