Responsible Management

Responsible Management

Explore this section to find information and resources designed to support managers and regulators

Overview and Interactive Map

The benefits and impacts of whale watching

Management Strategies and tools

Monitoring and Enforcement

Guidelines and Regulations

Stakeholder engagement and adaptive management

Case Studies

Preparing for a trip

Preparing for a Trip

Explore this section to find information and resources useful to anyone interested in learning more about responsible whale watching throughout the world

Overview and Interactive Map

What is responsible whale watching?

Ways to watch Whales and Dolphins

Questions you can ask when booking a tour

Contributing to science and conservation

Species Information

Industry support

Industry Support

Explore this section to find information and resources useful to whale watching tour operators and guides or other industry professionals

Overview and Interactive Map

Benefits of responsible whale watching

Offering the best possible experience

Your business and the local Community

Contributing to science and conservation

On –board education

Species information

Species Information

Click on one of the icons to the right to reveal a full description of the species with photos and labeled illustrations useful for species identification, as well as information on biology, ecology and conservation status of each species. Click here to find downloadable PDF fact sheets for each of the species featured on this site.

Blue Whale

Bottlenose Dolphin

Bowhead Whale

Bryde's Whale

Common Dolphin

Dusky Dolphin

False Killer Whale

Fin Whale

Gray Whale

Harbour porpoise

Humpback Dolphin

Humpback Whale

Irrawaddy Dolphin

Killer Whale

Minke Whale

Pilot Whale

Right Whale

Sei Whale

Sperm Whale

Spinner Dolphin

Spotted Dolphin

Striped Dolphin

Download resources

Download Resources

Explore this section to find links to downloadable PDF reports, species ID guides, a table of guidelines and regulations from around the world, a glossary of whale-watching terms, and a fully searchable database of over 300 reports and peer-reviewed articles on whale watching.

Overview and Interactive Map

PDF A4 Species Fact Sheets

Resources for Managers

Resources for Industry

Resources for Guides and Educators

Glossary of whale watching language

Region-specific species ID guides

Guidelines and Regulations

About the Handbook

About the Handbook

This Handbook is designed to support managers, regulators, operators and anyone interested in whale watching. It is a flexible and evolving tool incorporating international best practice, educational resources and a summary of the latest, relevant scientific information. Content has been drafted and sourced in consultation with IWC and CMS affiliated scientists and managers from around the world, and is reviewed each year at the meeting of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission.

Overview and Interactive Map

An evolving online resource

The IWC's role in whale watching

CMS and Whale Watching

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Whale Watching Handbook

Designed to support managers, regulators, operators and everyone interested in whale watching

Browse Sections

Responsible Management

Featuring an interactive map with species information, guidelines, and case studies from over 30 countries around the world.

Responsible Management

Preparing for a trip

Featuring an interactive map and information on what to expect, where you can go and what you can see in over 30 countries around the world.

Prepare for a trip

Industry Support

Explore this section to find information and resources useful to whale watching tour operators and guides or other industry professionals.

Industry Support

Species Information

Featuring illustrated descriptions and downloadable PDF factsheets for 20 whale and dolphin species.

Species Information

AN EVOLVING TOOL

The IWC is the intergovernmental forum for the conservation of whales. It first recognised the economic and educational importance of whale watching in 1975, and the need to ensure whale watching is conducted responsibly.

This Handbook is designed to support managers, regulators, operators and anyone interested in whale watching. It is a flexible and evolving tool incorporating international best practice, educational resources and a summary of the latest, relevant scientific information.