Too Close for Comfort: Concern About the Growing Trend in Public Interactions with Wild Marine Mammals

A recent study of whale watch activities worldwide has found that the business of viewing whales and dolphins in their natural habitat has grown rapidly over the past decade into a billion dollar ($US) industry involving over 80 countries and territories and over 9 million participants (Hoyt 2001). The popularity of marine mammal viewing activities can result in conservation and socioeconomic benefits for the animals and local communities alike if they are conducted responsibly and with care. However, if viewing activities are not conducted appropriately, they can place marine mammals at significant risk of harassment, injury or death. In 1988, a workshop sponsored by the Center for Marine Conservation and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) was held in Monterey, California to review and evaluate whale watching programs and management needs (CMC and NMFS 1988). Workshop participants included representatives from Federal government agencies, the scientific research community, commercial industry and conservation groups. Several recommendations were made to address concerns about the harassment of marine mammals during wildlife viewing activities including the development of regulations to restrict operating thrill craft near cetaceans, swimming and diving with the animals, and feeding cetaceans in the wild. During the 13 years following the workshop, progress has been made to implement the workshop recommendations and to address additional concerns about inappropriate viewing of small cetaceans and pinnipeds that result in harassment 1 of the animals. For example, in the U.S.,