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Results for whale watching

Thursday 19 November 2020

Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An administrative decision by the Minister for Infrastructure and Tourism, Hon 'Akosita Lavulavu to decline whale watching licenses for six licenced operators was quashed by Lord Chief Justice Whitten, who found her decision had erred in law and “it was so manifestly unreasonable, no reasonable minister could have reached it”.
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Monday 27 April 2020

Mounu Island, Vava'u
Humpback Whales have been coming to Tonga since the distant past, they were almost wiped out during the hunting years. Numbers are climbing back. But for how long can we maintain the fragile balance of tourist and whale? Vava’u cannot sustain more boats out on the water. In these times with CoVid-19 and an unsure future for the tourism industry, it is very hard to have any hope or faith in commitment from government for a sustainable industry and conservation of the whales, when they are seen as an avenue for more revenue.- Kirsty Bowe
Tuesday 13 August 2019

Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A German tourist (40) remains missing at sea in ‘Eua, after she went out diving with others on Sunday, August 11.
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Thursday 1 August 2019

Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s multi-million pa'anga whale watching and swimming tourist attraction is challenged by the findings of a new study by the Auckland University of Technology.
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Friday 20 October 2017
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A 37-year-old Palangi woman from New Zealand residing in Neiafu, Vava’u, allegedly obtained $9,720 from nine tourists as payment for whale watching activity, which was not booked when they arrived in September. Police confirmed today, 23 October, that the woman was not a Tongan as initially stated. Legitimate tourism operators in Vava'u complained today that there are many illegitimate foreign operators selling holiday packages online during the three month whale season and undermining the tourism industry.
Friday 7 April 2017

Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Whale watchers around the world can help scientists track the journey of individual whales by taking photos of the underside of their tails, said Ted Cheeseman, co-founder and CEO of Happywhale, a website platform used to help identify whales using pictures. “The underside of a whale’s tail has markings unique to each whale, just like finger prints are to humans."
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Tuesday 29 November 2016
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The skipper of a whale watching boat, the 'Ha’apai Explorer" was injured when its engine exploded at sea on Saturday, November 26. The boat with two foreign passengers on board, was on its way back to Pangai from Limu Island in the Ha’apai Group when the accident happened.
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Thursday 26 March 2015
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tongan Government and people lose hundreds of thousands of dollars each whale watch season. – Selia Simmons.
2 comments
Tuesday 25 September 2012
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Twenty four licenses have been issued to whale watching operators for the 2012 season, a growing industry for tourism in Tonga, according to the Ministry of Commerce, Tourism and Labour.
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Wednesday 16 May 2007
Roseau, Dominica
A new, five-day whale watch tour guide training workshop, sponsored by IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare) and CARIBwhale, the association of Caribbean whale watch operators, is being held in Dominica.
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Monday 2 October 2006
Neiafu, Vava'u
A Tonga government policy restricting the number of whale watching boats to two boats per licensed Whale Watching operator is causing frustration among some of Tonga's pioneer whale watching operators in Vava'u, who say that the policy is unfair and restricts their growth, while allowing in amateurs. Story and photos by Pesi Fonua
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Friday 23 June 2006
Mounu, Vava'u
I read with interest comments supporting the resumption of whaling in the Kingdom. If the Government did allow whaling to resume, the whale watching industry would collapse- Allan Bowe
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