The Potential of Whale Watching in the Caribbean: 1999+

So far, CEBSE has promoted a code of conduct with a revision of the previous
guidelines based on those used in other areas of the world. It has helped organise regular
meetings (8 in 1998) with all the boat owners and other stakeholders to discuss various
matters and to help implement the regulations and an educational programme. At the same
time, National Parks have co-ordinated the issuing of permits. CEBSE appears to have
made a start toward successful management, but there are many more challenges ahead,
especially if whale watching starts to expand.
With a permit licensing system for the boats, the boat owners are now responsible
for working toward fulfilling the guidelines which stipulate certain minimum distances and
maximum number of boats to be near the whales and the amount of time each boat may
spend with the whales. All of these are sensible traffic management rules which, if
consistently followed, will improve the situation. The procedure for enforcement is to give
a first violation warning for an observed violation, followed by a one day prohibition or a
fine of 200 pesos (less that $15 USD) for a second offense. A third violation would result
in losing the permit, depending on the kind of violation. In 1998 the most common
violations noted were excess speed and too many boats in the observation area at the same
time (three is maximum). For repeat violations, the boat owners were sanctioned with
minor penalties, losing a day on the water. There were only two serious violations
observed. Unfortunately, however, CEBSE has no boat to monitor the situation, and is
reliant on going to sea as observers who are of course known to all. However, some
volunteers have assisted in the monitoring from the Centre for Marine Conservation
(CMC) and the German Service of Social Tehnical Cooperation (DED) who have worked
in the area the past few years. There has also been some monitoring from land at Punta
Balandra where it is possible to see almost the entire area where the whale watching
occurs using binoculars. In future, with the addition of theodolites from land, it may be
possible to do studies of whales and whale watching as well as more effective monitoring
for management.
The whale watching at Samaná takes place from six different ports: Samaná, Las
Galeras, Cayo Levantado, Caleton, and Plaza Simi Baez. There are 21 companies involved
and the total number of boats used is 39. The boats range in capacity from 7 passengers to
125 passengers. 20 of the boats (51%) carry 12 passengers or less, while 9 boats carry
between 13 and 25 passengers (23%). Only 10 boats (26%) are of the optimum size for
whale watching, carrying 26 passengers or more.
CEBSE is currently trying to regulate the boat size as there are recurring accidents
with the small boats, and whale watching from a small boat can be unpleasant in a slightly
rough sea. CEBSE plans to improve the licensing system to ensure that the boats are larger
and safer. For this, they are working closely with the Association of Boat Owners. At
present, 24 (62%) of the 39 boats that have permits are registered as members of the
association. The cost of the boat permits varies by size: 1-12 passengers = 1,500 RD ($100
USD); 13-25 passengers = 3,000 RD ($200 USD); and 26 passengers or more = 5,000 RD
($350 USD). The funds are used to pay for whale watch monitors and the operational
expenses for the management scheme. The 1998 budget spent 93,875 RD ($6,600 USD)
and this came from boat income of 107,000 RD ($7,500 USD), 11,650 ($800) of which
had yet to be paid by boat owners at the end of the year.
The total capacity for all the boats from the six departure ports on Samaná Bay is
1,081 passengers. The biggest port and centre of the whale watching is the town of
Samaná itself, with 17 boats from 9 companies, with a capacity of 766 passengers (see
Table 3). Here, the changes due to whale watching are especially noticeable: new
restaurants, gift shops, plus the increase in the numbers of boats, boat companies, and
tourism guides.
One of the biggest continuing challenges will be education. A naturalist training
programme, coupled with mandatory provisions for naturalists on every boat, would help
considerably. Because of the various languages of tourists to the DR, more diverse than in
many whale watch locales in the world, it will be necessary for guides to be bilingual or
even trilingual. Key languages required are Spanish, English, German and Italian, though
French and even Japanese are also useful. To experience a multi-lingual naturalist
education programme in action, DR operators could visit Hvalsafari, the whale watch
company in Andenes, Norway (see IFAW, WWF & WDCS 1997).
Another need to be addressed is to educate the international tour guides who
effectively 'sell' the tours or arrange the tours for tourists. Much could be done to improve
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