Nat'l. Tecnical Conference on the Protection and Conservation of Whale Sharks in the Philippines starts today

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, DECEMBER 6 (PIA).... A thre-day National Technical Conference on the Protection and Conservation of Whale Sharks in the Philippines will be held today, December 6-8 at Villa Isabel here according to Department of Tourism (DOT)  RO V regional director , Maria Nini O. Ravanilla.

The activity aims to convene all the national government agencies,allied organizations and other concerened stakeholders to come up with the plan of action for the protection and conservation of this species listed now as "vulnerable to extinction" by the International Conservation of Nature.

The activity will primarily draw out the Standard of Operating Protocol  (SOP) on  responding to stranded or beached whale sharks.

Expected to be presented will be the latest researches on whalesharks conducted by non-governmental organizations according to Nonie Enolva, team leader, Fisheries Regional Emergency Stranding Response Team, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources,RO V.

Topics on the first day will zero in on the Introduction to Whale Sharks in the Philippines to be shared by Raul B. Burce of the WWF-Phils, -Donsol, Sorsogon.

Topics to be discussed will  also include Photo Identification of Whale Sharks; Genetic/DNA Testing of Whale harks; Whale Shark Tagging; Reconnaisance of Physio-Chemical Characteristics of the Waters in Donsol and IEC on Whale Shark Bantay Butanding ( The Butanding Network: A Databse System).

A visit to the Sorsogon Provincial Museum and Heritage Center Inc. to view the replica of the Butanding and the whale shark vertebrae will end the first day activity.

The second day will provide the participants knowledge on the Philippine Laws and International Laws and Agreements on the Protection and Conservation of the Whale Sharks; the Economic Impact of Whale Shark Ecotourism; Whale Shark Code of Conduct; The Whale Shark Ecotourism; The Role of Local Government Units on the Protection. and Conservation of the Whale Shark and  The Role of the MFARMC on the Protection of the WS.

Meanwhile the Regional Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council  will present the Regional WS Stranding Response Activities and Initiatives to provide the participants how proper handling  of stranded whale sharks be observed and conducted.

Ravanilla explained that day 3 will focus on the formulation of the action plan for the protection and conservation of the whale shark in the Philippines drafted by the national agencies concerned and other participants and this will be observed as SOP in the  implementation on responding to stranded and beached whale sharks. (PIA-SORSOGON)