Fishing tourism and cetacean sightings
Normative compliance
tourist and fishing
In addition to complying with fishing regulations, it is crucial that fishing boats involved in tourist activities comply with and respect the regulations associated with this second activity.
Get familiar with the species in the area
and know the seasons for observation
This knowledge is especially important because, on the one hand, fishing activity can affect the well-being or survival of sensitive marine species, such as birds, turtles and cetaceans, in addition to the target species (fish, crustaceans, mollusks, etc.). On the other hand, the marine environment, especially the open sea, is less familiar to tourists interested in nature due to difficulty of access or simply less knowledge compared to the terrestrial environment.
Help tourists identify
correctly the species they observe
Use of Educational Resources: Placing sheets with information about the most common marine species in strategic places on the ship helps tourists properly identify the species and promotes environmental education about marine conservation.
Limit the number of tourists
Although there are already legal restrictions regarding the number of tourists allowed on board, especially in tourism fishing, it is important to take into account their importance both so as not to interfere with the crew's usual tasks (in case they are carried out simultaneously with tourism activity) to provide a more comfortable experience for tourists. On routes whose main focus is wildlife observation or nature photography, the limitation must consider, in addition to what has been mentioned, the difficulty of making quality observations or photographs and the possible inconvenience caused to the target species.
Respect appropriate distances with
observed marine species
It is possible that some tourists insist on getting too close to a group of cetaceans that are feeding or resting in the sea, in order to obtain a better observation or photograph. However, only an approximation should be allowed as stated in the legislation.
