about the dive tourist

The dive tourist communicates coral reef science. This site is designed to set out Judi Lowe’s PhD research on;

dive tourism and its impact on

integrated coastal management, and

livelihoods for artisanal fishers.

Please explore…

21 Sep 2019

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The Conversation – Oslob Whale Sharks and Conservation

Our article in The Conversation, covering the release of our new research paper on the conservation effects of Oslob Whale Sharks. A group of the world’s poorest fishermen are protecting endangered w...

11 Dec 2018

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The Guardian reports on our Oslob research

The Guardian – Oslob Whale Sharks and livelihoods Fishermen-turned-entrepreneurs who have been financing the protection of endangered whale sharks in the Philippines have hit on a successful sch...

09 Dec 2017

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Turtles as food

Raja Ampat. Scrubbing algae off the shells of captive turtles, caged until they grow to eating size, then sold. A common sight water villages. Taking turtles is illegal but overlooked. ...

09 Dec 2017

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Local fishers of Oslob

Traditional non-motorised banca Field work blog – Post 6 A local fisher heads out at dawn with his traditional banca with simple fishing gear – a gill net and hook and line. Oslob, the Phi...

29 Oct 2017

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Research starts at dawn

Field work blog – Post 5 Marine biologist Ma. May Saludsod watches Oslob fishers survey weather and tide conditions before launching their small banca (traditional outrigger canoes), for morning...

18 Aug 2017

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Oslob: Bubbles, baby!

Field work blog – Post 4 Bubbles = divers below. Photographic imperfection meets dive tourist Heaven (taken by a failed underwater photographer on field work, who is much better at research. Big...

16 Aug 2017

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84% of dive operators in tropics have dive sties in marine protected areas

84% of dive operators in the tropics report that they have dive sites located within marine protected areas (MPAs). This is no surprise because MPAs are designed to protect the coral reefs, fish stock...

16 Aug 2017

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Oslob Whale Sharks: bright spot in community based dive tourism

Field work blog – Post 3 Fishermen paddle dive tourists in small, unmotorised banca (outrigger canoes) out to snorkel with whale sharks in barangay Tan-Awan, Oslob, on the island of Cebu in the ...