27 Apr 2012

Fiji tourism industry warned to nuture shark population

11:42 am on 27 April 2012

The Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association says the industry needs to take care of its shark populations if it is to sustain the shark-diving tourism industry.

Researchers from the Australian Institute of Science found that the value of shark-related diving contributes about 40 million US dollars to the Fiji economy a year.

The president of the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, Dixon Seeto, says the dive industry, including shark diving is rapidly growing.

He says the industry needs to nurture shark-diving very carefully.

"In many areas of Fiji we have marine protected areas, the MPAs and we should perhaps be establishing more of these to ensure that the diving industry, also including the shark dives, are sustainable, the sharks are protected so that the industry is viable and also sustainable in the long term. 18"