"THE DEVELOPMENT OF OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES AND BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR MARINE MAMMAL WATCHING IN THE WIDER CARIBBEAN REGION"
To minimize the risk of adverse impacts caused by marine mammal watching and to ensure the sustainable development of this industry, accurate management strategies need to be implemented.  Several tools and approaches should be considered:
  • National licensing or permitting schemes to regulate the number and size of vessels, standards of operation and site specific requirements; national measures to regulate approaches, frequency, length and type of exposure in encounters with cetaceans; 
  • Management measures may include closed seasons, ‘no go’ areas, and ‘no approach times’ to provide additional protection to critical habitats, populations, and individuals; 
  • Assessment of the numbers, distribution and other characteristics of the target population/s before the implementation of tourism operations to establish the feasibility of the industry and a baseline for monitoring; 
  • Where new whale watching operations are evolving, start cautiously, moderating activity and adapting management until sufficient information is available to guide further development; 
  • Monitor the effectiveness of management provisions and modify them as required to reflect new information and circumstances; 
  • Establish an enforcement framework to ensure compliance with management provisions, including through customary marine tenure systems;
  • Ongoing scientific research, socio-economic monitoring, assessment of potential impacts on cetaceans, and collection and sharing of information by all stakeholders;
  • Disseminate information on best practice and research to improve public awareness, including amongst recreational and commercial vessel owners;
  • Ongoing operator training and accreditation programs on the biology and behavior of target species, best practice whale watching operations, and the management provisions in effect;
  • Encourage, support and protect Pacific Islands communities’ participation and ownership of the whale watching industry; 
  • Educational standards for the provision of accurate and informative material to whale watch participants, to:
  1. Develop an informed and environmentally responsible public;
  2. Encourage development of realistic expectations of encounters to avoid disappointment and pressure to breach guidelines.