The Ministry of Tourism has launched an investigation following a social media post showing swimmers engaging in prohibited behavior with whales during Tonga’s whale watching season.
The post, dated September 2023 and uploaded under the name NiceChica, showed one individual sitting on a baby whale while others touched a second whale.
We reported on a similar matter a few days ago as countries like Mauritius crack down on irresponsible whale-watching practices..
The Ministry’s enforcement team traced the post to WeChat and Instagram accounts under the name mouton_yangyang, confirming the footage was not from the current whale watching season. The individual in question is currently in Mauritius.
The Ministry emphasized its zero-tolerance policy towards breaches of whale watching regulations, stating that the industry is crucial to Tonga’s economy.
As the season concludes this month, stricter enforcement will continue, with license reviews set for next year. Operators violating regulations will face penalties.