Whale-watching season gets underway in Banderas Bay

The whale watching season in the bay will formally start on December 8 and end on March 23, 2023, according to biologist Astrid Frisch, president of the Asociación Civil Ecologa y Conservación de Ballenas (ECOBAC).

Given that this season is projected to be a “Niña” year, which means that the waters will be extremely cold, it is expected that a few more whales will come than in the previous season.

There are boats specifically authorized for whale watching. You can identify them by the flag with a little whale, which has a number and says ‘JAL’ and ‘Nayarit’, so they are very easy to identify. Having the distinctive mark assures us that the personnel on the boats have taken courses, are trained, and know the whale-watching regulations and guidelines.

People who own their own boats should keep a safe distance of 240 meters behind the allowed boats and should never pass in front of whales or interfere with their activities. They should also stay away from groups of boats if they notice any.

11 of the approximately 30 reports of entangled whales that ECOBAC received last year came from this bay. This association now has a unique reporting number.

This year, we’re introducing a new phone number—322 150 0850—for WhatsApp reporting. It is solely used to report whale entanglements because we are unable to receive any other information about fauna. Only reports of entanglements of huge whales are accepted.