Vol. 2, No. 1 Contents
Headline Back Issues Winter 1997
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Whales warrant worry as ecotourism grows in the Gulf Though the substantial benefits of ecotourism seem so far to outweigh its risks to the Gulf, some are concerned about one important aspect, the potential effects of whale watch boats on marine mammals.
"We've seen a steady but slow increase in the number of whale watching or marine ecotours," as fishermen affected by the downturn in regional fish stocks scramble for work, said Conway. US and Canadian regulations are intended protect whales and other sea mammals, but some worry that the continual presence of observation boats will cause problems for the whales anyway. Conway described this as the classic ecotourism quandary. Educating people about the endangered north Atlantic right whale cultivates funding and support to protect the species. "There are benefits to be derived from people seeing these animals but we have to be very careful that in allowing people to see them we don't adversely impact the animals," he said. Conway credited most of the approximately 25 whale watch charters operating in the Bay of Fundy with adhering to a code of ethics developed by... (get confirmation from Deb Tobin) "We see it as a very positive sign on the part of the marine industry. It's self-serving too if the whales are chased out, they're out of business," Conway said. "We haven't reached a point where [whale watching is] impacting adversely on the Bay of Fundy or the marine ecosystem," Conway said, although if vessels increase in size and numbers, he predicted, "We will have to review it and possibly control it via licensing or seasonal control." But Janice Harvey, Marine Conservation Program Director for the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, said whale watching in the Bay of Fundy worries her group, which she said otherwise has not discussed ecotourism much. "If there is pressure, it's there because it's getting big . A bunch of boats all circling around a pod of right whales is not a good thing. I'm very concerned about it because they're such a vulnerable population," particularly the north Atlantic right whale, Harvey said. In Massachusetts, protective measures include restrictions preventing vessels from maneuvering closer than 100 yards to whales and 500 yards to endangered right whales. These "are working well in the short term," according to Mason Weinrich, Executive Director and Chief Scientist at the Cetacean Research Unit (CRU) in Gloucester, which conducts whale research and supplies naturalists to whale watch boats. Weinrich said he is more concerned about the long term effects of the whales' exposure to boat engine noise than he is about the number or proximity of boats to the mammals, noting, "Around here, most whale watches do a good job." Whale watch charter owner Dave Malloy agreed that most New England captains are responsible in their approach to running whale watch tours. Malloy's company, the East India Cruise Company in Salem, Massachusetts, runs cruises from May through October using CRU naturalists. He said whale watch passengers in the past were often looking for little more than a relaxing day on the water. "Now a vast majority want to learn more about the environment and dangers that face the marine mammals," he said. "I think in general people are more environmentally aware than they were 20 years ago. It's not exclusively because of whale watching, but I think it's helping," said Weinrich. Nevertheless, he said naturalists often find themselves having to lower the expectations of people who expect whales to perform continuously. When you're watching a wildlife documentary, he elaborated, "You don't see 45 minutes of an animal sleeping and 3 minutes of it running around. You see the best of what it took naturalists and film crews 2 years to get." But expectations may become more realistic as more people have an opportunity to see the natural world. "I think it is genuinely increasing the awareness that my travel dollars maybe can make a difference I can give something back,' " said Canavan. Wood agreed that ecotourism "will grow because of the baby boomers' interest in this kind of travel." Nevertheless, while they welcome the burgeoning interest, ecotravel proponents say common sense, foresight, and vigilance are needed to assure ecotourism doesn't overwhelm Gulf of Maine resources as it has other popular destinations. After all, said Wood, "Tourism cannot be ecotourism if it's not sustainable." |
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Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine
The annual migration of whales including endangered north Atlantic right whales off of the New England coast and through the Bay of Fundy is one of the most popularly observed natural phenomena in the Gulf of Maine. Charter outfits pepper the New England and Maritimes coastlines offering half-day opportunities to watch the whales in their natural habitat.