Whale watching tourism a solution for whales and fishers

by Jeni Bone on 29 Jun 2010 New research into the whale-watching industry shows the prehistoric mammals are worth many times more alive and well than served on a plate.

Around the world, the booming whale-watching industry is a lucrative business. In fact, whales have been such an attraction around the world that in 2009, more than 13 million tourists paid to see them, turning whale-watching into a US$2.1 billion industry.

The report, published in the journal Marine Policy, follows the International Whaling Commission's announcement that it will postpone its decision on the future of commercial whaling. The prospect of banning the practice remains a contentious one, especially among one of the world's most prolific whaling nations, Japan, Norway, Iceland, Russia and some indigenous communities in the US, Canada and Indonesia.

At the 2010 meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Morocco, representatives of the 88 member nations, including Australia, discussed whether or not to lift the 24 year ban on commercial whaling. Japan, Norway and Iceland urged the organization to lift the ban. A coalition of anti-whaling nations has offered a compromise plan that would allow these countries to continue whaling, but with smaller catches and under close supervision.

Their plan would also completely ban whaling in the Southern Ocean. More than 200 scientists and experts have opposed the compromise proposal for lifting the ban, and have also opposed allowing whaling in the Southern Ocean, which was declared a whale sanctuary in 1994. Opponents of the compromise plan want to see an end to all commercial whaling, but are willing to allow subsistence-level catches by indigenous peoples.

This new report reveals that the practice doesn't make business-sense. The demand for whale-meat has dropped, even in Norway and Japan where the steaks are a traditional delicacy and a staple for some groups. The whale-watching industry, on the other hand, is booming and expected to increase exponentially.

Rashid Sumaila, one of the study's authors, points out that the whale-watching industry could also be a boon to developing countries in regions where tourism wouldn't normally thrive. 'This shows that we can have our whales and still benefit from them, without killing them,' she said. '[Whale-watching] can be launched with little initial investment and carried out by local fishers who are already familiar with the area.'

The report states: 'Results suggest that whale watching could generate an additional 413 million USD (2009) in yearly revenue, supporting 5,700 jobs. Together with current global estimates, this would bring the total potential for the whale watching industry to over 2.5 billion USD in yearly revenue and about 19,000 jobs around the world. These results are discussed from an economic and conservation policy perspective, with emphasis on potential benefits and limitations.'

For the full report, visit: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VCD-508JXB0-1&_user=10&_coverDate=06%2F09%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=456b692a6dc7cce4cfd8b3c7603ca2e3