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Suggested Whale Watching Guidelines
You can make a difference when viewing marine mammals in the wild. By being aware of the steps for responsible marine-mammal viewing, you can help reduce the potential to inadvertently harm marine mammals or to violate Federal law.
If, after reading these guidelines, you desire more information about how to be a more responsible whale watcher, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offers a great web site that contains even more Responsible Marine Viewing Guidelines. If you want more detailed information, check out the Official Mexican Regulations relating specifically to Banderas Bay.
- Remain at least 100 yards away from whales, dolphins, porpoises, and from seals and sea lions that are in the water, on land or rocks.
- While viewing marine mammals, you should ensure that your actions do not cause a change in their behavior. Never attempt to herd, chase, or separate groups of marine mammals or mothers from their young. Young marine mammals can quickly become prey without their mother’s protection.
- Do not encircle or trap whales or other marine mammals between your boat and shore, or another boat and your boat. Always leave them an escape route.
- If approached closely by marine mammals while you are motoring, reduce speed, and shift to neutral. Do not reengage props until the animals are observed at the surface and clear of the vessel.
- Do not crowd other whale-watching vessels. When encountering other whale watchers, wait your turn from a distance, then approach cautiously after they have left the area.
- Limit your viewing time with any individual or group of marine mammals to ten minutes.
- Avoid following behind or approaching directly in front of whales or other marine mammals. Vessels should attempt to parallel a whale’s course.
- Avoid excessive speed or sudden changes in speed or direction near whales and marine mammals.
- Whales and marine mammals may surface in unpredictable locations. Emitting periodic noise may help whales know your location and avoid whale and boat collisions. For example, if your engine is not running, occasionally tap the side of your boat with a hard object.
Source - National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration web site.
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