A graceful tail fluke slipping beneath the surface, a mist of spray hanging on the horizon, a vast shape sliding into view beyond a ship’s bow — there’s no denying the appeal of whale-watching.
While the activity is usually associated with long-haul destinations, it can be enjoyed close to home. Orcas can be seen as locally as the Shetland Islands. Sightings of humpbacks, meanwhile, once a rarity in UK waters, have been increasing, with more than 75 recorded by Cornwall Wildlife Trust since 2019. A humpback was also spotted off the Kent coast earlier this year.
With more and more companies around the world offering boat trips to catch a glimpse of the elusive creatures, whale-watching has become a multi-billion-pound industry. But not all offer a responsible experience. Poor practice can lead to a stressful experience for marine mammals, altering their feeding patterns, separating calves from their mothers, or forcing them to dive unnecessarily and swim more quickly. Choosing a trip to avoid such issues can be tricky, but there are ways to mitigate your impact.
Why is it difficult to regulate?
Because whale species and coastal communities vary from region to region, regulations and resources differ. What works in the Azores, for example, may not work in Norway. “Unfortunately, there’s no single, international set of whale-watching guidelines,” says Danny Glover, spokesperson for Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC). “In some places, regulations govern whale-watching with legal enforcement, or there may be a voluntary code of conduct, relying on operators’ goodwill. There are also areas where whale-watching is thoroughly unmanaged, with nothing to prevent careless operators from harassing whales to get their passengers as close as possible.”
Can tourism ever do good?
Tourism isn’t all bad news for whales. At the very least, whale-watching can help nurture a love for cetaceans and can highlight pressing issues like pollution, ship strikes, net entanglements, and ocean warming. In many instances, tour boats are the first line of defense when it comes to spotting and reporting incidents. They can also collect vital data. Humpbacks, for example, have patterns on the undersides of their tail flukes that are individual to each whale (just as fingerprints are to humans). Such data has enabled speed restrictions to be implemented on busy marine routes where whales are vulnerable to ship strikes. Whale-watching tourism can also encourage the economic transition from commercial whaling in countries like Iceland, where some 350,000 visitors take whale-watching travels each year, generating €20m (£17m) yearly.
What does an ethical trip look like?
“A good trip is not only pleasant, educational, and safe for the passengers, but also treats the whales being watched with respect,” says Glover. In other words, a trustworthy experience puts whales first. “We’re uninvited guests in their world and privileged to see them; we have a responsibility to cause as little disturbance as possible.” This means vessels should approach the animals slowly and never head-on, and should keep at least 100 meters away at all times. A top-tier trip will include a marine biologist, who can add context to sightings and ensure the animals’ wellbeing. Avoid travels that offer the opportunity to swim with and touch whales, it can cause stress for the animals.