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In 1998 the Philippines government issued a ban on Whale shark hunting following reports of the slaughter off the coast of Donsol. Donsol is now fast becoming the capital of whale shark ecotourism, but the hunting continues with only a fine of P5,000 or USD$109.00. A single shark can fetch anything from P14,000 to P20,000, depending on the size and length of the fish on the black market. Trading firms have been reported to have raised the price to P80,000 or USD$1743.00 per shark after the ban took effect. The recent upsurge in demand for whale shark fins for export has become the driving force behind whale shark hunting throughout the world. This demand is causing widespread decline in many shark populations. Whale shark fins end up in restaurants in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Taiwan.