Whale Watching Research Articles

Whale watching in Sri Lanka: Understanding the metadata of crowd-sourced photographs on FlickrTM social media platform

Data mining on social media platforms (Instagram™, Flickr™, and Twitter™) is rapidly increasing and application of data mining techniques has contributed to significant findings in various fields such as tourism, ecology, and politics etc. In the face of globalization and nature-based tourism is thriving in many countries, social media activity on tourism is increasing despite the socio-economical barriers. In this context, this paper attempts to understand the metadata of photographs related to whale watching in Sri Lanka in Flickr social media platform. Photographs related to whale watching was extracted and analyzed for i) photographic content ii) Geo-tags iii) Social-tags and iv) Photographers’ nationalities by using Flickr API (Application Programming Interface) and self-written python program script. Content analysis of the photographs has identified five major categories (human activity, accommodation, natural phenomena, animals and other) of photographs based on the major element present in each photograph. Mapping of geo-tagged photographs indicated that Mirissa was the hotspot for whale watching in Sri Lanka. Moreover, the present study suggests that mapping of geo-tagged photographs can be used as proxy data for whale distribution in Sri Lanka. Analysis of social tags indicated that tags indicating whale (156), Sri Lanka (144) and Mirissa (133) were popular among the photographers. The demographic profile of the photographers indicated that the highest number of photographers (25%) from the United Kingdom followed by Sri Lanka (18.69%) and China (12.94%) interested in whale watching. Despite some of the weaknesses, this study has demonstrated that metadata of Flickr photographs can effectively be used for understanding the basic information related to whale-watching tourism in Sri Lanka.

Population ecology and the management of whale watching operations on a data-deficient dolphin population.

Whale watching is a popular commercial activity, producing socio‐ecological benefits but also potential long‐term effects on the targeted cetacean population. This industry is currently developing in data‐deficient contexts in a largely unregulated fashion. Management schemes should adopt precaution and be informed by the relevant literature, but would be more effective if the assessment of the target population vulnerability, biological impacts, and management implications was drawn from site‐specific data.This paper focuses on a reef‐associated, data‐deficient population of spinner dolphins in the Egyptian Red Sea. In Satayah Reef, new information on population size and dynamic parameters were documented using visual observation and photo‐identification‐based capture–recapture methods (Cormack–Jolly–Seber time‐since‐marking model).Dolphins occurred on 98% of the survey days. Average school size was 66 individuals (±42.1 SE), with most groups including calves. The population was equally divided into recurrent and transient individuals. An “emigration + mortality” model best described residence at the site. Five recurrent males (5% of the Satayah population) provided connectivity between this and the geographically close population of Samadai Reef.Average annual survival probability was 0.83 (±0.06 SE) in the year following first capture and 0.99 (±0.06 SE) for recurrent individuals. Mean yearly population sizes ranged 143–207 individuals.The study had the power to detect a 30% decline in the population, but not the rate of change in abundance estimated from the data (r = 0.018 ± 0.04), which would have required a 3‐ to 5‐times longer study. Synthesis and application: These findings advance the assessment of the Satayah population's intrinsic vulnerability and have three major management applications: (a) the delineation of management units; (b) the identification of key indicators for future impact monitoring and assessment; and (c) realistic estimates of the statistical power for trend detection. Based on our results, we recommend supporting future research, devising site‐specific time–area closure plans, and integrating them in a regional scheme. Approaches employed in this case study can inform the management of whale watching industries targeting other data‐deficient populations.

Modelling approach for crafting environmental regulations under deep uncertainty: Whale watching in Ojo de liebre, Mexico

Policy-making to protect threatened species implies dealing with uncertainty and ignorance. Conservation management of the Eastern gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) population through the regulation of whale watching in the lagoon Ojo de Liebre, Mexico, is a useful example of policy-making challenged by lack of scientific knowledge regarding the negative long-term effects of whale watching. We present a pragmatic approach to provide Mexican authorities the technical information they need to justify the establishment of a maximum number of boats under conditions of deep uncertainty. Operationally, our approach combines system dynamics modelling, to simulate the boats’ impact on the breeding habitat, with ecological risk assessment, to determine the probability of crossing a critical ecological threshold, which is associated to a risk of severely reducing the gray whale abundance in the lagoon. Thus, our approach addresses the issue of establishing a legal maximum number of boats to protect threatened species.

Sol, Playa y Gastronomía como recursos turísticos: perfil del turista del Balneario de Salinas Provincia de Santa Elena.

El turismo de sol y playa se sigue expandiendo en todo el mundo, principalmente debido a la atracción por servicios ecosistémicos relevantes, como la belleza escénica y las actividades recreativas que un lugar ofrece. De la misma manera, este sector es uno de los que más aporta a la economía de muchos países del mundo. Es por eso, que existe una gran cantidad de investigaciones dedicadas a identificar los perfiles y las motivaciones del turista en las diferentes localidades, ya que dicha información es esencial para producir estimaciones integrales del beneficio económico de este tipo de turismo en un área específica. El objetivo de esta investigación es examinar el perfil y las motivaciones de los turistas que llegan al balneario de Salinas de la provincia de Santa Elena, Ecuador. El tipo de investigación es exploratoria, cuyo trabajo de campo se lo realizó en el malecón de esta ciudad, considerando una muestra de 473 turistas a los cuales se les aplicó un cuestionario con preguntas cerradas. Los resultados revelaron que el turista que llega al balneario, en su mayoría son mujeres que vienen de las provincias más populosas del país, tales como Guayas y Pichincha, con formación profesional, las cuales visitan el balneario principalmente los fines de semana y prefieren quedarse en un hotel. Entre las principales motivaciones para visitar el balneario, se encuentran la playa, especialmente por el avistamiento de ballenas y la variedad gastronómica. Esto sugiere que las estrategias para fortalecer el turismo en Salinas deben diseñarse y desarrollarse para promover actividades de sol y playa y la gastronomía como una de las principales atracciones turísticas de la ciudad. Una buena gestión basada en iniciativas como la creación de rutas culinarias podría ser una alternativa para implementar estrategias dirigidas al desarrollo social y económico local.

Regulating whale watching: A common agency analysis

Whale watching has boomed as a global tourist industry over the last three decades, bringing with it considerable economic gains to the local communities in which it operates, many of which are in less developed economies. However, it has also brought considerable biological harm to the cetacean populations exposed, which has led the International Whaling Commission to advocate for greater enforcement of established guidelines regulating the behaviour of operators. In this paper, a two-stage static common agency model is developed to assess the likely effectiveness of both heightened external enforcement and the alternative course of action of utilising whale-watching tourists as internal enforcers of established regulatory guidelines. The outcome strongly favours the alternative as being the most effective course of action.

What determines whale watching tourists’ expenditure? A study from Hervey Bay, Australia

In Australia, whale watching has become a popular tourist attraction at a number of sites along the east coast of Australia and contributes significantly to their regional economies. This study assesses the determinants of whale watching tourism expenditure at Hervey Bay located on the Fraser Coast in Queensland. A survey was conducted which derived individual micro-level data from tourists on whale watching tours at Hervey Bay during the months of July to October. Using both linear and quantile regression models, the main determinants of tourism expenditure are revealed. The results show that, in addition to income and origin, tourism expenditure is significantly driven by socio-economic, trip-related and psychographic characteristics.

Whale Watching on the Trading Floor: Unravelling Collusive Rogue Trading in Banks

Whale Watching on the Trading Floor: Unravelling Collusive Rogue Trading in Banks

Whale Watching on the Trading Floor: Organizational Misbehaviour, Collusive Rogue Trading, and Corporate Culture Deficits in the Investment Banking Industry

Recent history reveals a series of rogue traders, jeopardizing their employer’s assets and reputation. There have been instances of unauthorized acting in concert between traders, their supervisors, and/or firm’s decision makers and executives, resulting in collusive rogue trading. We explore organizational misbehaviour theory and explain three major collusive rogue trading events at National Australia Bank, JPMorgan with its London Whale, and the interest reference rate manipulation/LIBOR scandal through a descriptive model of organizational/structural, individual, and group forces. Our model draws conclusions on how banks can set up behavioural risk management and internal control frame-works to mitigate potential collusive rogue trading.

Local Fishing Communities and Nature-Based Tourism in Baja, México: An Inter-sectoral Valuation of Environmental Inputs

Nature-based tourism is often advocated as a desirable conservation strategy for small-scale fishing communities as it gives local people motivation to protect wildlife and ecosystems that attract visitors, while benefiting the community. However, valuation of environmental inputs in nature-based tourism, for instance charismatic species or scenic amenities, needs to be done correctly. Often, there are inter-sectoral costs and benefits involved that are not counted, so that determining the value of the environmental inputs to local communities may be more complex than simpler calculations might indicate. We model whales as an input to the production of wildlife viewing trips, but recognize that this occurs within a community dependent on a seasonal fishery. Standard theory suggests that industry will switch from fishing to whale watching every year when whale watching becomes marginally more profitable than fishing. We develop a simple theoretical model that allows us to analyze the interaction between the extractive and the non-extractive activities. As a case study, we use whale watching in the small coastal communities of the Bahia Magdalena lagoon complex in Baja, Mexico.

A synthesis of three decades of socio-ecological change in False Bay, South Africa: setting the scene for multidisciplinary research and management

Over the past three decades, marine resource management has shifted conceptually from top-down sectoral approaches towards the more systems-oriented multi-stakeholder frameworks of integrated coastal management and ecosystem-based conservation. However, the successful implementation of such frameworks is commonly hindered by a lack of cross-disciplinary knowledge transfer, especially between natural and social sciences. This review represents a holistic synthesis of three decades of change in the oceanography, biology and human dimension of False Bay, South Africa. The productivity of marine life in this bay and its close vicinity to the steadily growing metropolis of Cape Town have led to its socio-economic significance throughout history. Considerable research has highlighted shifts driven by climate change, human population growth, serial overfishing, and coastal development. Upwelling-inducing winds have increased in the region, leading to cooling and likely to nutrient enrichment of the bay. Subsequently the distributions of key components of the marine ecosystem have shifted eastward, including kelp, rock lobsters, seabirds, pelagic fish, and several alien invasive species. Increasing sea level and exposure to storm surges contribute to coastal erosion of the sandy shorelines in the bay, causing losses in coastal infrastructure and posing risk to coastal developments. Since the 1980s, the human population of Cape Town has doubled, and with it pollution has amplified. Overfishing has led to drastic declines in the catches of numerous commercially and recreationally targeted fish, and illegal fishing is widespread. The tourism value of the bay contributes substantially to the country’s economy, and whale watching, shark-cage diving and water sports have become important sources of revenue. Compliance with fisheries and environmental regulations would benefit from a systems-oriented approach whereby coastal systems are managed holistically, embracing both social and ecological goals. In this context, we synthesize knowledge and provide recommendations for multidisciplinary research and monitoring to achieve a better balance between developmental and environmental agendas.

Whale Watching and Preservation of the Environment in Central Baja California, Mexico

Whale Watching and Preservation of the Environment in Central Baja California, Mexico

Conservation benefits of whale watching in Juneau, Alaska

Conservation benefits of whale watching in Juneau, Alaska

Identifying whale-watching tourist differences to maximize return on investment

To maximize return on investment, tourism stakeholders should target tourists who yield the highest dividends. Extending research that focused on understanding environmental concerns at the expense of economic return expected at the destination, this study drew on a range of segmentation bases to ensure a holistic tourist view was gained. A total of 727 whale-watching tourists were segmented, and four valid segments were identified. A fifth targeting criterion (sustainability) was proposed to extend Kotler’s ((1988) Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation, and Control. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.) targeting criteria. Although all segments were interested in whale watching and conserving the natural environment, the wealthy domestic family segment was the largest and most reachable group. These tourists also had the highest income and they were highly educated, suggesting a focus on this segment will optimize return on investment while conserving the natural environment.

Evaluación del servicio turístico en el avistamiento de la ballena gris: Baja California Sur, México

El avistamiento de ballenas es una actividad económica importante para las comu- nidades que cuentan con este recurso. La presente investigación evalúa el servicio turístico del avistamiento de la ballena gris en el Puerto Adolfo López Mateos y Guerrero Negro. Los indicadores que se utilizaron fueron calidad del servicio turístico, atractivos turísticos alternos y su impacto socioeconómico en las loca- lidades, los cuales obtenidos por medio de encuestas. Los visitantes se sintieron satisfechos con el servicio turístico pero diferen dependiendo de la localidad. Se detalla una serie de recomendaciones para mejorar el servicio, potenciar los alcances del turismo y generar una mayor derrama económica.

Controlled source level measurements of whale watch boats and other small vessels

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) program sponsored deployment of two autonomous marine acoustic recorders (AMAR) in Haro Strait (BC), from July to October 2017, to measure sound levels produced by commercial vessels transiting the strait. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), a partner in ECHO, supported an additional study using these same recorders to systematically measure underwater noise emissions (0.01-64 kHz) of whale watch boats and other small vessels that operate near Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) summer feeding habitat. During this period, 20 different small vessels were measured operating at a range of speeds (nominally 5 knots, 9 knots, and cruising speed). The measured vessels were categorized into six different types based primarily on hull shape: ridged-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), monohulls, catamarans, sail boats, landing craft, and one small boat (9.9 horsepower outboard). Acoustic data were analyzed using JASCO's PortListen® software system, which automatically calculates source levels from calibrated hydrophone data and vessel position logs, according to the ANSI S12.64-2009 standard for ship noise measurements. We found clear positive correlations of source levels with speed for all of these vessels; however, the speed trends were not as strong as those of large commercial vessels.

To Educate or not to Educate: How the Lack of Education Programs on Whale-Watching Vessels Can Impact Whale Conservation and Tourism in the Dominican Republic

Whales are watched in over 119 countries and territories earning $2.1 billion in revenue, with large growth seen in the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic has the largest whale-watching industry in the Caribbean. Although the industry thrives in the Dominican Republic, on-board education programs are lacking. Currently in Samaná Bay, only one of approximately 45 vessels offers a formal education program. In an effort to increase education and better tailor current education programs, a survey-based study was conducted to assess the conservation knowledge of whale-watching tourists. Only 5% of tourists considered themselves to be "very knowledgeable" about whales. Those who had been whale watching before were more likely to consider themselves as knowledgeable, whereas those who had not been whale watching were more likely to consider themselves less knowledgeable. Public education on whale conservation was ranked very or moderately important by over 80% of respondents. However, 29% of tourists did not know Samaná Bay was a protected area. To improve tourist's knowledge and conservation awareness, it is recommended a multilingual education program be created on all whale-watching vessels and that these programs have more conservationbased knowledge within them.

Recent Advances in Whale-Watching Research: 2017–2018

Whale-watching research encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and fields of study, from monitoring the biological impacts of whale-watching activities on cetaceans and assessments of the effectiveness of whale-watching management and regulations, to the sociological and economic aspects of whale watching. This article is the latest in a series of annual digests, which describes the variety and findings of whale-watching studies published over the past year, since June 2017.

A historical perspective on the life cycle of a tourist activity: dolphin watching in Brazil’s Fernando de Noronha archipelago

In Brazil, the whale watching is practiced with different species, such as whales, dolphins, and porpoises. This activity facilitates the growth of the economic activities of communities in many regions of the country, and it may be a tool for awareness about the marine preservation and conservation. Moreover, the whale watching also impacts native species. Fernando de Noronha (FN) is a worldwide watching tourism site due to the time of the development of watching activities in the region and the ease to watch cetaceans, mainly the spinner dolphin ( Stenella longirostris ). The history of dolphin watching tourism in FN was developed concomitantly with the tourism destination of the archipelago as a whole. The aim of this study was to characterize the dolphin watching in FN by considering the development, supply and demand, laws and future perspectives of the region. We also aim to identify the main events or stages that promoted a more significant change throughout the history of the activity in the archipelago. Additionally, we will investigate the applicability of the “Tourism Area Life Cycle” (TALC) approach for a tourism activity. We observed that both land-based and boat-based (boat trips) are available in FN. The boat trips are more common and involve the triple of tourists than land-based watching. However, the last provides more informative and educational component. Through TALC analysis, dolphin watching in FN had its development together with the destination development and, currently, both areas present stagnation stage indicators. In addition, the land-based watching, for being less impacting and more educative, has potential to increase the visitation.

Participatory action research and collaboration in CSR initiatives by DMOs

ABSTRACTThis study applies a participatory action research (PAR) approach to investigate a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative by a Norwegian destination management organization (DMO). This initiative concerns whale watching and refers to a voluntary code of conduct. The focus is on the features of the relevant institutional field and the discursive development of collaborative interactions among the actors who worked actively to the code of conduct. The aim is twofold: to gain a deep understanding of the processes of development and implementation of CSR initiatives at the destination level, and to reflect on the adoption of PAR in this context. The findings highlight the potential role of DMOs as leaders and consider some critically important factors (resources, support by public institutions and acceptance). The findings also suggest the usefulness of PAR in CSR studies in relation to explore and understand the complexity of the processes related to the development of the initiatives and the relevant actors’ behaviors.

Looking at Whales: Narration and the Organization of Visual Experience

While interest in visual representations of animals is well established in visual sociology, this article explores another set of possibilities connected with practices of looking at animals. In particular, I examine the social organization of visual experience in whale watching, with a focus on the role of narration. Using detailed transcriptions of whale watch narration as data, I argue that naturalists produce publicly witnessed trip sightings by coordinating what can be seen in the water with understandings of whales as objects of scientific research and environmental concern.