Since the implementation of the Beqa Adventure Divers near Pacific Harbour in 2004 and the enactment of the 2014 Shark Reef Marine Act, the biomass of fish in that area has increased causing a spillover effect.

This was highlighted by Marine Biologist, Tom Vierus.

Vierus says the Galoa community traditionally owns that patch of reef where the shark dives happen and in exchange for the local community to not fish there the community is reaping the benefits of it.

“Basically what is says is that if you protect a certain area and if you enforce it very well and naturally the fish biomass in that area will grow it will get bigger and bigger because there is no fishing going on so at some point the biomass is so big there is so many fish that they have to move outside of the reserve in order to go somewhere else.”

He states that for every dive the community earns $25.