Growing whale numbers mean boost for Straddie business

Gelato store owner John Truman said the more whales that swam past Straddie, the more money he made, with international tourists and day-trippers visiting the island to catch glimpses of the majestic sea mammals.

“It is great news for everyone, not only locally but also for tourism,” Mr Truman said.

“It has been good for the gelato bar in the winter and good for all of the island’s businesses.”

The Point Lookout resident, who has tallied the number of whales sighted with his wife Jenni for the past two decades, said this year’s count was the highest yet.

He said the pair had sighted 2820 humpbacks migrating north from May to late July, with the number increased from the few hundred recorded when their observations first began.

“The whales have nearly doubled in the last five years,” Mr Truman said. 

“Sometimes the whales are just 20 metres from the rocks.

“You can hear them blow and the noise of them hitting the water.”

Humpback whale expert Michael Noad, who is a University of Queensland associate professor, said he estimated humpback numbers had grown to 30,000, with the population back to pre-1950 levels when whaling was still conducted.

Mr Noad said the last official survey, conducted in 2015, showed whale numbers were increasing by about 11 per cent per year.

“What this means is that they double every seven years,” he said.

He said the whales’ return showed how threatened species could be saved.

"All we have to do is not kill them,” Mr Noad said.

The humpback population was decimated in the early 1960s by Soviet whalers based in Antarctic waters. About 22,000 whales were slaughtered in two years alone, with shore-based whalers at Tangalooma and Cape Byron closing soon after the population was reduced to one per cent.

“It’s a really good lesson. Provided you don’t destroy their habitat, most animals just look after themselves,” Nr Noad said.

An Environment Department spokesperson said people in the water should not approach whales too closely.

The warning came after humpbacks, on their way back to Antarctica, were reported last week to have swum within 200 metres of the Main Beach shoreline.

“While the increase in whale numbers is good news, it also means boaties, especially on sailing vessels, are more likely to encounter whales during the annual migration and potentially be at risk,” the spokesperson said.

Swimmers and those in boats should keep at least 100 metres away from whales or dolphins, with boats not allowed within 300 metres if three or more other boats were nearby.

“Personal watercraft such as jet skis are not permitted within 300 metres of whales at any time,” the spokesperson said.

“Humpbacks are very curious animals and may approach or even nudge boats, they may slap their tails when near vessels, or leap out of the water in explosive breaches.

“If the operator of a boat becomes concerned about the safety of the vessel and passengers due to a whale’s behaviour, they should stop, slow down and steer away from the whale immediately.

“If you see someone breaching the whale approach limits, please take down the location, time, date and vessel registration details and notify EHP on 1300 130 372.”