Whales Seen Making Their Move North

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday May 17, 2008

By JODIE MINUS

THE 2008 whale watching season was launched in Sydney yesterday, but the real cetacean celebrations were happening in the Illawarra with reports of two whales spotted off the coast of Wollongong.

The Department of Environment and Climate Change said an Illawarra man was swimming "somewhere off the coast of Wollongong" when he spotted two whales heading north early yesterday morning.

Further south, Jervis Bay Whales, which offers whale watching cruises, first spotted three humpbacks off Wreck Bay on Sunday.

Cruise manager Matt Cross said because of the excitement and demand from the public, Jervis Bay Whales would begin whale cruises today, one week ahead of schedule.

"What we are seeing now is the really large males, the bulls, the leaders of the pack, going through early to mark their ground ahead of the breeding at Hervey Bay," Mr Cross said.

"Then, as we start to get into the thick of the season, we will start to see the juveniles, the younger whales and the pregnant females heading north to join in the party."

Mr Cross said it would take the whales 21/2 months to reach Queensland, where they would stay for six weeks mating and giving birth before returning south.

South Coast residents would see them next on their return journey in about August.

Mr Cross said while humpback populations were growing about 11 per cent each year, they were still not as plentiful as they were before the 1950s, when more than 200,000 whales ruled the seas.

Their population plunged in the 1970s to just 200, but are now steadily growing and today number about 9000.

KEEPING OUR DISTANCE

To protect whales from stress or harm, we need to keep our distance.

GENERAL RULES

? Abandon all contact with whales if there is any sign they are disturbed or alarmed.

? Do not separate or scatter a group of whales.

? Do not attempt to feed whales or throw rubbish into the water near them.

? Avoid loud disturbing noises near whales.

? Observe general boating and aircraft regulations and restrictions.

BOATS

? Do not approach closer than 100m

to a whale, or closer than 300m if a calf is present.

? Skippers should slow to "no wake" speed at 300m from whales.

? Do not approach whales directly from behind, cut

off their paths, or prevent them from leaving.

? Do not approach within 300m if three

or more boats are already present.

*Information provided by the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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