SAMANÁ, RD.- The Dominican Republic's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMARN) took a group of journalists on a whale watching trip on Saturday in Samaná, a province on the country's northeast coast. The goal was to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the humpback whales that migrate to the area each winter.
The Minister of the Environment, Miguel Ceara Hatton, welcomed the journalists aboard the boat, which departed from the Malecón de Santa Bárbara de Samaná.
“We are in Samaná, we are going to take a tour to visit the whales,” he said. “It is a unique experience, a cultural experience, an environmental experience, an experience with nature.”
Ceará Hatton highlighted the role of the media in raising awareness about environmental issues and promoting sustainable development. He also highlighted the economic importance of whale watching for Samaná and the Dominican Republic as a whole.
“We invite everyone to come to Samaná and see this beauty,” he said. “Today we are accompanied by a group of journalists, communication people, so that they can also spread the word about this beautiful place that is in Samaná.”
Journalists had the opportunity to see several whales up close, including one that was just giving birth. They also learned about the biology and behavior of humpback whales from a guide who is a certified whale watching educator.
Biologist Nelson García Marcano, head of the MMARN Biodiversity Directorate, explained that 43 boats are registered for whale watching in Samaná. He said the activity generates important economic activity for the province, including jobs for boat captains, guides and wildlife inspectors.
Photo: Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMARN)
García Marcano also highlighted that the Dominican Republic has a successful humpback whale monitoring program. The program uses tail tags to identify individual whales and has found that around 73% of the whales that visit Samaná each year return the following year.
“The whales are Dominican,” he said. “They are born here, go north to look for food and then come back to us. This is an important element that we must highlight and we are proud of.”