Responsible marine wildlife viewing guidelines: a guide to industry best practice for viewing marine wildlife in the Pacific.

Abstract

This guideline provides practical, science-based information for tourism operators and tourism regulators who want to offer the best possible experience to their customers, while conserving species and habitats and making a positive contribution to local communities. It provides guidance, and tools that can be tailored to local circumstances, enabling operators to improve the educational quality, safety, and sustainability of their businesses. It also gives practical information, based on the best available scientific data, to management authorities and others engaging with the industry. It is specifically focused on viewing whales and dolphins, dugongs, turtles, sharks, rays and seabirds. It also provides information on conducting safe and sustainable in water or ‘swim with’ experiences. Specifically tailored to the Pacific region, the Responsible Marine Wildlife Viewing Guidelines provide detailed information on how to conduct responsible viewing and ‘swim with’ experiences with whales, dolphins, dugongs, sharks, rays, turtles and seabirds.