Whale Watching BlueprintApr. 2012. Whale Watching Blueprint I – Setting up a marine ecotourism operation has been completed as the first in a series of marine ecotourism and protected area e-handbooks from Nature Editions. The core of the material for the first blueprint was developed through collaboration with the Humane Society International as part of its program to promote sustainable marine ecotourism as an alternative to dolphin hunting and capture. The original blueprint was workshopped and received detailed input from international marine mammal and ecotourism experts as well as operators on the ground in Peru. Since the first English and Spanish editions were published in hard copy in 2007, author Erich Hoyt has worked with translators to prepare print editions in Indonesian, French and, most recently in December 2010, in Japanese. This revised, updated and expanded English edition is the first digital version to be published. Other titles planned in the series will cover additional aspects of marine ecotourism in depth. Author Erich Hoyt provides seasoned advice on key aspects of whale watching based on his work with whales and dolphins in more than 50 countries. The Whale Watching Blueprint – I designed for use by individual operators, communities, tourism departments, conservation groups and researchers, presents two case studies for successful whale and dolphin watching in Kaikoura, New Zealand and Baja Mexico. Whale Watching Blueprint – I. Setting up a marine ecotourism operation (2012) is available as a Kindle ebook from all Amazon websites. Amazon website links to Blueprint page: Follow Erich Hoyt on Twitter @erichhoyt Blog and website at: www.erichhoyt.com For more information, to obtain a cover or other whale watching image for publicity, please contact info@NatureEditions.com Comments and Reviews The essential whale-watching manual “This new book’s small size should not be mistaken for a paucity of information because wrapped up in its 37 pages are years of study distilled into a key ‘how-to-do’ text; a text which is going to be the standard for many currently involved in whale watching — as well as those that may wish to set up this potentially eco-friendly form of tourism. Erich as usual eloquently and seemingly effortlessly distils in fine prose his vision. He sets appropriately high hurdles for the industry to leap for it to truly claim both that it is sustainable and that it is whale- and dolphin-friendly. We have been waiting for this blueprint, and the animals in many parts of the world need it.” — MP Simmonds “Erich Hoyt’s Whale Watching Blueprint I is an invaluable tool, an easy to read ‘how-to’ for all stakeholders, both national and community-based. It not only sets the stage for new operations, but through detailed examples illustrates ways forward for established ones to achieve high-quality whale watching…The potential impacts of this rapidly growing industry and the need for high quality whale watching have been the topic of numerous publications, workshops and seminars worldwide. Blueprint is a careful synthesis of these discussions, highlighted by Hoyt’s incomparable expertise and clear, concise writing. Long overdue…I would highly recommend it to all those interested in achieving a higher standard of wildlife viewing.” — Carole Carlson |  Whale Watching Blueprint I |