WWOANW Guidelines & Background

Look Before You Book

This logo assures you of proper wildlife viewing, trained naturalists and responsible stewardship.



This association has also joined partnership with People For Puget Sound
Background Information
The Whale Watch Operators Association - North West is the international industry organization representing commercial whale watchers operating in the Pacific North West waters of Juan de Fuca, Haro and Georgia Straights, the waters of Puget Sound and those waters surrounding the Gulf and San Juan Islands. Generally, the waters home to the Southern Vancouver Island resident Killer Whales known as J, K and L pods.

WWOANW members have compiled a vast number of hours of observation of the J, K &L Pods comprising the largest known body of observational knowledge of these whales. One of the results of the continuous review of these observations has been the refinement of conservation objectives and the resultant ongoing development of guidelines outlining the best practice given a certain situation when a vessel encounters various marine mammals, particularly Killer Whales.

One of the Association's major objectives is to assist in the conservation of all marine species in these waters, but particularly to contribute to the conservation of these resident Killer Whales. A very large accomplishment towards this conservation objective was the development of the original Guidelines in the early 1990's. Those rudimentary Guidelines have now been developed into this series of Best Practices Guidelines of the new millennium, the objectives of which are two-fold: Firstly, to minimize potential negative impacts on marine wild life populations by maintaining normal daily and seasonal activity patterns in the short and long terms; and, Secondly, to provide the best viewing opportunities such that watchers have ability to enjoy and learn about wild life through observation, whether for pleasure, commerce or research purposes with the objective of sustaining all such activities.

In addition to these conservation objectives, some Guidelines are intended to manage vessel traffic in order to fairly and efficiently move vessels through transition zones as well as in the viewing area. These are intended to increase viewing opportunities for all persons and further minimize the impact on the various animals.

The industry, government and non-governmental-organization conservation management model employed in these waters (and initiated by the Whale Watch Operators Association - North West) is one of the most comprehensive self-management conservation frameworks in the world. Its pioneering framework is a model being applied in the conservation management of other species in other parts of the world. It has proven to be one the most utilizable conservation tools anywhere and has been presented at the Conference of the North American Committee for Environmental Cooperation (NACEC) attended by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

General Application

These Best Practices Guidelines are to be applied by all members' vessels and those others who wish to manage their vessels responsibly while in the presence of marine wild life. Member vessel operators are required to review and be proficient in the application of these Best Practices Guidelines.

It is worthy of note that these Best Practices Guidelines are significantly more stringent than the Laws and Regulations currently in effect in both Canada and the U.S.A.. Where a situation has not been addressed in these Best Practices Guidelines it is the intention that the prevailing regulation of the relevant jurisdiction be observed. In Canada, that is the federal Fisheries Act and in the U.S.A that is the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. Member vessel operators are required to be thoroughly familiar with sets of Regulations and ensure compliance at all times, in addition to complying with these WWOA-NW Best Practices Guidelines.

click here for the Whale Watching Guidelines

sanjuansafaris.com is the copyrighted intellectual property of San Juan Safaris, Inc.,
Friday Harbor, WA, USA
updated: