Ecotourism can have both positive and negative effects. In this video, you see two ecotourist whale-watching boats from Victoria B.C. that demonstrate two methods of viewing marine mammals. The yellow boat, the Prince of Whales rounds the middle rock inside the kelp bed, much too close to the island which is covered with northern sea lions and a few California sea lions. Since the animals on the North side of the island do not see the boat coming at this close distance, they are startled and about 25 of them take to the water. The high profile of the boat is increased by the individuals standing on the top of the boat, probably adding to the scare value.

The other boat, the Discovery Launch, comes down the main passage between Great Race and the middle rock. They have approached slowly, drift with the current and present very little impact on both the sea lions on the middle rock and the harbour seals hauled out on the main island down in the foreground. Missing from this video however is video of their departure from the reserve where they swing in very close to the end of the docks, causing a stampede of a dozen sea lions in that area

There are definite guidelines on viewing distancewhich are occasionally ignored by commercial operators and by private boats of the public that come into the reserve. Disturbance of any marine mammal colonies by vessel operators is against the law. Every time an animal has to change it's behaviour because of human behaviour, there is a cost in terms of energy expenditure. Violations of this regulation should be reported to federal fisheries.

If you feel you would like to provide feedback on this issue to the Department of Fisheries see contact information in this booklet on their Guidelines

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