菲律賓好好玩 – 近距開動 - 鯨鯊餵食秀

【藍天採訪組／菲律賓】

菲律賓有許多漂亮、「好好玩」的景點，也有許多新奇、「好好玩」的事物。

餵食野生動物會造成甚麼樣的影響呢？薄荷省省長艾里科·阿里斯·奧門塔多於今年二月頒布第10號行政命令，要求立即停止在該省進行鯨鯊餵食及其他互動活動，同時成立一個跨機構小組（菲律賓國家警察海事組PNP MG、菲律賓海岸警衛隊PCG、漁業和水產資源局BFAR、環境與自然資源部DENR及沿岸執法委員會CLEC），調查有關非法餵食誘導鯨鯊的行為，以保護海洋資源並維護當地旅遊業。奧門塔多指出，餵食行為會干擾鯨鯊的自然習性，破壞生態平衡，磷蝦的殘餘物導致互動區域水域散發惡臭，甚至可能損害當地旅遊業。

宿霧，是菲律賓中部的省份，包括臺灣民眾，是世界各國遊客喜愛旅遊的景點之一，海豚、鯨鯊、沙丁魚，是它主要觀光收入來源，然而近些年緊臨宿霧東邊的薄荷省也興起餵食鯨鯊的活動，由於南朝鮮有班機直飛薄荷省的邦勞機場，南朝鮮人佔外地遊客比例相當高，甚至有不少以南朝鮮族群開設的商店及休閒娛樂，簡直像極南朝鮮移民地，想當然耳，「餵食鯨鯊」也幾乎被南朝鮮人佔滿。

2024年11月中，我們在司機的引領下前往位於薄荷省的阿爾伯Albur Bohol，登上拖曳船前往鯨鯊共遊的海域，一艘艘滿載遊客的賞鯨鯊船，盡是來自南朝鮮。到達定點，「游客」下海自行尋找目標，

記者：「你能讓鯨鯊浮上來嗎」？

船伕：「可以啊，等等我去要一盒磷蝦來餵食」。

記者：「太好了，非常謝謝」。

原來，觀光業者為吸引鯨鯊，早已準備了一盒盒的磷蝦餵食，餵食前還特別告知讓我們早做準備。鯨鯊直立著身軀大口、大口吞食牠的「立可食」，「鰓耙」下方腹部則聚集了一群小鯨鯊覓食，我們分別從船上及水底拍攝進食的過程，看著龐大的鯨鯊近距接觸，著實挺驚人的，尤其是當牠悄無聲息地從後面出現在眼前時，嚇得趕緊轉身逃竄，倒不是怕被牠不小心吞食了，而是擔心不慎「碰觸」，恐怕被以「騷擾罪」開罰。

「空中飛鳥、陸地走獸或海洋中的野生魚類，天生自有其生存的模式和本領，一旦被人類介入，豢養成習之後逐漸失去牠的求生機能」，在海水中載浮載沉觀賞餵食秀的同時，腦中浮現出這樣的思維，尤其是看到鯨鯊突然掉轉身軀離去時，牠的背鰭撞到船的螃蟹腳，把水中的南朝鮮人嚇得驚聲尖叫、四處逃竄，頓時明白為何生養眾多的鯨鯊會被列為瀕危動物，鯨鯊為了食物及繁殖，會定期進行遷徙，但是人類餵食使得鯨鯊不再離開餵食區域，繼而影響牠的繁殖周期，除了遭到獵捕之外，根據菲律賓旅遊平台發表的資訊，鯨鯊看到船就想到吃的，不顧一切往船隻靠攏，也是造成鯨鯊受傷死亡的原因之一。

薄荷省省長為了落實「鯨鯊餵食」禁令，將派遣臨時工作人員（Job Order Personnel）前往鯨鯊互動區，監控並即時通報任何未經授權的活動。

關於：

鯨鯊（Rhincodon typus）又稱豆腐鯊，是海洋中體型最大的鯊魚，被稱為鯨鯊是因為牠們像鯨魚一樣體型龐大，平均可以長到12公尺長，最大可達20公尺。

薄荷省頒布第10號行政命令，要求立即停止在該省進行鯨鯊餵食及其他互動活動

Bohol: Aumentado suspends whale shark watching activities By: CDN Digital

Bohol Governor Erico Aris Aumentado shows Executive Order No. 10 which he signed on February 3, 2025. | Contributed photo

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The Bohol Provincial Government has taken a bold step of suspending one of its emerging tourist attractions to ensure the protection of its marine resources and the local tourism industry.

Governor Erico Aris Aumentado issued Executive Order No. 10 on February 3, 2025 that mandates the immediate cessation of whale shark feeding and other interaction activities in their province.

The suspension will remain until all regulatory requirements are met and verified by concerned national agencies, in consultation with stakeholders and conservation groups.

“Igo ra ko niprotekta ug nagpatuman,” Aumentado said in a statement, emphasizing that his decision was meant to preserve Bohol’s natural resources and maintain fairness across all localities.

(I am merely protecting our marine resources and implementing [existing laws].)

With Bohol being a UNESCO Global Geopark and Regenerative Island, Aumentado said that he was also committed to ensuring “responsible tourism.”

Illegal feeding

Whale shark watching in Bohol was pioneered by the municipality of Lila and later on expanded to Alburquerque and Dauis towns.

However, reports reached the Capitol on illegal feeding activities in these localities.

In his EO, Aumentado said that he created an inter-agency team to investigate reports of illegal feeding to lure whale sharks to stay in these tourism destinations.

The team found out that krill was being used to feed the whale sharks, which is in violation of Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-008 and Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1 Series of 2020 issued by the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agriculture (DA), and Department of the Interior Local Government (DILG).  These provide the “rules and regulations governing sustainable marine wildlife tourism interaction, consistent with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.”

Krill also caused very foul odor at the interaction areas.

Moreover, the Governor’s EO said that businesses offering whale shark activities lacked permits from government agencies, including DENR and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

“Dili na pud ko musugot og naay laing lungsod mag-apil-apil ani,” Aumentado said.

(I cannot allow the other towns to engage in similar activities.)

Ecological balance

Aumentado mentioned in his EO that whale shark feeding disrupts their natural behavior as this also threatens ecological balance and could harm the local tourism industry.

“Concerned stakeholders, represented by the Provincial Tourism Council, and public interest groups such as Tagbilaran Baywatch have expressed serious concerns regarding the continuous and unabated feeding of whale sharks in these three areas, citing clear violations of the [provincial] ordinance, the JMC, convention agreements,” read part of his three-page EO.

If the foul odor on the waters of the three interaction areas reach the neighboring Panglao town and Balicasag Island, “the overall image of Bohol and its tourism industry could be severely compromised, jeopardizing the livelihood of thousands of Boholanos [who are] dependent on tourism,” it added.

“To prevent detrimental effects on Bohol’s tourism industry, uphold general welfare, and protect the livelihood of the majority as against the business interest of a few, an immediate cessation of all whale shark interaction activities is necessary,” the EO said.

Financial assistance

Aumentado has directed the Philippine National Police Maritime Group (PNP MG), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), DENR, and the Coastal Law Enforcement Council (CLEC) to enforce his EO.

He also plans to deploy Job Order personnel to monitor the whale shark interaction areas and immediately report any unauthorized activities there.

Meanwhile, Aumentado said that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the provincial government are prepared to extend financial assistance to workers from the three interaction areas who will be displaced due to the implementation of his EO.

The Governor is also urging stakeholders to explore other tourism activities that they could offer to their guests.

“Daghan pa tag ug ika-offer,” he said.