The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, has joined with the whale-watching industry and conservation groups to launch Whale Sense, a new voluntary program that encourages whale-watch tour operators from Maine to Virginia to practice responsible viewing.
The program will recognize businesses that discourage the harassment of whales in the wild and promote good stewardship.
The program was developed by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Region and Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary in partnership with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, and several New England commercial whale watching companies.
"Tour companies in the Whale Sense program that prioritize education and responsible whale watching could be very attractive to potential customers who spend quite a lot to view these animals in their natural habitat," said Allison Rosner, a biologist with NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources and NOAA program coordinator for Whale Sense.