Shark aggregation and tourism: opportunities and challenges of an emerging phenomenon

ABSTRACT

In the last few winters, shark communities have been aggregating near the Israeli Mediterranean coast, at a specific point, near Hadera power station. This unusual phenomenon has fascinated residents, visitors, kayakers, divers, and swimmers. We analyse the effects of this intense human interest on the sharks, using contingent behaviour, in Hadera and in Ashkelon, where sharks are present and there is available infrastructure for their observation. We also report on changes in shark behaviour due to change in tourism intensity. We find a change of about ILS 4.1 million annually for both sites but a larger individual consumer surplus in Hadera, where sharks are currently observable. Touristic intensity crosses the threshold level by about 12% and making the socio-equilibrium sustainable for both humans and sharks would have a social cost of ILS 0.157 million. This paper, which is based on the assessment of conservation values to marine and coastal tourists, raises a need for spatial planning in order to protect this endangered species.

KEYWORDS:

• Israel
• Mediterranean sea
• sharks
• sustainable tourism
• travel cost

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Fahed Hajirat, Mor Hatuka, Alon Peiser and Fadi Sliman for the research assistant they provided. This research was partially funded by the Morris Kahn marine research station and the Department of Marine Biology at the University of Haifa.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. http://www.bbc.com/news/av/science-environment-44174183/the-day-spa-for-pregnant-sharks.

2. ‘Before’ and ‘after’ in the pooled model were estimated by calculating the predicted visit frequency under mean values for the independent variables.

3. In the winter, the best time to dive is before 4 pm; after that, there is not enough light under the water. Most diving clubs prefer the early morning for diving preparations – equipment, diver instructions, etc. (https://www.snorkelingonline.com/pages/best-time-of-day-to-go-snorkeling).