Operator compliance and attitudinal compliance to aspects of Australian whale watch management conditions
Whale watching is a rapidly growing industry worldwide, involving vulnerable species, with few data on impacts and no data on success of enforcement of regulations. Because of this, the extent to which whale watching may impact on focal species is increasingly becoming an international concern. In e...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | unknown |
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2005
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| Online Access: | https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/57/1/01front.pdf https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/57/2/02whole.pdf |
| Summary: | Whale watching is a rapidly growing industry worldwide, involving vulnerable species, with few data on impacts and no data on success of enforcement of regulations. Because of this, the extent to which whale watching may impact on focal species is increasingly becoming an international concern. In early 1998, an international whalewatching research workshop in Monaco identified "problems of enforcement of regulations" as one of the four major problems with the management of whale watching. In 2000, Australia implemented the ANZECC Guidelines for Cetacean Observation in Commonwealth waters, while individual states are responsible for developing their own guidelines or regulations. Effective management of the whale-watch industry is dependent on operators' compliance to the appropriate management regimes. Operators' compliance with existing regulations and guidelines has not been studied in detail. The study aimed to test whether existing distance and approach conditions for whale watch vessels are an effective regulatory tool by: 1) observing whale watch operations that target humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Queensland and New South Wales' waters and 2) conducting a questionnaire survey of whale watch operators’ attitudes towards compliance. Movements of whale watch vessels in relation to focal humpback whale pods were tracked using a handheld GPS, a Laser Range Finder and a Digital Compass at the two field sites. This provided an indication of operators' compliance with distance and approach guidelines and regulations. Questionnaire surveys were used to elicit the potential influence of operators' beliefs and perceptions concerning the whale watch guidelines on compliance. Management differences between the states of Australia even for the same species of cetacean, is a management issue that needs resolution. I found that there are now a total of 35 legislative documents across Australia that provide general or specific protection to whales during general public or commercial vessel observation. ... |
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