IAATO Expands Wildlife Monitoring Program Through Global Marine Conservation Partnership
The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) is expanding its wildlife monitoring efforts through a new partnership with marine conservation charity, ORCA.
Starting this Antarctic season, IAATO Members will use ORCA’s OceanWatchers digital citizen-science platform to collect data for the association’s Voluntary Cetacean and Pinniped Sightings (V-CaPS) Program, contributing to global marine conservation while strengthening wildlife safety measures in Antarctica.
Since its inception in 1991, IAATO has worked within the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) to ensure that tourism activities support the preservation of the region’s natural environment. Launched in 2022, IAATO’s V-CaPS Program collects critical data on whales and seals in the Antarctic Peninsula region. These insights have shaped IAATO’s operational practices, including the development of mandatory whale slow-down and acoustic awareness zones, to mitigate the potential for human-wildlife conflict.
Through partnership with UK-based ORCA, V-CaPS data will be integrated with ORCA’s long-term database of global marine mammal sightings, offering scientists, researchers and policymakers a richer understanding of how whales, seals, and other species use the world’s oceans.
"Utilising OceanWatchers allows us to capture more detailed, standardised data and connect it directly to international research," said Maureen Lynch, IAATO Science and Monitoring Senior Manager. "This strengthens our ability to safeguard Antarctic wildlife while positioning IAATO as a valuable contributor to global science."
The OceanWatchers platform standardises how sightings are logged, capturing not only species information but also the effort involved in surveying, and environmental conditions such as weather and visibility. This added insight is vital to give a true picture of how marine mammal populations in Antarctica are changing and will play a key role in conserving important habitats.
"Supporting science and contributing to wildlife monitoring is an important part of our role as Antarctic stewards," said Lisa Kelley, IAATO Executive Director.
"Partnering with ORCA takes our existing monitoring efforts to the next level, meaning stronger, more robust data that can be shared with other scientific stakeholders and be used to inform our operating decisions in Antarctica."
Joining the OceanWatchers dataset means that V-CaPS data will be accessible to researchers worldwide, strengthening international collaboration to protect whales and seals at a time when marine ecosystems face increasing pressure globally.
"Industry partnerships like this give us a unique opportunity to create safer oceans for whales," said Steve Jones, ORCA Director of Operations and Chair of IAATO’s Antarctic Ambassadorship Committee. "We’re proud to work with IAATO to help increase their positive impact and embed vital marine mammal research into the heart of their operations in Antarctica."
