Scientific Literature: Searchable Database

The survey produced an exhaustive list of 25 whale watching operators working off the French Mediterranean coast, of whom 23 have their registered company office in France. Six specialist tour agencies were also identified. Legal status varies widely, from 8 public limited companies to 6 micro-enterprises and 5 voluntary organisations under the French 1901 Act. Overall, the three types of operator cover tourist expenditure fairly evenly, with traditional whale watching first (41%), swimming with cetaceans second (35%) and 1901 Act non-profits third (24%). The pattern is quite different in Figure 4, where it is clear that swimming trips generate the highest proportion of expenditure (59%, or €57,200 per operator). Non-profits (25%, or €24,200 per operator) come far behind, followed by traditional whale watching (16%, or €15,500 per operator). Altogether, 13 out of 19 operators approach the cetaceans in an intrusive manner. On the basis of this proportion (70%) and the likely future development of whale watching, it is to be feared that individual mammals and ultimately whole cetacean populations will be harmed by these uncontrolled approaches.