Whale watching is a billion-dollar industry but poorly managed activities can cause significant welfare harm to cetaceans.
Whale watching welfare impacts include disruption of feeding, resting, nursing, and socialising by vessel approach. Sustained pursuit causes energy expenditure and stress in animals that are foraging or nursing. Noise from engines interferes with cetacean communication particularly for species that rely on sound for foraging and social bonding. Habituated dolphins that approach boats may be separated from their groups. The cumulative impact of multiple vessels on heavily watched populations can affect population-level health.