Whales Should Be Seen, Not Hurt
In promoting whale watching, IFAW recognizes the need to ensure that whale-watch operations are carried out responsibly so that the joy of sighting a whale is preserved, even enhanced, while neither individual animals or their populations are unduly stressed.
The major components of IFAW’s responsible whale watching work include:
- IFAW’s research vessel, Song of the Whale, conducts research on the
distribution patterns of sperm whales and other cetaceans to assess the
potential for whale watching, particularly as an alternative to whaling.
- IFAW works with governments and the tourist industry to analyze the regional
potential for whale watching, to develop responsible whale watching regulations,
to produce and distribute educational materials on whales, and to coordinate
research protocols and projects associated with whale watching.
- IFAW conducts an extensive program of seminars, operator-training workshops and information-exchange meetings to promote the whale watching industry and ensure minimal disturbance to whales.
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The fluke of a diving humpback whale breaks the surface of the water as tourists watch from a whale-watching boat off the coast of Provincetown, Massachusetts, USA. Photo © IFAW/ R. Sobol
