Whale Watching Activities in Bohol Suspended—Here’s Why

The Butanding, also known as the whale shark, is the largest fish and an endangered species. The opportunity to see these massive, gentle creatures in their natural habitat has made whale shark watching a popular water activity. However, on February 3, this water activity was suspended in Bohol due to violations of marine life tourism regulations.

Three towns—Lila, Alburquerque, and Dauis—are impacted by the whale-watching prohibition in Bohol. It is worth mentioning that the Lila municipality was the first to offer whale shark watching in Bohol, and later the other two municipalities followed suit. The authorities received reports of illegal feeding activities in these towns, which involved attracting the whales by feeding them krill, a small shrimp-like animal. This caused a foul smell on the water's surface and harmed the local tourism sector. The unpleasant smell spreads to the nearby towns of Balicasag and Panglao, which are the most popular tourist spots in Bohol. Furthermore, some operators did not have the necessary permits from the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources.

The ban on whale shark interaction will continue until the relevant government agencies are satisfied with the regulatory criteria.

Bohol is the country’s first and only UNESCO Global Geopark of its natural sites and habitats.

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