Tourists can begin to enjoy the delights of watching humpback whales “up close and personal” from boats authorized for the Samana Bay trips as of 15 January t hrough 15 March. Representatives from the government and conservation groups have inked an agreement aimed at controlling the way in which tourists can enjoy the spectacle. The Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Tourism, the Center for the Conservation and Eco-development of the Samana Bay (CEBSE), the Dominican Foundation for Marine Studies (Fundemar), and the Association of Samana Bay Boat Owners signed the agreement. During the signing ceremony, CEBSE executive director Patricia Lamelas asked the Dominican Navy to enforce the agreements and to stop vessels without official authorization from entering the area.
For more on whale watching, see http://dr1.com/travel/special/whales.shtml