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Cook Islands takes step toward responsible whale tourism with new guidelines in development

By Losirene Lacanivalu , Cook Islands News Cook Islands Tourism director of destination development Brad Kirner says they recognise the need for a responsible approach to whale watching. Photo: Supplied / Radio Cook Islands Cook Islands authorities are collaborating to create new guidelines and licensing for responsible whale watching and swimming to protect marine life and ensure visitor safety. Cook Islands Tourism director of destination development Brad Kirner says they recognise the need for a responsible approach to whale watching and swimming as part of their wider commitment to building a more sustainable tourism model for the Cook Islands. While Cook Islands Tourism is not formally mandated in this area and does not hold regulatory powers, Kirner says they are committed to leading discussions and bringing together a collaborative approach with relevant agencies, operators and communities. His comments come after the Aitutaki Island Government announced that it's working with the island's tour operators and other authorities to establish an island guideline for responsible whale watching and swimming activities. Aitutaki mayor Nick Henry shared that the island government is working with tour operators, Cook Islands Tourism, the National Environment Service (NES), the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) and the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to establish the Aitutaki guidelines and tour operator licences for all tour operators. "We all need to be aware that 'disturbance' from tourism activities can have serious long-term impacts - to the detriment of the whales, to marine tourism businesses, and to our future generations who wish to enjoy seeing marine life in their natural habitat," Henry shared on his social media page. "Like us, whales need time to rest, to feed, and to breed; we must ensure, as custodians, to respect this. Welfare of our whales and safety of our visitors is paramount. It is vital that Aitutaki operators exceed all standards." Henry said they would be publishing draft guidelines and proposed licence measures prior to the upcoming workshop. Cook Islands Tourism's Kirner said that while there may be related provisions under existing frameworks such as the Marine Resources, Marae Moana, and Maritime Transport Acts, "to the best of our knowledge, there is not currently a single, formalised local guideline covering whale watching or swimming operations in Rarotonga". "The recently launched Pacific Responsible Marine Wildlife Viewing Guidelines provide a strong, science-based reference tailored to Pacific contexts, and we see them as a valuable foundation for discussions here," he said. "Similarly, a locally agreed guideline, informed by the Pacific Responsible Marine Wildlife Viewing Guidelines, would help ensure whale watching and swimming in Aitutaki is carried out safely, responsibly, and sustainably." Kirner said the key is that any guideline formed should reflect Aitutaki's unique context and be developed collaboratively with the community, operators and relevant agencies. "We acknowledge that Cook Islands Tourism is by no means an expert in this field. We are reliant on the knowledge and experience of those who are, and value the support of aligned entities across both the public and private sectors as we work together towards a shared goal of ensuring marine wildlife experiences are safe, responsible, and sustainable." NES director Halatoa Fua said their agency would be dealing with enforcement while MMR would focus on specific marine species conservation. -This article was first published by Cook Islands News .