Go Diving in Thailand, Reel Big Fish

The largest fish in the sea wasn’t known to science until 1828. For the next 160 years, there were only 320 confirmed sightings of whale sharks—that’s how rare the creature is. And while the world’s best-known spot for these massive fish (up to 40 feet long) is Nigaloo reef off Australia’s west coast, they’re also found in Thailand’s Similan Islands, where Wicked Diving runs regular commercial scuba trips.

Wicked recently launched a whale shark exploration program and so far this season has been extraordinarily fruitful—click above for video shot on February 9 to see for yourself. Their next trip is March 6-8, so if you find yourself in Thailand…well, if I was in Thailand, there’s no way I wouldn’t be on that boat. Cost is about $500 for nine dives over three days—more info at bottom of page.

When I caught up with Wicked’s Robyn Hasson last week, she was still glowing from her whale shark encounters:

How formally scientific is this whale shark program? Are you working with biologists, universities, researchers? Is your study part of something larger?

Our program is centered around general education and awareness regarding whale sharks in particular, but also sharks, rays, and other large pelagics. If we are fortunate enough to encounter a whale shark on our expedition, we will photograph them in accordance with the outlines from ECOCEAN. This will add our whale shark to their database for tracking and identification which will assist in gaining more information about the habits and migration patterns of the elusive fish.

The ECOCEAN Whale Shark Photo-identification Library is a visual database of whale shark encounters and individually cataloged whale sharks. Unlike older tracking and monitoring methods that involve invasive radio tagging ECOCEAN uses underwater digital cameras as the primary tool.

The library uses photographs of the skin patterning behind the gills of each shark and any scars to distinguish between individual animals. Cutting-edge software supports rapid identification using pattern recognition—it was developed by Australian marine scientist and Rolex Laureate Brad Norman and is based on an algorithm pioneered by NASA scientists working with the Hubble space telescope to record and identify constellations. The breakthrough for marine biology and conservation came when Brad adapted this identifying individual sharks by their pattern.

What will divers actually do on the trip?

We do three days and two nights with a minimum of nine dives. The expedition includes educational lectures and open-ended question and answer sessions on the known information, biology, anatomy, and consumer fishing on whale sharks, sharks, and rays. We also include an Scuba Schools International ECOLogical certification (Wicked Diving is the first dive center globally to issue these certifications), which includes education on conservation and awareness of the marine environments and the impact we have as divers on these environments.

There are four dives completed for this certification. There’s a buoyancy dive—improving buoyancy while diving helps to preserve the reefs and coral systems by preventing divers from kicking or landing on these living environments and also extends your dive-time by improving your streamlined positioning in the water and conserving air. There’s a reef clean-up dive—picking up foreign debris from the dive sites keeps them clean, but knowing how to remove items safely and determine if they’ve been there long enough to become part of the habitat is important. And then two dives focus on the education of sharks, their habits, mating rituals, history, and lineage while observing them in person. And proceeds from the cost of certification go to local environmental projects.

How frequently do you see sharks?

Here in the Similan Islands, almost every dive. But in recent seasons we’ve seen this decline significantly due to water temperature changes, overfishing, and pollution. For the 2008/09 season we’ve been lucky to see any sharks at all.

How do they react around people?

Different sharks react differently to the presence of divers. In most cases they either swim away. In the case of leopard sharks, they mainly dwell on the bottom and lay still unless they feel threatened and move away. Sharks, like bees, are curious and harmless unless they feel threatened or provoked.

Dang! How big were those rays?

Manta rays can be up to 20 feet. They’re peaceful and graceful creatures.

What’s the visibility like this time of year?

Visibility in the Similan and Surin national marine parks is from 25-40 meters on any given day.

What can you share about the habits of whale sharks?

So little is known…

Do you see the same ones repeatedly?

We don’t know! There’s little known about the whale shark and less known about identifying them. That’s why we’re eager to track and record our sightings with the ECOCEAN photo library. The spot pattern and any scars or distinctive markings make it possible to try and track and identify them.

It is RARE to see a whale shark, and you are a VERY lucky diver if you do. I work with an instructor who has been diving for seven-plus years and has over a thousand dives…he saw his first whale shark this past summer in Koh Tao, Thailand!

Are whale sharks hunted/fished in Thailand? The Philippines made it illegal—what about Thailand?

It is not illegal to fish whale sharks, but they are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species…they’re vulnerable to extinction. However they are a premium for things like whark fin soup, and other medicinal purposes in some cultures. Whale sharks are often caught by longliners, and commercial fisheries as by-product or “extra catch” in their nets and lines.

For more information on whale sharks from the International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, go here.

For more info on the whale shark identification project, visit Ecocean.

Wicked Diving’s March 6-8 whale shark expedition costs about $500 for a minimum of nine dives in the Similan Islands in the Gulf of Thailand. Sites include Surin Islands, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon, and BonSoong Wreck. Live-aboard boat has air conditioned cabins, all meals, scuba gear, dive guides, and videographer. Contact Wicked at 415.508.3654 (U.S.) or +66 (0) 76 485 868 (Thailand). You can also check them out on Facebook.