Every winter, nature puts on a breathtaking show along our coastlines—one that draws thousands of Australians to the water’s edge with phones and binoculars in hand.
But as interest grows and more eyes turn seaward, experts are sounding the alarm on a rising concern—one that could quietly threaten the very spectacle we cherish and the creatures at the heart of it.
After surviving decades of hunting, whale populations now face a new wave of threats as they journey from Antarctica to Australia.
This week, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) unveiled a global interactive map that pinpoints where the migratory paths of 1,400 whales intersect with dangers such as ship traffic, industrial noise, fossil fuel activities, pollution, fishing operations and climate change.
Whale watching, a pastime that supports a $3.8 billion tourism industry, is now under pressure as mounting risks begin to shadow the migratory path of these gentle giants.
But beneath the surface, a new and alarming threat is emerging—one that could put both our favourite holiday spots and the whales themselves at risk.
Why whales matter—to us and the ocean
It’s easy to forget, as we snap photos of breaching humpbacks or marvel at a pod of orcas, that whales are more than just a tourist attraction.
They’re vital to the health of our oceans, playing a key role in nutrient cycling and supporting entire marine ecosystems.
And for Australia, they’re also a big industry—whale tourism generates an estimated $3.8 billion in revenue and supports 13,000 jobs nationwide.
But the stakes are even higher. As Chris Johnson, global lead for WWF’s Protecting Whales and Dolphins Initiative, points out, ‘Whales are these ocean giants that we absolutely love, particularly in Australia, and we still know so little about their migratory patterns.’
The new map is designed to fill those knowledge gaps, helping researchers—and the public—see exactly where whales are most at risk.
A closer look at the threats
The threats facing whales are as varied as they are daunting.
Ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, noise pollution from oil and gas exploration, and the impacts of climate change all combine to create a gauntlet of hazards along their migratory routes.
Some species are in particularly dire straits. The North Atlantic right whale, for example, is teetering on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 70 breeding females left.
Closer to home, Australia’s southern right whales are also struggling, their numbers stubbornly stuck at a fraction of pre-whaling levels.
And it’s not just the whales themselves that are at risk. Every entanglement, every ship strike, chips away at the health of our oceans—and, by extension, the tourism industry that depends on them.
The human factor: Progress and pitfalls
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. The BlueCorridors.org project is already helping to drive change.
In the North Atlantic, some fishing companies have switched to rope-free gear to prevent entanglements.
In Greece and Asia, shipping lanes have been adjusted to reduce the risk of collisions.
And off Sri Lanka—home to one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and a vital blue whale habitat—researchers have shown that moving the shipping route just 15 nautical miles south could reduce ship strikes by a staggering 95 per cent.
Unfortunately, progress isn’t always swift.
Here in Australia, the Queensland government recently announced an $88 million expansion of its shark control program, including nets that frequently entangle whale mothers and calves.
WWF’s Chris Johnson called the move ‘disappointing’, noting that bycatch—accidental capture in fishing gear—remains the biggest killer of cetaceans worldwide, with an estimated 300,000 dying each year.
What’s at stake for Australian tourism?
If you’ve ever stood on a clifftop at Byron Bay or Hervey Bay, binoculars in hand, you know the magic of seeing a whale up close.
But imagine a future where those sightings become rare—or disappear altogether.
The loss wouldn’t just be ecological; it would be economic and cultural, too.
As more data is added to the BlueCorridors.org platform, researchers hope to pinpoint the most dangerous hotspots and work with industry and government to find solutions.
The goal? To ensure that future generations of Australians can enjoy the thrill of whale watching—and that our oceans remain vibrant and full of life.
Join the conversation
As efforts to protect whale species evolve alongside growing awareness of the threats they face, the conversation around balancing environmental responsibility and industrial progress continues.
With new tools like the WWF’s interactive map, both policymakers and the public are gaining greater insight into the impact of human activity on marine life.
What are your thoughts on the measures being proposed to protect whale migration routes? Do you believe industries should be doing more to reduce their footprint, or is the current approach sufficient? Have you witnessed or taken part in whale watching tourism, and what role do you think it plays in conservation awareness? Feel free to share your views and experiences in the comments below.
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