GUIDELINES FOR RECREATIONAL IN-WATER INTERACTIONS WITH MARINE WILDLIFE

The conditions to obtain and maintain a permit vary and may include the attendance of specific training sessions (e.g., elements of biology and ecology of the species, existing regulations, management of interactions, customer education and interpretation), adherence and compliance to regulations and permit conditions, and participation in research efforts. [...] COP14)/Annex These guidelines avoid listing specific distances other than “body length of the animal or 3 metres or 30 metres for cetaceans”, as distances are difficult to assess and implement in the field because of the human inability to accurately measure in the water, but also because of the movement of the wildlife and the fact that they spend a fraction of time on the surface (if any). [...] The use of dedicated devices is essential for the safety of participants, can improve the quality of the interaction, and protect the wildlife and the local ecosystem. [...] Decisions on the use of such devices is underpinned by the characteristics of the species and the site, and must not pose additional risks to the wildlife or the participants (e.g., entanglement; see considerations in Scarpaci et al. [...] In the case of aquatic mammals and turtles, as soon as the wildlife is sighted, participants approach from and stay on the side, and avoid the space directly above and below, as well as in front of and behind the wildlife.