Yasawa Annual Report 2022

Between 2020 & 2022 the highest number of sightings were recorded since records began, with
2020 displaying the single highest year of sightings (n = 637) and mean number of sightings per
survey (n = 2.8) on record (Figure 5). Sightings then decreased in 2021 (n = 504) before increasing
again in 2022 (n = 588) with the mean number of sightings per survey remaining similar to 2013 -
2016 (Figure 5).
The dramatic increase in sightings during 2020 (62% increase when compared to the previous best
year in 2014) coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and reduction of tourism pressure, however
such a significant increase is likely due to a combination of favourable environmental conditions
with the lack of tourism pressures. Interestingly tourism returned in 2022 where sightings increased
when compared to 2021, this is discussed in further details in the Tourism section.
Sighting trends at the Manta Channel have remained relatively consistent over the years with
>99% of sightings being recorded from April-October every year and a typical peak in sightings being
recorded between June – September. 2022 followed a similar pattern to 2013-2019 with peak
sightings occurring during June through to September, during 2022, peak sightings were recorded
in July (n=209), the highest sighting month on record(Figure 6).
Interestingly sightings have exceeded 100 sightings in a single month ten times, eight of which
have been recorded between 2020 and 2022 (Figure 6).
Figure 6 - Dot plot displaying the number of sightings per month for each year of data collection at the Manta Channel in the Yasawa Islands (Fiji).
Months with >100 sightings are highlighted in orange.
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