43
In Brazil, most studies on humpback whale behaviour (e.g. Petta et al. 2002;
Morete 2003a; Bisi 2006; Morete 2007) and interaction with whale-watching tourism (e.g. Morete et al. 2000; Morete 2003b; Morete et al. 2007) have been carried
out in the Abrolhos National Marine Park, southern Bahia state, for its ecological
importance (Martins et al. 2013). In fact, whale-watching in Brazil started in the
Abrolhos region but it is on the state’s northern coast, specifically in Praia do Forte,
that this activity has shown the greatest increase in recent years (Cipolotti et al.
2005; Brumatti 2008). Therefore, there is an urgent need for more studies to subsidize the management of this activity in this region.
To begin to understand and address the issue of whale-watching carrying capacity in Praia do Forte, we will look at the development of the activity in this location
and its impacts on the whales, the tourists and the local operators. Then we analyse
the concept of carrying capacity as it applies to whale-watching.
By bringing all these components together, we propose an integrated framework
to assess the carrying capacity of commercial humpback whale-watching tourism in
Praia do Forte, northeastern Brazil, taking into account the biological, social and
economic aspects involved.
3.2 From Humpback Whaling to Whale-Watching in Brazil
Modern commercial whaling during the twentieth century killed over 200,000
humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the southern hemisphere (Findlay
2001; Rocha et al. 2014). The southwestern Atlantic humpback whale population,
classed as southern Atlantic breeding stock A (IWC 2005), was depleted to less than
4% of its pre-exploitation size in the late 1950s (Zerbini et al. 2011). In 1966, the
IWC prohibited commercial humpback whaling. The currently available global
humpback whale population estimate is 60,000 individuals (Reilly et al. 2008).
By the time Brazil permanently banned whaling in 1987 (Brasil 1987), humpback whales were considered extinct from Brazilian waters, as a direct result of
decades of commercial whaling along the Brazilian coast and the Southern Ocean.
However, shortly after the whaling prohibition, a small remnant humpback population was ‘discovered’ by scientists working in the Abrolhos National Marine Park,
southern Bahia state (IBAMA/NEMA 1990), and, in 1988, the Projeto Baleia
Jubarte (Humpback Whale Project) was created to study this population and promote its recovery, setting up its headquarters in the former whaling town of
Caravelas. Subsequently, Abrolhos was recognised as the most important humpback
whale breeding ground in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean (Engel and Ades 1996;
Martins et al. 2001; Andriolo et al. 2006, 2010). In the early 1990s, humpback
whale-watching started in the Abrolhos region as an opportunistic activity carried
out by dive operators taking tourists to the archipelago during the winter months
(Morete et al. 2000) (Fig. 3.1).
Since the whaling moratorium this population has been recovering from exploitation at an estimated 7.4–15.2% annual rate (Ward et al. 2011; Wedekin 2011;
3 An Integrated Framework to Assess the Carrying Capacity…
In Brazil, most studies on humpback whale behaviour (e.g. Petta et al. 2002;
Morete 2003a; Bisi 2006; Morete 2007) and interaction with whale-watching tourism (e.g. Morete et al. 2000; Morete 2003b; Morete et al. 2007) have been carried
out in the Abrolhos National Marine Park, southern Bahia state, for its ecological
importance (Martins et al. 2013). In fact, whale-watching in Brazil started in the
Abrolhos region but it is on the state’s northern coast, specifically in Praia do Forte,
that this activity has shown the greatest increase in recent years (Cipolotti et al.
2005; Brumatti 2008). Therefore, there is an urgent need for more studies to subsidize the management of this activity in this region.
To begin to understand and address the issue of whale-watching carrying capacity in Praia do Forte, we will look at the development of the activity in this location
and its impacts on the whales, the tourists and the local operators. Then we analyse
the concept of carrying capacity as it applies to whale-watching.
By bringing all these components together, we propose an integrated framework
to assess the carrying capacity of commercial humpback whale-watching tourism in
Praia do Forte, northeastern Brazil, taking into account the biological, social and
economic aspects involved.
3.2 From Humpback Whaling to Whale-Watching in Brazil
Modern commercial whaling during the twentieth century killed over 200,000
humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the southern hemisphere (Findlay
2001; Rocha et al. 2014). The southwestern Atlantic humpback whale population,
classed as southern Atlantic breeding stock A (IWC 2005), was depleted to less than
4% of its pre-exploitation size in the late 1950s (Zerbini et al. 2011). In 1966, the
IWC prohibited commercial humpback whaling. The currently available global
humpback whale population estimate is 60,000 individuals (Reilly et al. 2008).
By the time Brazil permanently banned whaling in 1987 (Brasil 1987), humpback whales were considered extinct from Brazilian waters, as a direct result of
decades of commercial whaling along the Brazilian coast and the Southern Ocean.
However, shortly after the whaling prohibition, a small remnant humpback population was ‘discovered’ by scientists working in the Abrolhos National Marine Park,
southern Bahia state (IBAMA/NEMA 1990), and, in 1988, the Projeto Baleia
Jubarte (Humpback Whale Project) was created to study this population and promote its recovery, setting up its headquarters in the former whaling town of
Caravelas. Subsequently, Abrolhos was recognised as the most important humpback
whale breeding ground in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean (Engel and Ades 1996;
Martins et al. 2001; Andriolo et al. 2006, 2010). In the early 1990s, humpback
whale-watching started in the Abrolhos region as an opportunistic activity carried
out by dive operators taking tourists to the archipelago during the winter months
(Morete et al. 2000) (Fig. 3.1).
Since the whaling moratorium this population has been recovering from exploitation at an estimated 7.4–15.2% annual rate (Ward et al. 2011; Wedekin 2011;
3 An Integrated Framework to Assess the Carrying Capacity…