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Whale Watching Companies Share Why Whale SENSE Also Makes Good Business Sense

Feeding humpback whale. Credit: SBNMS

As the Whale SENSE Program enters its fifth year, an estimated 1 million people have been exposed to messages about responsible wildlife viewing.  However, this isn’t the only benefit of the program.  The collaborative effort involving NOAA, Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) and 9 commercial whale watching companies along the east coast help with whale rescues, research and support educational initiatives and conservation programs.

“It is important that we respect and protect the whales that support our livelihood and that we provide an on-the-water example to other mariners of how to behave properly,” said Zack Klyver, Bar Harbor Whale Watch.

Entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with vessels are the leading causes of serious whale injuries and deaths off the Northeast. To reduce risks of vessel strike, current regulations and guidelines include slow, safe speeds and required transit routes for vessels when whales are likely to be present.  Fishermen and scientists have also made changes to fishing gear and methods to reduce the chances of an animal getting entangled in the first place or make it more likely that the gear will fall away if an animal does pick it up.

Since the program began, at least 17 whale entanglements have been reported by Whale SENSE boats.  In instances where Whale SENSE partners were standing by, rescuers were able to more quickly find and help distressed animals.

Humpback whale tail. Credit: WDC

“Cape May is the second largest commercial fishery on the East Coast and is a huge tourist destination,” said Tracie Cicchitti, The Starlight Fleet and Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center. “We are proud to be a Whale SENSE member. Being able to educate our passengers and pass on safe boating practices around marine mammals will hopefully allow these populations to thrive in our Southern New Jersey waters.”

These companies also aid in ongoing efforts to help scientists better understand whales and other marine life. The Dolphin Fleet compiles a variety of annual data from entanglements, vessel strikes, and images of satellite-tagged whales that record various biological and whale movement information. The first photo identification guide for minke whales was produced by Bar Harbor Whale Watch in collaboration with Allied Whale. Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises and Captain John Boats participate in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary’s seabird surveys.

When observing whales important to do so from a safe distance for the benefit of the animal and your self. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Whale SENSE members also are engaged in a number of educational activities, from providing resources to students interested in studying the marine environment to recycling campaigns. For instance, Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises has recycled tens of thousands of plastic bottles since becoming a Whale SENSE participant in 2008, while the Bar Harbor Whale Watch company raised an estimated $7,000 in 2012 to support scholarships for students to study whales and dolphins.  New Whale SENSE member, Boston’s Best Cruises began a traveling educational exhibit for schools in southern Massachusetts that has already reached over 200 students in its two months of implementation, continuing in the Whale SENSE stewardship tradition.

“As an early Whale SENSE member, we appreciate the professional growth opportunities for our staff that being part of this program provides.  We have access to training and also valuable information on animal welfare that we can share with our customers to help better inform and inspire them,” said John Brink, Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises.

All whales are protected under federal laws, including the Marine Mammal Protection Act, that safeguard them from being injured, killed, harassed, or having their natural behaviors interrupted. Companies participating in Whale SENSE agree to use responsible viewing practices to minimize the potential for harming whales, to provide customers with a high standard of education, and to promote ocean stewardship and conservation.

To become a Whale SENSE participant, company vessel operators and the naturalists who narrate tours attend annual trainings on whale watching guidelines and regulations, safe operations, and whale ecology. After completing the program, the whale watch company is granted full use of the Whale SENSE logo to promote its business and is listed on the Whale SENSE website.

To learn more about the Whale SENSE program, please visit our website www.whalesense.org or call us at 978-282-8462.

Current whale watch partners include: Starflight Fleet in Wildwood Crest, N.J., Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center in Cape May, N.J., Dolphin Fleet in Provincetown, Mass., Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises in Barnstable, Mass., Captain John Boats in Plymouth, Mass., Provincetown Whale Watch in Provincetown, Mass. , Bar Harbor Whale Watch in Bar Harbor, Maine, and Sea Salt Charters in Provincetown, Mass., and new member Boston’s Best Cruises in Boston, Mass.

Fin whale. Credit: NEFSC

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit us athttp://www.noaa.gov or on Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary encompasses 842 square miles of ocean, stretching between Cape Ann and Cape Cod offshore of Massachusetts.  Renowned for its biological diversity and remarkable productivity, the sanctuary is famous as a whale watching destination and supports a rich assortment of marine life, including marine mammals, seabirds, fishes and marine invertebrates.  The sanctuary’s position astride the historic shipping routes and fishing grounds for Massachusetts’ oldest ports also makes it a repository for shipwrecks representing several hundred years of maritime transportation.

WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, (formerly WDCS) is the leading global charity dedicated to the conservation and protection of whales and dolphins. We defend these remarkable creatures against the many threats they face through campaigns, advising governments, conservation projects, field research and rescue. WDC’s North American office is based in Plymouth, MA. WDC staff, volunteers and interns conduct research and work to protect whales from the threats they face.  Visit www.whales.org to learn more about how you can help as a volunteer, advocate, or donor.

On the Web:

http://www.whalesense.org

http://www.wdcs.org – Whale and Dolphin Conservation

http://www.nero.noaa.gov – NOAA Fisheries/Northeast Regional Office

http://stellwagen.noaa.gov – NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

 Whale SENSE- The smart way to whale watch

Worldwide, whale watching is valued as a multi-billion dollar industry, supporting local communities, businesses, and conservation efforts.

Viewing some of the largest creatures on Earth feeding, socializing, and performing acrobatic feats can be an exhilarating experience. It can also promote respect for the ocean and its inhabitants, if conducted responsibly.

Large whales, and other marine mammals, are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Many of the popularly viewed whale species are also protected by the Endangered Species Act. These Acts help protect whales from harm, including having their natural behaviors interrupted by human actions.

Admiring marine mammals from a distance is the safest and most responsible way people can view them in their natural habitats.

Minimizing disturbance to whales

NOAA’s whale watching guidelines in the Northeast recommend that all vessels:

• Coordinate viewing times with other vessels
• Slow their speeds as they approach
• Approach whales from the side or behind and parallel the animal’s course, speed and direction
• Never approach within 100 feet of whales.
  • Federal regulations require vessels stay at least 500 yards (1,500 feet) away from the North Atlantic right whale
• Limit the time spent with individual whales

In 2009, to promote responsible viewing among commercial whale watching companies, NOAA Fisheries Northeast Regional Office teamed up with Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) to create a unique program called Whale SENSE.

Whale SENSE program

This voluntary program trains whale watching captains and naturalists on the laws, guidelines, and species behaviors they need to know in order to provide responsible whale watching tours. It also provides a forum for professional discussion among whale watch companies.

Companies participating in Whale SENSE are held to high standards of operation and education. They must:

• Follow NOAA’s whale watching guidelines
• Communicate whale protection laws and guidelines to their passengers
• Report sightings of injured or distressed whales
• Pass an annual evaluation of their practices
• Adhere to responsible advertisement criteria
• Serve as an example of a responsible whale watching operation

Benefits of participation

Successful participants are listed on the Whale SENSE website and are allowed to use the current year Whale SENSE logo on their advertisements.

Whale SENSE began in Massachusetts in 2009, and has since expanded across the region, including companies from

• Bar Harbor, ME
• Cape May, NJ
• Virginia Beach, VA

An additional benefit of the Whale SENSE program is that participants create a stewardship project that promotes NOAA’s Ocean Literacy Principles and the health and well-being of the ocean. These projects provide good information to passengers that help keep them engaged in conservation efforts after their tour is over.

Participant Projects

Examples of current projects include:

• Pioneering the collection of whale sightings data in areas where little data exist, such as in the Mid-Atlantic
  • Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center
  • Starlight Fleet Whale Watch
  • Virginia Beach Aquarium Winter Wildlife Cruises
• Contributing to existing whale catalogues and life history knowledge by partnering with research organizations
  • Bar Harbor Whale Watch
  • Dolphin Fleet
  • Hyannis Whale Watcher
  • Sea Salt Charters
• Creating recycling programs and greening initiatives that passengers can mimic at home
  • Provincetown Whale Watch
  • Captain John Boats

Several participating companies engage in more than one stewardship project, though only one project is required for Whale SENSE participation.

More Information

We encourage you to visit www.whalesense.org  for more information on responsible viewing practices and a list of Whale SENSE participants near you!

As the third year of the WhaleSENSE program gets underway, three more whale watching companies have signed up to practice and promote responsible whale watching. WhaleSENSE is a joint initiative involving NOAA’s Fisheries Service, NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society in partnership with a growing number of commercial whale watching companies.

Yankee Fleet in Gloucester, Mass., Starflight Fleet in Wildwood Crest, N.J. and Cape May Whale and Dolphin Watch Research Center in Cape May, N.J. are the newest members of the WhaleSENSE team. Continuing partners include: Dolphin Fleet in Provincetown, Mass., Hyannis Whale Watch in Barnstable, Mass., Captain John Boats in Plymouth, Mass., Provincetown Whale Watch in Provincetown, Mass., and Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center Winter Wildlife Cruises in Virginia Beach, Va..

“The United States has the largest whale watch industry in the world, who better to help us raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding these protected species,” said Allison Rosner, the WhaleSENSE coordinator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “These vessels also play an important role in reporting and standing by animals that are sick, or injured until help arrives.”

Entanglement in some kinds of fishing gear and collisions with ships are the two major ways human activities are known to cause serious injuries and deaths among whales off the Northeast U.S. Federal statutes and regulations are in place to help mitigate the dangers posed to whale by these activities off the East Coast. These include slow, safe speeds and required transit routes for vessels when whales are likely to be present, and configuring fishing gear in a way that makes it less likely to entangle and animal, and more likely to fall away if an animal does pick it up.

“WhaleSENSE highlights companies that operate in an environmentally responsible manner that serve as a model for the rest of the fleet,” said Craig MacDonald, Superintendent of the NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. “We’re really excited to have three new program participants as the 2011 whale watch season kicks into high gear.”

To become a WhaleSENSE participant, company vessel operators and the naturalists who narrate tours attend annual trainings on whale watching guidelines and regulations, safe operations, and whale ecology. After completing the program, the whale watch company is granted full use of the WhaleSENSE logo to promote its business and is listed on the website.

“It is critically important to show the world that whale watching, not whaling, is the best future for us and for the whales,” said Regina Asmutis-Silvia, senior biologist for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

All whales are protected under federal laws, including the Marine Mammal Protection Act, that safeguard them from being injured, killed, harassed, or having their natural behaviors interrupted. Companies participating in WhaleSENSE agree to use responsible viewing practices to minimize the potential for harming whales, to provide customers with a high standard of education, and to promote ocean stewardship and conservation.

“Respecting and taking care when we are around whales is what we are all about as a company and participating with NOAA’s Whale SENSE Program will further enhance our understanding of key rules and regulations and give us new perspectives for our whale watching trips,” said Tracie Cicchitti, Cape May Whale Watch & Research Center and The Starlight Fleet.

“We were one of the first companies in New England to embrace WhaleSENSE, with good reason, because with thousands of people taking one of our trips each year, we feel that serving as role models for responsible whale watching in conjunction with providing entertaining and educational whale watches adds meaning to, and enhances our customers’ experiences,” said Jonathan Brink, Hyannis Whale Watch Cruises.

“We see this effort as a win-win for everyone – for the whale watch companies, for the public, and most of all, for the whales,” said Rosner.

To learn more about the WhaleSENSE program, please visit our website www.whalesense.org or call us at 978-282-8462.

NOAA Fisheries Service is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s living marine resources and their habitat through scientific research, management and enforcement. NOAA Fisheries Service provides effective stewardship of these resources for the benefit of the nation, supporting coastal communities that depend upon them, and helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers and recreational opportunities for the American public.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit us on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov>.

Dolphin SMART fosters responsible dolphin watching in the Southeastern United States.

Visit the
Dolphin SMART Website for more details.