A decade of whale watching in an important tourist destination in the Pacific coast of Colombia: Challenges for proper management
Uramba Bahía Málaga Natural National Park is one of the most important places visited by tourists to see humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Colombia. Humpback whales arrive from Southern Chile and the Antarctic Peninsula every year between May and December to reproduce, give birth and rear...
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Sociedad Latinoamericana de Especialistas en Mamíferos Acuáticos (SOLAMAC)
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Online Access: | http://lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/article/view/1389 https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00267 |
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ftjlajam:oai:ojs.lajamjournal.org:article/1389 2023-05-15T13:55:23+02:00 A decade of whale watching in an important tourist destination in the Pacific coast of Colombia: Challenges for proper management Avila, Isabel Cristina Ortega, Luis Fernando Pretel, Cristina Mayor, Gustavo 2021-11-30 application/pdf http://lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/article/view/1389 https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00267 eng eng Sociedad Latinoamericana de Especialistas en Mamíferos Acuáticos (SOLAMAC) http://lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/article/view/1389/451 http://lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/article/view/1389 doi:10.5597/lajam00267 Copyright (c) 2021 Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals; Vol. 16 No. 1 (2021); 23-32 2236-1057 1676-7497 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2021 ftjlajam https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00267 2022-12-28T15:32:59Z Uramba Bahía Málaga Natural National Park is one of the most important places visited by tourists to see humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Colombia. Humpback whales arrive from Southern Chile and the Antarctic Peninsula every year between May and December to reproduce, give birth and rear calves. To evaluate the current state of whale-watching in Málaga we analyzed tourist visitation data from 2011 to 2019 during the peak whale-watching season (July–October), and during one week in October 2020. We found that whale-watching activity has increased considerably. In 2019, 21,186 tourists realized whale watching in Málaga. Whale watchers per month increased by 108% and monthly whale-watching boat trips increased by 140%, in the last decade. Currently there are in average 19 boat trips per day (±18.0), and most boats are small (≤15 m). Tourists came mainly from Colombia (90%). August was the most important month for whale watching. Although environmental education activities are undertaken, currently responsible whale-watching guidelines are overlooked. At present, whale-watching activity produces important economic benefits for local people and neighboring sites, with a monthly expenditure of at least $362,409 USD, but to ensure the sustainable continuity of this activity, negative impacts on whales need to be minimized. We classified management challenges into social, economic and biological aspects. From a social perspective, operators should form a whale-watching community association; this would improve cooperation amongst operators, promote good practices in whale-watching and reduce pressure on whales. Economic recommendations include 1) whale-watching trips handled mainly by local people; 2) ticket prices unification; and 3) investment in tourist facilities. Biological recommendations focus on the welfare of whales and include: 1) follow the current whalewatching recommendations strictly; 2) reduce transit speeds to below 10 knots in the area during whale season; 3) use propeller guards; 4) promote ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Megaptera novaeangliae Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals (LAJAM) Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Pacific The Antarctic Watchers ENVELOPE(-56.115,-56.115,50.750,50.750) Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals (LAJAM) |
op_collection_id |
ftjlajam |
language |
English |
description |
Uramba Bahía Málaga Natural National Park is one of the most important places visited by tourists to see humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Colombia. Humpback whales arrive from Southern Chile and the Antarctic Peninsula every year between May and December to reproduce, give birth and rear calves. To evaluate the current state of whale-watching in Málaga we analyzed tourist visitation data from 2011 to 2019 during the peak whale-watching season (July–October), and during one week in October 2020. We found that whale-watching activity has increased considerably. In 2019, 21,186 tourists realized whale watching in Málaga. Whale watchers per month increased by 108% and monthly whale-watching boat trips increased by 140%, in the last decade. Currently there are in average 19 boat trips per day (±18.0), and most boats are small (≤15 m). Tourists came mainly from Colombia (90%). August was the most important month for whale watching. Although environmental education activities are undertaken, currently responsible whale-watching guidelines are overlooked. At present, whale-watching activity produces important economic benefits for local people and neighboring sites, with a monthly expenditure of at least $362,409 USD, but to ensure the sustainable continuity of this activity, negative impacts on whales need to be minimized. We classified management challenges into social, economic and biological aspects. From a social perspective, operators should form a whale-watching community association; this would improve cooperation amongst operators, promote good practices in whale-watching and reduce pressure on whales. Economic recommendations include 1) whale-watching trips handled mainly by local people; 2) ticket prices unification; and 3) investment in tourist facilities. Biological recommendations focus on the welfare of whales and include: 1) follow the current whalewatching recommendations strictly; 2) reduce transit speeds to below 10 knots in the area during whale season; 3) use propeller guards; 4) promote ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Avila, Isabel Cristina Ortega, Luis Fernando Pretel, Cristina Mayor, Gustavo |
spellingShingle |
Avila, Isabel Cristina Ortega, Luis Fernando Pretel, Cristina Mayor, Gustavo A decade of whale watching in an important tourist destination in the Pacific coast of Colombia: Challenges for proper management |
author_facet |
Avila, Isabel Cristina Ortega, Luis Fernando Pretel, Cristina Mayor, Gustavo |
author_sort |
Avila, Isabel Cristina |
title |
A decade of whale watching in an important tourist destination in the Pacific coast of Colombia: Challenges for proper management |
title_short |
A decade of whale watching in an important tourist destination in the Pacific coast of Colombia: Challenges for proper management |
title_full |
A decade of whale watching in an important tourist destination in the Pacific coast of Colombia: Challenges for proper management |
title_fullStr |
A decade of whale watching in an important tourist destination in the Pacific coast of Colombia: Challenges for proper management |
title_full_unstemmed |
A decade of whale watching in an important tourist destination in the Pacific coast of Colombia: Challenges for proper management |
title_sort |
decade of whale watching in an important tourist destination in the pacific coast of colombia: challenges for proper management |
publisher |
Sociedad Latinoamericana de Especialistas en Mamíferos Acuáticos (SOLAMAC) |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/article/view/1389 https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00267 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-56.115,-56.115,50.750,50.750) |
geographic |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Pacific The Antarctic Watchers |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Pacific The Antarctic Watchers |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Megaptera novaeangliae |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Megaptera novaeangliae |
op_source |
Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals; Vol. 16 No. 1 (2021); 23-32 2236-1057 1676-7497 |
op_relation |
http://lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/article/view/1389/451 http://lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/article/view/1389 doi:10.5597/lajam00267 |
op_rights |
Copyright (c) 2021 Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00267 |
container_title |
Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals |
_version_ |
1766261996230017024 |