Santo Domingo. Whale season has officially begun, which has been eagerly awaited by Dominican and foreign tourists. and that Ministry of Environment has signed a agreement with public and private facilities to protect the whales Humpback whales that come to the coast of Samaná every year to mate or give birth to their young.
In this way it is the season of surveillance of Marine Mammals 2024, which has the motto “Samaná, cradle of whales«, takes place in the Marine Mammal Sanctuary of Bancos de la Plata and La Navidad (in the Atlantic Ocean, 140 kilometers away) and in the Bay of Samaná.
Environment Minister Miguel Ceara Hatton said the agreement is “a way to do that and educate.” surveillance of whales“I think we have gradually made progress on this.”
“There is more awareness that we have to protect them, that it is an opportunity for us Dominicans to have the presence of the.” whales. It is even a construction of Dominicanness,” the official said.
Every year hundreds of thousands of Dominican and foreign tourists travel to Samaná to enjoy the natural spectacle of humpback whales.
Swim with the whales
Lorenzo Martínez attended the event, representing three companies operating in the Bancos de La Plata and La Navidad Marine Mammal Sanctuary surveillance different from the one registered in Samana.
«The surveillance in Banco de la Plata is different than in Samaná: it is one of the areas where you can swim whales“Since 1996 this activity began, it has improved every year,” emphasized the mayor of the aforementioned province, according to the newspaper Diario Libre.
“We bring about 600 visitors every year. “It is a week-long trip on 125-foot boats with a capacity for a maximum of 20 people,” he explained, stressing at the same time that operators comply with various measures established by the authorities, such as not exceeding 10 in the protected area To drive knots and do not let people swim when these mammals jump.
Augusto González, owner of Motomarina in Samaná, which offers services in the area surveillance. “We try to comply with the regulations (protection of the whales). Our boats have a specialized guide whales“They are using all of their passenger capacity that needs to take up a seat,” he explained.
González explained that the use of lifeguards is mandatory throughout the season surveillance.
engagement
The institutions are committed to protecting human life and ensuring the conservation and protection of the sanctuary and marine mammals, of which 4,229 whales were sighted in the period 2018-2023, with 138 whale calves reported.
At the same time, vessels, captains and any natural or legal person who commits environmental crimes during the fishing season are required to report to the ministry. whales.
The Ministry assumes responsibility for issuing environmental permits for surveillance of marine mammals for filming, photography, swimming and diving for commercial and non-commercial purposes.
In addition, together with the Navy of the Dominican Republic, carry out inspections of the vessels to verify that they meet the necessary requirements to authorize their entry into the Marine Mammal Sanctuary of Bancos de la Plata and La Navidad and the Bay of Samaná.
