Dubai: A series of new public sightings in marinas along the UAE coast of massive whale sharks up to four or five metres long is not a cause for concern for the species or those who frequent waterfront areas, say experts.
Harmless to humans, the world’s largest fish is all about peacefully gobbling up tiny micro-plankton and does not pose any risk to swimmers sharing the same shallow coastal shoreline in the emirates.
A slew of sightings in recent weeks in Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah and in the marina at InterContinental in Abu Dhabi have stunned eyewitnesses given the size of whale sharks gliding slowly through clear waters.
The largest whale sharks on record are as long as 2,100cm although those witnessed in Gulf waters are a quarter of the larger specimens found around the globe’s warmer tropical waters.
A 3-metre whale shark was spotted in Palm Jumeirah on January 20 while a whale shark up to four metres was spotted in Abu Dhabi on January 22.
Dr. Elsayed Ahmad Mohammed, Regional Director, Middle East and North Africa, of International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), told Gulf News that the recent appearances of the fish make sense given the whale shark feeds close to the surface and often explore shallow shoreline waters.
“This is normal behaviour as whale shark is a costal species in general, so it may be seen near the shores. This sightings happen almost every year,” he said.
Whale sharks commonly inshore parts of the coastline such as marinas, lagoons, bays and coral atolls.
In the last decade, dozens of sightings have been reported at beaches, hotels and marinas in the UAE with many recent sightings dominating social media posts with pictures and videos.
Witnesses shouldn’t worry that whale shark sightings mean the fish is in trouble.
“As long as there is no wound on the fish, there is no concern. There is no scientific explanation [for the visits in marina areas] other than [the whale shark] is a coastal species,” said Dr Mohammed, noting that the shark is classified as vulnerable by world conservation officials such as International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Dr. Mohammad said the whale is safe from humans and commercial fisheries in UAE waters because “whale sharks are fully protected according to UAE national legislation.”
Officials with IFAW are citing the UAE’s strong stand on behalf of the whale shark with other countries that allow open fishing on the species which can live up to 60 years old.
“We are encouraging other countries to strengthen their fisheries legislation to protect sharks and to join the Convention of Migratory species MoU for conservation of migratory sharks,” he said.
