Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35

Marine ecotourism focuses specifically on activities that take place on the coast or in the ocean. It includes activities like eco-friendly boating, dolphin and whale watching, snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing, but in a sustainable way and with an emphasis on education.

One of the most popular forms of marine ecotourism is whale watching. Whales are worth more alive than dead these days, after decades — maybe even centuries — of whaling. While commercial whaling is banned in most countries, Japan, Norway and Iceland have continued the practice through finding loopholes or just rebelling against the international law. A recent National Geographic article discussed the fact that the Japanese, for example, are eating much less whale meat than in the past. They’re also spending a lot more time whale watching.

Mexico is another example of this. The shark watching revenue in the Gulf of California region represents more than half the value from shark fisheries in the country. Ecotourism has become a much-needed source of employment in the Gulf of California (and other coastal regions) because of warming ocean temperatures, extreme weather events that are taking place more often than they have in the past, and declining fish stocks. In Newfoundland, Canada’s main sealing province, over 1.3 million people participated in whale watching. That contributed to nearly $20 million to the local economy and is seen as a possible alternative to the sealing economy.

Ecotourism Australia says that “ecotourism has rocketed from an unknown entity to global phenomenon in the last 30 years and nature-based tourism already makes up 75 percent of the international tourism market.” It’s an example of knowing better and doing better, and can make a positive impact on conservation efforts on the coast and in the ocean.

(Source: https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/)

The word “It” in paragraph 1 refers to _____.