Public urged to make whale-watching complaints

With the whale-watching season under way, only boats with permits are allowed up close, and then no nearer than 50m.

Nan Rice, of the Dolphin Action and Protection Group, said that although many have complained about certain boat companies exceeding the limit put in place by Marine and Coastal Management, few have made official complaints.

She said her group had received several complaints against the Waterfront Boat Company, which operates the whale-watching boat Condor, but many people did not follow through by swearing an affidavit and lodging this with Marine and Coastal
Management.

Anthony Allen, who on Saturday took a picture of the Condor close to a whale off Mouille Point, said he was irate because as a surf-skier and a diver he was not allowed within 300m of whales.

"How do the authorities justify giving a permit to a boat? This boat carried on cruising up to the whale at slow speed," said Allen.

Last year a Glencairn paddleskier was arrested on the beach after he had come too close to four whales in False Bay, to photograph them.

Allen added that authorities from Marine and Coastal Management needed to exercise a level of responsibility to ensure that what happened on Saturday could not be repeated.

"I'd like to know how you differentiate between surf-skiers and this whale-watching boat with its roaring diesel engine," Allen said.

Richard Smith, a director of the Waterfront Boat Company, said when in the vicinity of a whale the skipper had to switch off the boat's echo sensors and change gear to cause the least disturbance to the whale.

"We also monitor whales and help Marine and Coastal Management police disturbances to whales," said Smith, indirectly responding to Allen.

Source: www.iol.co.za