Whale-watching in Patagonia: What regulation scheme should be implemented when the socio-ecological system is changing?

Abstract

Whale-watching began informally at Península Valdés in 1973. The activity primarily targeted southern right whales (Eubalaena australis). Since the early 1970s the number of people sailing out on whale-watching trips increased from several tourists a year to more than 100,000 in 2014. In this paper the fluctuations in the number of passengers, the biological changes and the socio-economic factors that influenced the development of the activity were reviewed. There are effectively four periods in the history of the development of whale-watching in Península Valdés. These periods correspond to international events, whilst some are related to domestic matters. The development of whale-watching regulations in relation to these events is also reviewed. Although the current whale-watching regulation scheme is appropriate, there are some aspects that could be improved by making the rules easier to be altered and modified, i.e., an adaptive management approach. As a case study the regulation prohibiting watching whale mothers with newborns, before August 31st every year, is examined, including the problems that boat operators face while attempting to comply with this regulation. Many of these problems arise due changes in the biological system (i.e. whale population growth).