Download the Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism Guide

Love 'em or hate 'em, with about 400 shark and ray interaction operations operating around the world -- and with that number set to double within two decades -- it's been estimated to generate more than $780 million. Conservation organizations such as PADI's Project Aware, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Manta Trust have combined to produce a practical guide for operators.

Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: a Guide to best Practice has been designed to help operators, NGOs, and local communities to develop and maintain well-managed operations.

"Shark- and ray-focused eco-tourism has a great potential as a conservation strategy," said Dr. Andy Cornish of the WWF. "We sought advice from scientists and the industry to help bridge the gap and deliver a best-practice guide," added Isabel Ender of the Manta Trust.

It consists of a suite of tools, including posters, scorecards, and checklists and can be downloaded free from the websites of www.projectaware.org , wwf.panda.org or the www.mantatrust.org.