Tonga has limited whale watching and swimming licences for the 2020 whale watching season for the management, protection and conservation of whales, effective on 25 February, after record number of applications for licences was received.

The decision was announced by Minister for Tourism, Hon ‘Akosita Lavulavu, who believes the order was necessary to sustain the economic viability of the whale watching and whale swimming industry in Tonga.

The order was approved by cabinet, and published in the Tonga Government Gazette on 25 February.

The number of licences to be issued under the Whale Watching and Swimming Regulations 2020 shall be limited to not exceed seven for Tongatapu, 20 for Vava’u, 10 for Ha’apai, and four for ‘Eua.

Over the years, the Ministry of Tourism has received calls to limit the activity “not just from scientists and researchers, but also from traditional leaders, from operators, and from the tourists themselves”.

“It is believed that the increased activity in the past years has had an effect on the whales in their annual migration to the Kingdom’s waters for the birthing of their calves.”

Research

Research from Auckland University of Technology [2] (AUT) PhD student Lorenzo Fiori, into the effect that whale-based tourism activities have on whales in Tonga, found clear evidence of avoidance.

Fiori filmed the behaviour of whales with drones, when no tourists were close to them and when tourists were in the water snorkelling near them, between 2016 and 2017.

He found that nearly 80% of swim-with-whales activities focussed on mother whales with new-born calves. The activities disturbed mother-calf pairs where the first few months of a whale’s life is a critical period.

The result was mother whales increasing their dive time and being separated from their calves more frequently when swim-with-whale activities were occurring.

Professor Mark Orams from AUT who was also involved in the research, told Matangi Tonga that he is supportive of reducing the number of vessels engaging with whales in Vava’u, especially with mothers and calves.

“I am less concerned about Ha’apai and other areas in the Kingdom where the number of vessels and pressure on the whales is much lower.”

However, he does not think reducing licences in Vava’u will be enough to protect/conserve the whales.

“Numbers of vessels is only one issue, more significant is how vessels and people behave around the whales and actions/activities which disturb natural and important behaviour (such as mother and new-born calf bonding).”

The research reveals very low compliance with current whale-watching and swim-with-whale regulations in Vava’u.

“The most common transgressions are in terms of the maximum time spent in close proximity to whales and the persistent and close approaches by swimmers with underwater photography video-graphy equipment,” he said.

“We also have evidence of injuries to swimmers (tourists) caused by whales (after multiple close approaches by the swimmers) that were not reported to authorities that raise safety concerns for the tourists involved in swim-with-whales.”

More regulations needed

Professor Orams suggested more regulations are needed to safeguard the whales as well as tourists and operators.

This includes banning swim-with-whales activities with mothers and new-born (less than three week old) calves; and having “rest periods” during the day where whales are given breaks from vessels approaching and people entering the water to swim with them (eg. 12noon-2pm each day).

In addition, a ban on the use of under-water scooters or other propulsion devices; place much tighter restrictions on the use of underwater photography equipment; and mandate training for all licenced operators (skippers and guides).

He said the Humpbacks that visit Tongan waters are taonga (treasure), they are precious and the remnants of a population that was hunted to near extinction.

"They travel to Tongan waters for a critical part of their life-cycle that directly influences the population’s recovery from near-extinction. Mothers and calves are vulnerable to disturbance and the growth and survival of these calves is critical."

"Nobody wants to hurt these whales, we all recognise that caring for them and interacting with them respectfully and carefully is the right thing to do," he said.

“It is important that we all work together for the benefit of the whales, the tourism industry, local people and those who choose to visit the Kingdom to experience these amazing marine mammals.”