Issues and options for whale shark conservation in Gulf of Mexico and western Caribbean waters of the U.S., Mexico and Cuba : A background paper prepared for Environmental Defense Fund.

Abstract

The whale shark is the world’s largest fish and a charismatic species for marine conservation. This filter-feeding shark poses no threat to humans and has become a favorite species for people to swim with in ecotourism operations around the world. Its present status in the world’s oceans is poorly understood and it is considered a vulnerable species with a potentially decreasing population trend. This paper addresses issues and options facing the conservation of whale sharks in the Gulf of Mexico and western Caribbean region. We summarize relevant aspects of whale shark biology and present information on human utilization of this species and the risks, threats and vulnerabilities faced by whale sharks in the region. We conclude with a list of recommendations and priorities to advance the conservation of whale sharks in the Gulf and Caribbean, focusing on measures that can be taken in the U.S., Mexico and Cuba and on an international scale.