ABSTRACT
Human threats have reduced whale shark populations to the extent that they are now a globally endangered species. Whale sharks are vulnerable to a diverse range of direct and indirect human activities, many of which are understudied. The key conservation concern to date has been fisheries. Prior to the 1980s, whale sharks were rarely fished, but in the 1990s, demand for the species’ meat and fins increased, and they became a target of commercial fisheries, or at least a valuable bycatch. These practices have led to a number of region-specific regulations to limit overexploitation. Today, whale sharks are caught accidentally in fisheries targeting tuna, particularly those using purse-seine nets or gillnets, and occasionally in other coastal net fisheries. Whale sharks are also vulnerable to ship strikes, which are likely a significant source of mortality, although hard to quantify. Tourism, which is considered a mixed blessing for the species, has been linked to physical injuries and behavioral changes. As we enter the 2020s, awareness is increasing of the global threat posed by marine pollution and climate change. Research has only begun to scratch the surface of these complex topics.
