Will Whale Watchers Sacrifice Personal Experience to Minimize Harm to Whales?

Humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) watchers off Sydney, Australia were surveyed using stated preference techniques to investigate whether they were prepared to prioritize minimizing impact on whales over other factors of their whale-watching experience. Differences between shore- and boat-based whale watchers (343 and 1,133 participants, respectively) to hypothetical whale-watching situations were investigated. Both groups had a strong preference for minimizing impact on the animals. Boat-based whale watchers placed a slightly higher priority on receiving environmental education. Both groups expressed a preference for approaching closer to the whales than currently permitted (i.e., to 50 m), but the high levels of satisfaction of boat-based whale watchers suggest closer approach distances are not necessary to ensure a positive whale-watching experience.