Whale Watching Worldwide

Local Case Study: Stellwagen Bank, USA
About 20 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, stretching from the tip of Cape Ann to the end of Cape Cod,
lies an underwater treasure. Stellwagen Bank is a massive underwater plateau, whose hidden grandeur
rivals North America’s southwestern mesas and South Africa’s table mountain. This underwater plateau
attracts abundant marine life, which, in turn, attracts humans. Stellwagen Bank is consistently ranked as one
of the best places in the world for whale watching.
Encompassing 842 square miles, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is one of 13 National Marine
Sanctuaries spread throughout US territorial waters. Within the sanctuary’s boundaries, Stellwagen Bank
rises hundreds of feet from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, forming a massive plateau that lies
approximately 100 feet below the surface. The plateau’s steep walls are the reason for Stellwagen’s appeal
to humans and wildlife. When deep ocean currents collide with the plateau, they flow up its side and
toward the surface. This process—known as upwelling—brings nutrient‐rich water to the ocean’s surface.
There, fuelled by sunlight, it sparks a food web that attracts a range of marine wildlife, from the smallest
fishes to the largest whales. More than 575 species are found in Stellwagen Bank National Marine
Sanctuary, including 22 species of marine mammals.
Blessed with these offshore riches, New England’s coastal communities have always embraced a maritime
lifestyle. For centuries, hardy men and women have plied these waters for fish, crabs, lobsters, oysters and
more. Not surprisingly, New England was also once home to a thriving commercial whaling industry. The
Yankee Spirit—a whale watching vessel based out of Gloucester—is a reminder of those more difficult days,
honouring the determination of New England’s whalers. Today, the indomitable Yankee spirit still drives
captains to pilot their boats in pursuit of New England’s whales. But they seek to watch rather than kill, and
are armed with cameras, not harpoons.
More than 700,000 tourists ventured to Stellwagen Bank on commercial whale watching vessels in 2008.
These tourists—eager for the chance to glimpse some of the world’s largest creatures—spent approximately
$126 million on tickets and associated expenses. This industry creates and supports hundreds of full‐ and
part‐time jobs for scientists, students, ships’ captains and more.
Stellwagen Bank’s whale watching industry provides more than economic benefit. Two Massachusetts‐
based research organisations—the Center for Coastal Studies and the Cetacean Research Unit—were started
and continue to flourish due to their close relationships with commercial whale watching operations. In fact,
whale watching is critical to whale research and conservation. Sharp‐eyed whale watching crew members in
the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary provide vital information, alerting researchers to regular
sightings and potential rescue scenarios. Photos from whale watchers also contribute data to photo‐
identification and scarification studies.
Finally, whale watching drives whale conservation. Despite the worldwide ban on commercial whaling,
today’s whales face more threats than ever before. Right whales are no longer hunted with harpoons, but
too many are killed when they are hit by large ships or become entangled in fishing gear. Humpbacks and
other whales are also threatened by the increasing volume of ocean noise pollution, which overwhelms their
communication.
The benefits brought by the whale watching industry are obvious within and around the Stellwagen Bank
National Marine Sanctuary. Tourists infuse New England’s coastal communities with dollars and jobs. Crew
and passengers provide scientists and conservationists with vital information that supports whale research
projects. And, perhaps most importantly, whale watching connects people with whales, forging a bond that
could ultimately save these species.
Jake Levenson ‐ IFAW
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