Whale watching is a thriving industry. More than 87 countries run whale watching operations around the world. This generates US$1 billion in revenue worldwide each year. The International Fund for Animal Welfare estimates that in 1998 there were 734,962 land and sea based whale watchers in Australia, which generated $A76.8 million.
Many coastal nations have benefited from the development of whale watching operations. For instance, the Dominican Republic alone nets US$5.2 million from its eco-tourism, an industry that was given a boost by the creation of the Silver Bank Humpback Whale Marine Sanctuary.
In Australia, the last whale was caught in Albany in 1978. Since then, Albany has transformed the former Cheynes Beach Whaling Station into a high profile whale watching site, attracting more than 1.3 million visitors. Whale watching operations are also run throughout Australia.
Operators in Fiji also run whale watching tours. At least one operator is currently conducting dolphin-watching activities off the west coast of Viti Levu, Fiji’s largest island.
However, whaling impacts the whale-watching industry in a negative way. When Iceland resumed whaling, whale watching bookings dropped by 90 per cent. The Iceland Whale Watching Association blamed this on Iceland's whaling industry and called for an end to whaling.
The plans for large -scale whaling were shelved and the whale watching industry is recovering.
To find out more about whale watching in Australia, visit the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s website.
Many coastal nations have benefited from the development of whale watching operations. For instance, the Dominican Republic alone nets US$5.2 million from its eco-tourism, an industry that was given a boost by the creation of the Silver Bank Humpback Whale Marine Sanctuary.
In Australia, the last whale was caught in Albany in 1978. Since then, Albany has transformed the former Cheynes Beach Whaling Station into a high profile whale watching site, attracting more than 1.3 million visitors. Whale watching operations are also run throughout Australia.
Operators in Fiji also run whale watching tours. At least one operator is currently conducting dolphin-watching activities off the west coast of Viti Levu, Fiji’s largest island.
However, whaling impacts the whale-watching industry in a negative way. When Iceland resumed whaling, whale watching bookings dropped by 90 per cent. The Iceland Whale Watching Association blamed this on Iceland's whaling industry and called for an end to whaling.
The plans for large -scale whaling were shelved and the whale watching industry is recovering.
To find out more about whale watching in Australia, visit the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s website.
