Australia supports whale watching industry
Updated
Australia's Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, says whale watching is a potentially lucrative industry that should be promoted in an effort to conserve the species.
Mr Garrett marked national whales day by releasing a governent commissioned report which he says confirms the value of whale conservation.
The report argues that a morotorium on commercial whaling must be maintained to save the 14 known species of whales that are threatened.
But it also says that the whale watching industry has grown hugely over recent years.
In high income countries 100-million-people a year go whale watching, a figure the report predicts will grow by around 10-million a year.
Mr Garrett says the industry could also provide development opportunities in middle and low income countries if enough is done to stop commerical whaling.
He'll take the report to this month's international whaling commission meeting in Chile.
