Gorontalo Whale Sharks Tourism
The villagers should ensure that tourism activities do not harm the whale sharks, he noted here, Monday, while visiting a whale shark sighting location.
The number of boats carrying tourists must be limited to prevent them from causing stress to the animals, he pointed out.
A whale shark sighting is a rare phenomenon, and therefore, it should be preserved, he emphasized.
Satyamurti explained that whale shark was the largest fish in the world and can reach lengths of up to 18 meters and live up to 60 or even 100 years.
A whale shark reaches reproductive maturity at 25 years of age and can give birth to one offspring during each reproductive period, he revealed.
Satyamurti believes that the Gorontalo waters lie in the migration path of these whale sharks.
Some 13 to 14 whale sharks are usually spotted in the waters of Botubarani. Fishermen in Tomini Bay also encounter whale sharks frequently.
The ministry had organized a diving training course for tourist guides and implemented a database information system on protected fish species on May 11-14, 2016.
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