Whale Watching Worldwide

solved through dialogue with fishermen deciding to take their hunting farther away from the village.
According to the regional economic development office, whale watching has considerable relevance for the
socioeconomic viability of the community. In particular, the industry has led to new jobs being created in an
internationally oriented enterprise where few such jobs previously existed. These have been filled largely by
the younger members of the population. The decrease in fisheries revenues in the village has been, to some
extent, compensated via the new tourism activity.
New office and service facilities built by one of the tour companies reflects the ideology of whale watching
as a natural and embedded extension of local marine culture. The use of traditional Icelandic timber houses
(Siberian driftwood gathered on the nearby coastline) reveals an awareness of traditions and environmental
consciousness as Einarsson (2009) describes.
A remarkable aspect during this adaptation has been the boat infrastructure incorporated in the whale
watching business. After the ITQ system caused the under‐utilization of a sizable number of fishing boats,
many of them were available at considerably low costs, facilitating an economic adaptation and the
establishment of the new activity. Some of these vessels had been previously used for whaling, carrying
reminders of a genuine coastal culture. In spite of high restoration costs, the new owners have often
decided to restore them for their whale watching trips. The use of wood, crafted by skilled artisans, is
integral to the image, authenticity and identity of the local whale watching industry, a business in which
some former whale hunters are participating today.
Húsavík’s process of adapting to new economic conditions has resulted in the town becoming an important
whale watching destination not only in Iceland, but also in Europe largely thanks to the community’s
resilience in the face of external challenges.
Based on:
Conversations with the Húsavík Whale Museum, as well as:
Einarsson, N 2009, ‘From good to eat, to good to watch: whale watching, adaptation and change in Icelandic fishing
communities’, Polar Research, vol. 28, 2009, pp. 129‐138.
Hoyt, E 2001. Whale watching 2001. Worldwide tourism numbers, expenditures, and expanding socioeconomic
benefits.
98