First of all, i would want to commend you for being part in that artistic underwater project in Oslob, Cebu. Your photos are really stunning. I am one with you in conveying the message that shark finning should be stopped. However , I am not in agreement with you that the butandings (that’s how we call them in the Philippines) should be handfed so that tourists can have a close encounter with them. There isn’t probably enough research out there which proves that handfeeding whalesharks is detrimental to their existence but I do suggest that we err on the safe side while there are no conclusive studies yet.

I am writing to you not to condemn you and your actions but to appeal to you to issue a formal statement regarding handfeeding whalesharks. The local politicians in Cebu and tour operators there are using your photographs to greenwash their malpractices which, in Dr. Alistair Dove’s own words, are “ethically dubious.” I know you don’t want the whalesharks you’ve worked with in your photoshoot to be wounded in the face/eyes by the propellers of boats that they approach in other islands in the Philippines (I don’t want to sound like an alarmist but it did really happen, please read this: http://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/12886-oslob%E2%80%99s-shark-tales it happened months before you went to Oslob), or worse, be killed for their meat and not just their fins, right? If deep in your heart you honestly believe that handfeeding is an unsustainable toursim practice that will work to the disadvantage of both the marine animal and the local community in the long run, kindly write a letter supporting the ban on handfeeding whalesharks. You’ve already created enough media attention through your photos, don’t you think it’s now time for you to speak up in behalf of the real plight of these hand-fed whalesharks which fall easy prey to marine poachers out there because of the changes in their feeding behavior? Kindly tell the world about the disadvantages of handfeeding whalesharks which is, up to now, being practiced in Oslob, Cebu. Please tell the locals in Oslob that they can still continue ecotourism in their province as long as they do it responsibly. By doing so, you will have more lasting impact with your advocacy in saving these gentle giants.

I am not a member of any marine conservation movement in the Philippines. I am just an ordinary citizen who wants future generations of Filipinos to enjoy viewing whalesharks from a distance that won’t meddle with their natural behavior just like how they do it in other provinces in the Philippines or in Australia. I hope you can influence the politicians and tour operators in Oslob, Cebu to start adopting sustainable ecotourism practices.

Thank you for reading this and I am hoping for your kind consideration of my simple request.

More power to you and your endeavors!