DEL MAR, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WILDCOAST has announced Protect the Locals, a new campaign aimed at raising awareness for and promoting whale watching best practices in California – and beyond – amid a rise in tour activity and increasingly disruptive boating behavior.
As part of the campaign, WILDCOAST is releasing Protect the Locals: Responsible Whale Watching with WILDCOAST, an educational short film on responsible whale watching produced by Nautilus Studios. The video features WILDCOAST Executive Director Serge Dedina, Ph.D., and Captain Russell Moore, Owner & Operator of Xplore Offshore, as they explore the significance of the current threats to whales and how visitors and locals can make a positive difference for marine mammals while viewing them responsibly.
In addition, Dedina, Moore, and former NOAA biologist Heidi Dewar, Ph.D., share the importance of abiding by best whale-watching practices in an opinion editorial in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Historically, many marine mammal species have faced endangerment due to hunting, habitat destruction, bycatch entanglement, ship strikes, and other human interference. Thus many agencies have established protections in growing recognition of the importance of these complex ecosystems and wildlife such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972.
Although the MMPA states that vessels must remain at least 100 yards away from whales at all times, there has been a recent uptick of boats in violation of this, with some tour vessels even going as far as to steer over whales in order to get as close as possible for Instagram shots. This behavior creates an extremely stressful environment for these larger-than-life creatures, creating noise pollution, chemical fuel pollution, displacement, interruption of feeding, and boat strikes – all of which have a serious and direct impact on the health and lifespan of these animals, sometimes resulting in death.
With the increase in whale watching tours deploying daily combined with increased competitive pressure, whales and other marine mammals have been increasingly subjected to these human-related stressors.
Captain Russell said, "At times, it is like the Wild West in the waters off San Diego with myriad whale watching outfitters operating with zero supervision. These magnificent creatures deserve better protection and respect from humans."
Serge Dedina adds, "WILDCOAST is calling on tour operators and visitors alike to give these animals a break, keep a safe distance, and enjoy the experience – but let's all practice safe and responsible whale watching."
About WILDCOAST
WILDCOAST is an international team of ground-level conservationists based in California and Mexico. WILDCOAST has helped to conserve and manage 38 million acres of some of the most important coral reefs, sea turtle nesting beaches, mangrove forests, wildlands, whale breeding lagoons, and wetlands on the planet. We are defenders of the ocean and fight climate change with natural solutions.
