Wie houdt ‘whale-watchers’ in de gaten? - Hoe schadelijk is ‘whale-watching’ voor de walvissen…..

Tours raise awareness of the ocean, experts say, and are OK as long as boats keep their distance

16-11-2008 By Reed Parsell, rparsell@sacbee.com, The Sacramento Bee, USA

MONTEREY – The sky was uniformly blue, the sun was warming, the ocean breeze was invigorating and the humpbacks put on a frolicking good show. All in all, it was a whale of an afternoon. And yet, my thoughts kept migrating toward vague feelings of guilt. Do whale-watching excursions, which operate year-round off California and many of the world’s other coastlines, harm these magnificent creatures?

I pondered that question throughout the three-hour outing, operated by Monterey Whale Watching off Old Fisherman’s Wharf. About 40 of us rode the waves out across Monterey Bay, where after an hour we came upon the telltale spouting of three or four humpbacks, a breed that passes by May through November. (Gray whales appear from December through April.) I’m happy to report that only once did I hear a passenger yelp, “Free Willy!”

Although the tour is billed as “narrated,” I found it difficult to understand the few words that came through the outdoor speakers. The visuals were what really mattered, however, and we got plenty of those during the next 45 minutes as we bobbed about near the giant mammals.

To watch their progress – their sleek backs gliding gently up and down on the sea’s choppy surface, their tails dramatically pointing skyward as the animals dived – was a sublime and memorable experience.

There’s something about seeing creatures in their natural habitats, as opposed to in zoos, that inspires a sort of awestruck humbleness.
But still, for me there was that nagging feeling of guilt. Was I participating in a destructive act? Time to cast about for some expert opinion, I decided.

“Whale watching can be harmful to whales, dolphins and other marine animals if it is not carried out responsibly,” said Elizabeth Griffin, a marine wildlife scientist for the environmental advocacy group Oceana. “This includes approaching too closely or doing anything that causes them to alter their normal diving, breathing, foraging or mating behaviors.”

How close is too close? The three people I contacted all mentioned that the Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits harassment of the whales, and asks that boats stay at least 100 yards from the whales.
“Responsible captains will avoid chasing a whale at high speed or approaching it too closely,” said Vicki Cornish, vice president of marine wildlife conservation for the Ocean Conservancy, another environmental organization. “Care should be taken not to encircle or trap whales between vessels, or to separate moms from calves.”

I cannot say this for certain, but it appeared as though the boat I took came within 100 yards of the humpbacks, at least for a few minutes. That might have been accidental, but then again, the home page of Monterey Whale Watching’s Web site has a picture of the company’s 75-foot Pacific Explorer (the boat I rode on) literally hovering over a whale.

“In some areas private individuals in boats may not be as careful about encroaching on whales,” admitted Jim Covel, senior manager of guest experience training and interpretation at the nearby Monterey Bay Aquarium. However, “most commercial operators are conscientious about observing that stand-off distance.”

The Coast Guard cannot keep close tabs on the whale-watching industry, which is vast and growing. Fortunately, Cornish pointed out, self-policing plays a role.
“Peer pressure from other whale-watch captains will prevent any one captain from harassing whales,” she said.

Watching the amazing humpback whales in Monterey Bay, California, on November 7, 2008.

Smooth migrations, free of hassles and disruptions, mean a lot to whales. As Covel explained, grays have to conserve a limited “fuel supply” for their trips between Alaska and Mexico, and humpbacks and blues “fuel up” by feeding along the California coast. He drew parallels between the watched and the watchers.

“So while we humans are now realizing that we have to be very careful with how we use our limited energy resources, many animals in nature – including whales – have been working on tight energy budgets for a long time,” Covel said.
“With global climate change and its effects on the oceans, we may be creating much larger challenges for whales in the future.”

Indeed, for whales to survive and thrive, it is helpful for humankind to have an awareness of their migratory patterns and an empathy for their struggles. Whale-watching excursions, done with proper respect and at least a little audible narration, can be educational. As I heard more from the experts, the tide of my guilt began to retreat.

“For the most part, whale watching is a way of connecting people with the ocean in ways that otherwise would not occur,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Cornish. “The sight of a whale breaching at the surface is a sight few ever forget. Instilling an appreciation of the ocean and its rarely seen inhabitants has the potential to turn whale watchers into lifelong ocean lovers.”

Cornish also mentioned the industry’s positive economic impact.
“Whale-watching operations can be extremely beneficial to coastal communities, especially as fisheries collapse and fishermen must find alternative work,” she said. “Most fishermen would prefer to stay working on the water whenever possible.”

In the United States, according to Oceana’s Griffin, whale watching generates more than $1 billion.
“The industry also gives an economic incentive to protect marine mammals from threats such as whaling, commercial fishing ‘by-catch,’ and pollution,” she said.
Positive environmental impacts of whale watching can be both short- and long-term, Covell said, thanks to conscientious captains and onboard naturalists.
“Many make a point out of scooping up floating trash they might encounter as a way of promoting stewardship of the seas,” he said. “Many collect valuable observations that are shared with local scientists who study marine mammals.”

So, all in all, guilt doesn’t have to be the catch of the day when you go whale watching. Just remember that although you probably will see whales and, as I did, other creatures such as otters and sea lions, nothing is guaranteed. Nature is not a Swiss timepiece.
As Griffin says, “Responsible tour operators understand that whales are wild animals and that the point of whale-watching tours is to observe marine mammals in their natural state, which may require some patience and understanding from tourists.”

(Bron: http://www.sacbee.com/)
(Bron foto: Sacramento Bee)