SHUTTERSTOCK/MIKE UNDERWATER
SAMARKAND, UZBEKISTAN — Few moments compare to a first encounter with a whale shark. The ocean seems to pause as this polka-dotted giant glides past, unbothered by your bubbles or racing heartbeat. A manta ray arcs overhead, wings slicing the water as it turns to look back at you with unmistakable curiosity. Then there’s the oceanic whitetip, emerging from the blue with quiet authority, equal parts grace and raw power. These are not just animals we see on dives; they are the encounters around which dive dreams are built.
At the most recent CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP20), these icons of the underwater world received the strongest international protections possible. Whale sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks, manta rays and all devil rays (Mobulidae) were uplisted to Appendix I, effectively ending international commercial trade of these species. For divers, this matters profoundly.
Related Reading: St Helena Dive Guide: Caves, Wrecks and Whale Shark Encounters
Groups including Sea Save Foundation and PADI AWARE Foundation attended CoP20 in December, working to shift the conversation from short-term extraction to long-term value. The message was simple and persuasive: A live animal, encountered again and again by divers, is worth far more than a single sale.
Dive tourism is not a niche economy. It is a powerful, resilient engine that provides continuous support for coastal and Indigenous communities. Dive operators, hotels, restaurants, transport providers, gear suppliers—all benefit when these animals remain in the water. A single manta can generate millions of dollars over its lifetime through tourism. A dead one is worth only a fraction of that, once.
Appendix I protection is especially critical for highly migratory species. Whale sharks and oceanic whitetips don’t respect borders; they roam vast ocean highways. Without coordinated international protections, conservation efforts unravel. Appendix I closes those gaps, removing market demand and giving populations a real chance to recover.
For whale sharks, already prey to ship strikes and bycatch, the protection reinforces their value as living giants. For oceanic whitetips—once one of the most common sharks—it signals a long-overdue course correction. For mantas, it means a future defined by curiosity and grace, not trade. And for divers, these decisions protect more than species. They protect the magic that keeps us returning to the sea—and the communities that depend on that magic to thrive.
Related Reading: Could CITES Momentum Safeguard Entire Ocean Ecosystems?
