Marine
ecosystems provide human society with a wealth of economic
resources and a source of outstanding recreation and tourism
opportunities. Some of these habitats have become popular
locations for commercial whale watching tour operations.
Unfortunately, existing government legislation regarding
the stewardship of these ecologically sensitive areas and
the whales that use them has been haphazard. This research
examines the utility of codes of conduct in helping commercial
whale watching operators play a pro-active role in the stewardship
of these valuable creatures and their habitat. In particular,
it does this in the context of a code of conduct developed
by the commercial whale watching community working in the
Johnstone Strait, British Columbia, Canada. The study illustrates
how such codes can be useful in: empowering local tourism
organizations to support fair and appropriate practices;
encouraging operators to promote important stewardship messages;
and helping individuals administer their activities with
personal integrity and control over key issues affecting
their futures.
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