Ecotourism in Action: Whale Watching as One of the Best Recreational Activities

A worldwide popularity of ecotourism grew with an amazing pace in recent years. Hunters and fishermen of yesterday more and more realize today that showing the nature's riches of their country to tourists turns out to be much more interesting and profitable than extirpating the already decreasing populations of wild animals. And this is particularly true in the situation with whales, the largest animals on Earth.

Just half a century ago the only way to gain some profit out of whales was killing them to further use their meat, baleen and blubber, but today even the most active whalers have changed their job and become defenders of whales. It’s no wonder, a demand for travel packages including whale watching today far exceeds a demand for whale products, and ocean ecotours on boats for whale watching bring more than $100 billion a year to its providers worldwide. This is much more than you can make on hunting.

One of the most important objects of the whale ecotourism is a humpback whale. Some of its biological features make this species very convenient for watching, and wide areas of habitat allow travel agencies to organize sea travels for watching these whales in different parts of the world. Best of all, a humpback whale is really very interesting and convenient for tourists!

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 The indigenous people of these lands, representatives of the oldest cultures in the Americas — the Valdivia and the Manteña — were outstanding navigators and fishermen. Their legacy continues to thrive in the 21st century. Archaeological findings in the area of Puerto López and neighboring Salango prove that humans have lived here for more than five thousand years, and that fishing and the gathering of mollusks formed the foundation of their existence. The people of Puerto López, just like their ancestors, live from the sea, its products, and its wealth. Today, tourism, ecotourism, and artisanal fishing constitute the main sources of employment and income for the local population.

 The predominant activity is artisanal fishing (pesca artesanal). Every day, all the fishermen of the canton set out in small boats in search of their catch in the vast Pacific Ocean. Wooden boats with oars and sail rafts have almost disappeared. Nowadays, fishermen use modern fiberglass vessels equipped with outboard motors, allowing them to cover great distances in a short time. Most often, the boats leave in the evening to fish during the night and return at dawn to the beach of Puerto López. They use modern fishing gear such as bottom longlines, trammel nets, cast nets, and occasionally harpoons. The most valued species in the catch are corvina, camotillo, and cabezudo. These fish are highly appreciated by both local residents and tourists who come here seeking the authentic taste of fresh seafood cuisine.