Whale and dolphin watching tourism generates significant conservation funding but can disturb animals when poorly managed, requiring robust guidelines to balance access with welfare.
Well-managed whale watching can be genuinely benign and fund conservation. Poorly managed tourism causes measurable harm - repeated boat approaches disrupt feeding and resting, separate mothers from calves, and cause population-level effects over time. Swim-with programs carry greater welfare risks as animals cannot easily distance themselves from human contact underwater. Key welfare-positive practices include maintaining distance, limiting approach time, reducing engine noise, and avoiding pods with calves.