Be a whale safe boater: use best practices around marine mammals.

Reduce Noise — Increase Distance — Report Violations & Animals in Distress

Be a whale safe boater and keep your distance when you see a whale breaching like this humpback. Credit Robert Scriba.

Best Procedures & Practices for boating on BC’s Coast around Marine Mammals

Whale Safe Boating Practices & Procedures

Educational Resources developed by the Marine Education & Research Society (MERS)

Learn details at www.seeablowgoslow.org:

  • Laws, Regulations & Boater Safety
  • Incident Reporting
  • Safety of Boaters and Marine Mammals
  • Key Points for Avoiding Collisions
  • Whale-Safe Boating Course
  • Entangled Whales – What to do if you see one
  • Maps for Areas of Humpback Density
  • Know your FLAGS – Information about flags on the water
  • Best Practices – Being Whale Wise

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What if dolphins or porpoises bow ride?
Is it okay if “the whales come to you”?
What if I’m fishing and there are whales?
How does reporting violations help?
What is ethical whale watching?

It is very important that boaters know that any dead, distressed, entangled, injured marine mammal needs to be reported ASAP to Marine Mammal Response Line: 1-800-465-4336. If not in service, it should be reported via VHF Ch 16 for relay to Department of Fisheries & Oceans (DFO).

How do I learn more?

Announcing Whale-Safe Boating!

At long last, there is a course for boaters on the coast of British Columbia that addresses both the safety of people AND marine mammals. On July 2nd, 2025, Whale-Safe Boating was launched – free, online, and easy to use. 

This online course is a comprehensive, one-stop resource that fulfills a critical need. It helps recreational boaters of both motorized and non-motorized vessels stay safe and legal around marine mammals —while also enhancing their enjoyment of the coast, increasing the safety of marine mammals, and contributing to marine mammal conservation. 

You can find this free course at www.WhaleSafeBoating.org. 

Details about the course: 

  • The dynamic, online course is 90 minutes long 
  • Narrated with the option of closed captioning 
  • Can be paused, resumed, and referred back to at any time 
  • It includes a Certificate of completion and downloadable resources 
  • Optional supplemental module includes details about marine mammal species in coastal BC, plus Basking Sharks and Leatherback Turtles  

The Whale-Safe Boating course was made possible by Transport Canada’s Boater Safety Contribution Program and developed with input from an advisory committee of experts in boating, paddling, education, marine mammals, and regulatory policy.

Even killer whales like to frolic, credit Destination BC

Contribute with Your Sightings and Photos

Report Whales, Dolphins & Porpoises

…to the Ocean Wise Sightings Network. Contribute to citizen science!

Free Whale Report App

…from ocean.org

Submit photos of Humpback Whales

…to the Canadian Pacific Humpback Collaboration for identification of individuals

Marine Mammal ID Sheets

…from Ocean Wise

The BC Ocean Boating Tourism Association acknowledges the important work of MERS — the Marine Education & Research Society — and its invaluable contribution to the safety of marine mammals on BC’s Coast. It is their detailed work that, with the combined efforts of resident and visiting boaters, make a significant difference to the quality of life for our unique inhabitants of the sea. We thank you for your research and for the privilege of sharing this invaluable information with boaters. You enhance our quality of life.