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Table 3.3 excludes countries where current activity was regarded by Hoyt (2001) as minimal but which are just beginning to develop their own whale watching sector or where only dolphin-watching was offered. Note that where detailed data were available on expenditure (n=6), the boat-based element of these expenditure estimates were significant (percentage of overall expenditure: 98-100%; of direct expenditure: 84-100%). On average, 90% of all whale-watchers were boat-based in the 6 countries for which data were available, ranging from 59-100% of all whale watchers. All data are based on the year 1998. In 1998 South Africa ranked 25 th in terms of direct expenditure on whale watching. Over half (53%) of direct expenditures and 34% of total expenditures are accounted for by the United States alone, which has offered whale watching since the 1950’s. The next largest is Canada which accounts for just 9% of direct and 19% of total global expenditures by whale watchers. These countries also support the largest number of operators of any whale watching country. In comparison, South Africa accounted for only 0.1% of direct expenditures but 7% in total expenditures and 6% of all whale-watchers, placing it in the top 5 countries for these latter two characteristics (Table 3.2). The high ranking is probably a result of the importance of land-based viewing in South Africa. This indicates that South Africa may be in a prime position to add significant value to its whale-based tourism sector through the development of a boat-based element in this sector and an increase in direct spending on whale watching. It is also important to note that these figures were calculated in the period prior to the establishment and subsequent growth in South Africa’s boat-based whale watching sector where only 4 permit holders were recorded by MCM in 1999 (compared to the current total of 18 permit holders in 2004). Hoyt (2001) however records a total of 15 operators, with 14 of these described as being active. South Africa’s ranking could thus have risen substantially during the intervening period. 11
4. THE RESOURCE AND MANAGEMENT OF BOAT-BASED WHALE WATCHING IN SOUTH AFRICA 4.1 The whale resource South Africa supports a relatively high cetacean diversity, with over 19 species having been recorded in southern African waters (Stuart and Stuart 1988). Only 5 cetacean species, including 3 baleen whale species are, however, sighted regularly enough to support any kind of whale watching tourism (Apps 1996, Table 4.1). The two main targets for whale-watchers are undoubtedly the Southern Right and Humpback whales which occur regularly off the coast during winter and spring seasons (Apps 1996). A third species, Bryde’s whale is also regularly encountered and appears to have some populations resident along the western and southern coast (Apps 1996). Table 4.1. Common cetacean species sighted regularly in Southern African waters Common name Species Occurrence Baleen Whales (Suborder Mysticeti) Southern Right Whale Eubalaena australis Migrant in winter Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Migrant in winter Bryde’s Whale Balaenoptera edenii Resident Dolphins or Toothed Whales (Suborder Odontoceti) Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus Resident Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis Resident Dusky Dolphin Lagenorhynchus obscurus Resident Heaviside’s Dolphin Cephalorynchus heavisidii Resident Humpback Dolphin Sousa plumbea Resident The Southern Right Whale populations of South Africa are the most well-known whale watching attractions in the country. This species supports a thriving whale-viewing industry, including one of the most valuable land-based viewing tourism, largely around the Western Cape (Findlay 1997). Populations migrate to the South African coastline each winter in order to mate and calve, with a significant proportion of females, over 90%, returning to have their first calf (Best 2000). Their distribution, though discontinuous, is highly predictable (Elwen & Best 2004a). Research into returns and movement patterns in season suggest however, that they are not site specific, indicating instead that the individuals along the South African coast appear to contribute to one homogenous population (Best 2000). Although they are generally common along the south-western coastline between Lambert’s Bay and Algoa Bay, sightings have been recorded as far east as St Lucia (Apps 1996, MCM unpubl. data). During the season, about 90% of Southern Right Whales occur within one nautical mile of the coast. They tend to concentrate in large sheltered bays, with the highest densities occurring between Arniston and Puntjie (on the Duiwenhoks estuary which includes De Hoop Marine Reserve). Other major concentrations occur at Mossel Bay, Struis Baai, Pearly Beach, Walker Bay, Kleinmond and to a lesser extent, False Bay. On the West Coast, concentrations occur at Yzerfontein and St Helena, but these are at much lower densities than on the southern coast. The whales are thought to move around to the west coast during periods of prolonged south-easterly winds, possibly due to poor sea conditions on the south coast and imminent upwelling on the west coast (K. Findlay, pers. comm.). Southern Rights are interesting from a boat-based whale watching perspective in that they are boat-attracted, slow moving and exhibit a high level of surface activity including ‘spy – hopping’ between boat propellers. Humpback whales occur off the South African coast predominantly in mid-winter months and spring (Best et al. 1998). They mainly occur on migration between their Antarctic feeding grounds and their subtropical breeding grounds in warm waters of over 24ºC located in Mozambique and Madagascar on the east coast and northern Namibia, Angola and possibly Gabon on the west coast (Apps 1996). Their migration routes come near to the African coast along the west coast and Wild Coast regions, with relatively little activity in the southerly parts of the country (Best et al. 1998). On the West Coast, Humpbacks are most common moving northwards in May-June and returning southward in October to December. However, it appears that some individuals delay southward migration, remaining on the 12
Page 3: BOAT-BASED WHALE WATCHING IN SOUTH
Page 6 and 7: owners, who felt that a smaller, fa
Page 8 and 9: TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION..
Page 10 and 11: 1. INTRODUCTION The whale watching
Page 12 and 13: the main whale watching season. All
Page 14 and 15: 3. WHALE WATCHING: AN INTERNATIONAL
Page 16 and 17: location. Most cetaceans spend the
Page 18 and 19: 3.2 South Africa in perspective Boa
Page 22 and 23: west coast up to February or March
Page 24 and 25: The designated areas also include a
Page 26 and 27: 5. PERMIT-HOLDER CHARACTERISTICS, S
Page 28 and 29: The majority of permitted operators
Page 30 and 31: Two very large boats excluded, a ty
Page 32 and 33: November. This is probably due to a
Page 34 and 35: holder, with a total of just over 3
Page 36 and 37: Based on rack rates and the estimat
Page 38 and 39: 5.12 What determines success Based
Page 40 and 41: impact along the Garden Route, anot
Page 42 and 43: 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20
Page 44 and 45: 6.2 Western Cape The Western Cape P
Page 46 and 47: Equipment and infrastructure The fu
Page 48 and 49: around 30 to 35 passengers were per
Page 50 and 51: advertising material which offered
Page 52 and 53: generally variable in their length,
Page 54 and 55: Non-permitted activity One dedicate
Page 56 and 57: Equipment, trip characteristics and
Page 58 and 59: 6.4 KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal cur
Page 60 and 61: visitors can be accommodated before
Page 62 and 63: Run on its way past Durban. Trips w
Page 64 and 65: Operators in Area 25 also offered d
Page 66 and 67: 6.5 Summary of legal and illegal ac
Page 68 and 69: 7. FUTURE POTENTIAL OF THE INDUSTRY
Page 70 and 71:
Overall demand is heavily influence
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The most important enabling criteri
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The Cape Metro area is a major tour
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focused on harbour trips and until
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Wetland Park, Pondoland, the Greate
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8.3 The permit system, conditions a
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Monitoring will also be vital for e
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15. Data collected by operators and
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Woods-Ballard, A.J., Parsons, E.C.M
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11. APPENDIX 2. SUMMARY OF COMMERCI
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used for whale watching must be acc
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Both the National and state governm
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effort to be controlled through res
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not is broached several times each
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11.5 South America 11.5.1 Ecuador T
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The Dominican Republic has strict c
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12. APPENDIX 3: NOTIFICATION OF PER
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4. Applicants must be willing to si
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SIMONSTOWN AREA Cape Point Lighthou
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PLETTENBERG BAY AREA The Western Bo
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(iii) the extent to which the appli
Page 112 and 113:
Table I. Rating of the whale resour
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