We have been working with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP) since 2017. The MWSRP wanted to help the whale shark industry in the Maldives become more sustainable by working with government, tour operators and tourists to foster a more responsible, less harmful approach.
Blue Marine launched the first of its #GentleToGiants campaigns here, calling on the operators of whale-shark tours in the Maldives to abide by a code of conduct, and encouraging the public to choose those operators. Twenty-two operators signed up to the code, and the social media campaign was seen 1.2 million times.
Our campaign for sustainable wildlife tours has also extended to the marine protected area (MPA) at St Helena. In 2023, we launched the #BeGentleToGiants campaign in the South Atlantic island, working closely with the St Helena National Trust and St Helena Tourism. The aim of the campaign is to celebrate and support a responsible whale sharks code of conduct.
There are equal numbers of mature male and female whale sharks present in St Helena, evidence that the MPA serves not only as a feeding location, but also as a breeding ground. All the island’s tour operators signed up to the code of conduct.
