Whale Watching Worldwide

want to reserve the possibility that we could see them one day — something that economists seek to
measure as the elusive but important so‐called ‘existence value’ and ‘option value’. We want to ensure that
whales are not just part of our whaling past, but integral to our future — our whale watching future.
It is truly magical to realize that we yet live on a planet with large‐brained 10 to 60‐ton or more wild animals
that nurture their young just as we do yet migrate up to 5,000 miles (8,000 km) in a matter of weeks, sing
songs on their mating grounds and have the capacity to enchant us with their curiosity, joie de vivre, and at
times tag‐along friendliness.
May it long be so.
— Erich Hoyt, North Berwick, Scotland, June 2009
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