Whale watching responsible tourism

A pod or group of cetaceans must never be split by a boat, and nor must they ever be crowded out or encircled. If there is already a boat or two near a group of whales, then a responsible operator will turn away, not steer into it. You may feel desperate to get the Facebook photo of the day, but let it go and put your trust in the skipper. A good skipper will go in search of another group of whales if there are already two boats with one group of whales. So if you read the reviews and see that there are many operators in one patch, it is time to become a little whale wary and go elsewhere. It seems obvious, but whales should never be fed. You do not want to disturb their natural feeding habits, which may cause big problems in the long run. If anyone suggests whale watching on a jet ski, just say no. In fact when it comes to protecting the marine environment generally, always say no to jet skis. One of the best things you can do is report any bad practice on the part of whale watching operators. In many countries the whale watching Codes of Conduct go unpoliced, so sometimes it is only the passengers who can be the enforcers. You don't have to have a degree in marine biology to realise that a skipper is not doing what he should be doing. There are so many ways and means now of spreading good and bad words, using Tripadvisor, social media, and so on - but if you can name and shame to leading conservationists in the country, this will have more impact. And, if possible, take photos as proof of bad practice.

From whaling to whale watching

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was originally formed to regulate commercial whaling, but since the global moratorium on whaling was put in place in 1986, the IWC’s role has broadened to include the coordination of global efforts to research threats to cetaceans, including habitat degradation and entanglement in nets. They also research the impact of whale watching on whales, and have compiled in-depth information about best practices, and are a font of information on the subject, ensuring guidelines are available to operators and national regulators, who are ultimately responsible for the management of whale watching in their countries. Iceland and Norway are the only two countries in the world to authorise whaling in defiance of this moratorium and, ironically, both countries also offer whale watching tours, too.

The IWC has also created a useful Whale Watching handbook featuring an interactive map, species guides and advice on how to choose a company, to help travelers make informed choices.

However, even though there are guidelines and codes of practice, there is very little policing or control. Blanket codes of conduct are ineffective. It is purely good, compassionate and ethical practice that makes a good responsible whale watching adventure the best thing in the world for animals and people alike.

Kate Wilson, IWC: "One key bit of information that helps customers identify responsible, sustainable operators is whether they adhere to safe approach distances. Of course this is hard to judge when you’re out on the water, but many national regulations include maximum approach distances and you might expect to see these referred to in promotional literature for responsible operators."