These Guidelines were developed in consultation with the state and territory governments, scientists, industry representatives and non-government organisations. They provide a consistent national policy for the management of whale and dolphin watching in Australian waters. They build upon and replace the Australian National Guidelines for Whale and Dolphin Watching 2005. The guidelines provide advice for all governments in the development, updating and implementation of laws regulating whale and dolphin watching.
Detailed information and references are in the IWC Whale Watching Handbook.
In early 2018 the Australian Government hosted a workshop to discuss the management of swim-with whale activities.
The objective of the workshop was to facilitate consistent management of this increasingly popular activity across all jurisdictions in Australia through:
• The identification of appropriate management measures that can be implemented through permits and licenses issued by each jurisdiction;
• The identification of knowledge gaps that should be filled to improve management; and
• The formation of a network that can be expanded and used to share experiences and information to improve management.
Workshop participants included swim-with whale operators and state and Commonwealth government officers responsible for cetacean management, research and policy development.
The management of whale watching in Australia is a multi-jurisdictional arrangement between the Australian Government, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and state and territory governments.
Australian National Guidelines for Whale and Dolphin Watching 2005
Australian National Guidelines for Whale and Dolphin Watching 2017.