Holiday Activity Popular With British Tourists Banned By Portuguese Authorities

THE Portuguese Government has implemented a ban on boat trips that offer tourists the chance to go whale-spotting in the Atlantic waters off its coast.

Tourists from all corners of the globe are known to enjoy these outings that offer them the opportunity to observe these giant mammals in their own environment. The Algarve region of southern Portugal is a location where these types of trips can often be found.

Of course, the trips are not only aimed at trying to see whales, there are always dolphins and other marine creatures inhabiting the ocean, that could usually be spotted as well.

The ban has already been put in place

According to the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF), a ban was already in place from July 10 that decreed: ‘The prohibition of the active approach to groups of orcas by maritime tourist vessels’. The current ban will remain in place until December 31, 2023.

While setting sail on a boat to see killer whales up close sounds like an exciting prospect to many people, it must be remembered that there have been several incidences involving these massive mammals.

Since 2020, numerous sailboats have come under attack from orcas in the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar, and off the Iberian Peninsula coast. Recently, boats competing in a prestigious boat race were attacked by orcas.

Although there have been no deaths resulting from these incidents, the cetaceans have damaged many vessels. In some cases, the crafts have even ended up sinking after their hulls and rudders were cleverly targeted by the orcas.

In a statement, the ICNF explained: ‘In addition to sailboats, some vessels have also been of interest to orcas; smaller maritime tourist boats, licensed for whale watching’.

‘Given the size of the adult animals (eight to nine metres in length, and three to five tonnes in weight), more intense interaction with killer whales with semi-rigid or other types of smaller vessels, such as those used for whale watching, may have more serious consequences’, they stressed.

According to data from GTOA, a research group which tracks populations of the Iberian orca sub-species, last year, off the Atlantic coasts of Portugal and Spain, in excess of 200 incidents involving orcas and sailboats were recorded.

Pointing out that the number of killer whales being spotted in the waters has increased since the first reports were registered, the GTOA admitted that: ‘The reason for this recent and repetitive behaviour toward vessels is not known’.